Our Top 10 Tips for Hiking the Green Dog Way!

Mum, Gracie and I just love to hike!

We live in the Mountains of NE Georgia, so we get to hike a lot and see some pawsome scenery, meet other fun hikers, and enjoy our time in the fresh air and great outdoors.

We've learned over the years that there are some tips to hiking with dogs...tips to keep us comfortable, happy, healthy, enjoying our day and leaving no carbon pawprint.

We wanted to share our tips with you!

1. Are you and your dog ready? Make sure you and your dog are prepared for the hike you are undertaking. Not all dogs (or humans for that matter) are suited for 7-8 mile hikes like we enjoy. And we sure didn't start hiking seven miles in the beginning; nope we started with about a mile. Gracie and I are agility dogs and are well conditioned for active, high level fitness, but your dog may not be ready. So be sure and start with short hikes if you've never hiked with your dog, and build to longer hikes.

2. Pack it up! Mum has a pack that she takes with us on our hikes. Our pack contains everything we need for a fun, healthy and environmentally friendly hike. Here's just a quick list of our pack contents:

• BPA free bottles of water and bowl if needed
• Biodegradable poop bags
• Recycled tissues
• Camera
• Cell phone - with our Endomondo hike tracking app and our TrailNote safety hiking app
• GPS - with satellite connection because we hike in really dense forests on scantily marked trails with no cell signal sometimes
• Snacks - for us and Mum
• Vet wrap, alcohol wipes, Traumeel cream, tweezers and spare dog boots or socks for what if
• Long line - for when we get to go in the river.
• Trail map

Some dogs like to take their own packs and we think that's great! Some dogs are suited for carrying packs, and some aren't. Be sure that your dog is prepared for carrying a dog pack; that they are strong enough, can handle the extra weight and are used to carrying a pack. You can gradually get a dog used to wearing a pack by trying it at home first, giving lots of treats when the pack is near, then placed on their back, then strapped, then gradually increase the time your dog wears it around the house. Be sure and give lots of treats as you train them to wear the pack.

3. Leash up! Hiking trails are unpredictable. You can encounter a wide, wide variety of things on your hike - cliff drop offs, other hikers that may not like dogs, stray and other off leash dogs, deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, snakes and even bears! That's why it's important to stay leashed up. Yes, it's super tempting to let your dog loose on the trail, but it's important to follow the rules and to be safe; most all national and state parks require that your dog is leashed on the trail.

We have a leash system which we love. Mum has nice, tough and durable harnesses for both me and Gracie, that allow us all kinds of freedom of movement and flexibility. Then we have six foot leather leashes that we've had for well over six years, that we still use today! Mum can have both of us on leash in one hand very securely and even take photos with the other. It's a great system that works well for us. Find a system that works for you for a happier hike!

4. Keep hydrated! Keeping both your dog and you hydrated on the trail is sooo important. We have a several water containers that we take with us. One of them is stainless steel with a BPA free lid that also acts as a water bowl for me and Gracie. The other two are BPA free Nalgene bottles for Mum and for our refills. At least every mile when it's cooler and more often when it's hotter, we stop for a nice sip of water, and take a little break, check the paws and pads and do a little stretching. Oh and it's a great time to give Mum some licks to thank her for a fun day!

5. Snacks! Hiking burns a ton of calories, especially if you are out for four to five hours like us on some hikes, climbing up 1000 foot elevation changes. So every few miles or so, Mum will give us a few treats to keep us energized, and she'll snack on some trail mix as well! We have a couple of favorite snacks we like on our hikes - Zukes Mini Naturals and Dr. Harvey's Power Patties; they are both great energy suppliers, and healthy, safe snacks for us.

6. Pick up the doo! I can't tell you how many times, even on the most remote trails, that we have found the remnants of another dog on the path. So please, please, pick up your dog's doo when you're out hiking. Keep it green and leave no trace! Mum takes some very strong, durable biodegradable bags when we're out hiking, and yes, she adds them to her pack when used; then deposits them either in a trash bin at the end of the trail, or if there isn't one she takes them home with us to add to our dog poo composter.

7. Watch the temps and the weather! Before we plan a big hike, Mum will check the Weather Channel. Being in the mountains, weather can be a bit unpredictable. Mum wants to make sure it's not going to be too hot or too cold for us and wants to make sure that Gracie and I (and her, of course) are dressed for whatever weather we may encounter.

I'll never forget one of our favorite hikes last year. It was one day after we had seven inches of snowfall. But the next day it was sunny, 45 degrees and still had about four inches of snow on the ground. We didn't need a warm coat for that day, but Mum did make sure that we stayed out of the creek, because of the icy water. So be prepared! Have your dog wear a dog coat if it's going to be too cold; and delay your hike if it's going to be too hot.

8. Those enticing waters! Those rivers, lakes and streams can be very enticing to us dogs. First sign of water and I'm wanting iin there! But Mum makes sure to take extra precautions when we're near bodies of water. She only lets us sip out of nice flowing mountain streams in national and state parks where there are no farms or plants nearby; and keeps us out of creeks and ponds that are stagnant.

Why? Because there can be some really nasty stuff in some of those creeks, ponds and lakes. Everything from checmical run off from farming, to giardia in creeks from other dogs and wildlife. So encourage your dog to drink from the filtered water you bring on your hike, and steer clear of drinking from water sources that are unfamiliar or questionable.

8. Take breaks! I giggle, because my Mum needs more breaks than I do. She knows, however, what to watch for when we're out hiking and I, or Gracie, may be tiring. What do I do when I'm tiring? Yep, I start lagging (sure doesn't happen very often, but it does on occasion). If I'm not out in front, pulling Mum up and down the trial, that's when she knows I need a good break.

9. Check the pads! There are all sorts of things you can encounter on a hike, pine needles, broken glass, stickers, small stones, burrs and lots more that can reek havoc with a dog's paws. Mum makes sure to watch us for any slight limping, and when we stop for a water break, she always checks our paws and pads for any foreign material or abrasions.

10. Body check! After the hike, check for ticks, fleas, burrs, and well, all kinds of things us dogs can get into. After every hike Mum will spread us out on one of our beds in the cabin and start rubbing all over us, checking for anything that's not supposed to be there. But the best part? I get a nice rub down after my hike too! Love those rub downs.

Have fun!!! The best part of hiking with my Mum and sis Gracie is having fun. No stress, quiet, serene times, great exercise and just being with my pack...we love that! Take the time to have a fun day with your dog, 'cause us dogs can really show you how to have fun!

Happy Hiking!

Raise A Green Dog launches new Partner Program to showcase green, eco-friendly, healthy and safe products and services for dogs.

We at Raise A Green Dog are very excited to announce our new Raise A Green Dog Partner Program to showcase green, eco-friendly, healthy and safe products, companies and services for dogs!

Our new RAGD Partner Program is designed to share green, eco-friendly, healthy and safe products and services to help our readers learn about a wide variety of green-minded and environmentally conscious related companies and the products they offer to help dogs have a healthier, happier life and environment.

Over the next weeks we will be featuring these companies individually so that you, our reader, can learn more about our Partners, discover great green products and services, and make more informed decisions that relate to your dog, their health and their life.

We currently have a number of Partners offering a wide variety of products for us dogs! They include:

• Earthborn Holistic Pet Food - producing delicious, natural food for your pet, while creating awareness about the environment and practicing reduce, reuse, and recycle in their company practices.
• Earth Heart Inc. - provides high quality products using pure essential oils and other plant-based ingredients to help dogs with travel and stress related upsets, pests and guarding against environmental irritants.
• Simply For Pets - creating specialized treats for dogs with special health issues.
• Eco-Dogs.com - providing all natural, grain free dog & cat foods, and eco-friendly pet products with the end result of 'leaving smaller carbon paw prints™.
• Uncommon Paws - offering interesting, high quality products made with the best, sustainable, natural materials; all unique, all uncommon.
• The Dogma Online - providing natural & raw dog food with free shipping options
• Farm Dog Naturals - creates Relief Pet Urine & Eco Cleaner that neutralizes dog urine and odors; Salvation Salve that heals crusty noses and cracked paws and Restore Salve which stops itching and heals wounds.
• PetsHeadToTail.com - offers clothing to toys to health care and grooming products, discounted, eco-friendly dog and cat accessories and solutions for environmentally-conscious owners.
• West Coast Canine Life - providing human quality, organic, whole foods dog food, a fresh cooked diet for your dog's optimum health.

“We are very pleased that these companies have joined us in the launch of our new RAGD Partner Program,” shared Leslie May, founder of Raise A Green Dog. “Through these companies we are able to share healthier and greener alternatives for dogs in the categories of food, toys, clothing, grooming, supplements, treats, clean up, beds, bowls and more; all made and created with sustainable, recycled, organic, all-natural and healthier ingredients and materials. “And we’re adding new RAGD Partners nearly every day.”

We are also showcasing companies in our newly created Green Dog Directory, which features resources in a variety of categories of products and services for green dogs. In addition to the RAGD Partners the directory also features Pure Pooch All Natural Grooming, shoo!TAG™ and Greener Pup.

Read our full press release for more information.

We want to thank our new Raise A Green Dog Partners for joining us in helping dogs live a healthier life, while helping the environment!

It's National Public Lands Day and free entrance day to National Parks throughout the US!

Today is National Public Lands Day, the country's largest single-day effort to spruce up parks and other open spaces throughout this great country of ours.

Have a little time to spare today? National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands in the United States. Find out how you can clean up your National Parks, help build a trail, plant a few trees and more!

Or another way you can honor this pawsome day is to enjoy your local National Park with your dog! This special day is also a Free Entrance Day, a great day to get out there and have some fun!

Just be sure that your local National Park allows dogs. To find out, check the US National Park website, search for your local park and read up on the things you need to know section. DogFriendly.com also has some of the dog rules for the 10 most popular National Parks.

Happy weekend! Hope you have a great time with your dog!

The Washington Post features Raise A Green Dog in email to subscribers!

The Washington Post recently featured Raise A Green Dog in an email newsletter to their PostPoint subscribers.

Written by Jura Koncius, TWP reporter, we are pleased to present the article below reprinted with permission from The Washington Post. Visit TWP's Home & Garden section for lots of great (and green) tips and info for your life and environment!

Many dog owners who live the green lifestyle have also taken measures to reduce their pet's carbon pawprint.

The Web is a great source of information about how respecting the environment can lead to a healthier and happier dog. The authors of the Web site and blog raiseagreendog.com are focused on providing timely, useful information on earth friendly pet care. Pet owners have a lot of choices regarding their pet's food, supplies, toys, health care and the place where they live.

Living an eco-friendly life with a focus on pets affects the selection of your sidewalk de-icer in the winter, as well as what product you use to clean your floors.

A recent Raise A Green Dog blog post addressed the safety of drinking water for pets. Here are some of the very important issues raised in the blog that you might not have considered.

Use filtered tap water for your pet's water bowls. They suggest a product that filters out chlorine and fluoride. Do not serve them distilled water.

Don't use reuse old plastic water bottles to refill the bowl - they may leach chemicals into the water. Using a stainless steel reusable water bottle is the best choice.

Replace plastic bowls with stainless steel bowls, which won't develop cracks that can harbor bacteria.

On walks, don't allow your puppy to drink from potentially harmful puddles, ponds or streams, which could be contaminated with unhealthy bacteria and viruses.

Keep bowls clean and filled. You can wash the bowls with a combination of hot water and vinegar, rinsing thoroughly.

For more information go to www.raiseagreendog.com

Great green and organic tips for Fall lawn care!

Fall is the best time to get your lawn ready for the Winter and to give it a great head start on next Spring and Summer! So, we put together these great green tips to help you get your lawn in tip top shap to pop-up a pawsome organic and safe lawn next Spring!

But first a word about why an organic lawn; one free from the use of dangerous chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and herbicides is so important for the health of your dog and the environment.

Our yards and lawns are sacred places for us dogs, it's where we spend a lot of our time. We play, we poo, and we enjoy time playing with our family and friends in our yard, enjoying the fresh air and great outdoors.

That's why it's very important to keep it safe, and keep it green and free of harmful chemicals. Contrary to popular belief and advertising the dangerous chemical lawn fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and insecticides that millions of people put on their lawns throughout the year are incredibly harmful to us dogs and to humans, as well. Exposure to these chemicals have been linked to cancer in dogs, as well as other major illnesses. And they have harmful effects on the environment, too!

Just think, if they kill bugs and weeds, what are they doing to children and pets?

BeyondPesticides.org has a wealth of information relating to the use and affects of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and insecticides on humans, pets and children. They indicate 'studies find that dogs exposed to herbicide-treated lawns and gardens can double their chance of developing canine lymphoma and may increase the risk of bladder cancer in certain breeds by four to seven times.' (xvii)

And, in this report and DVD "The Truth About Cats, Dogs and Lawn Chemicals," which was funded by Newman’s Own Foundation, you can learn more about the dangers and effects of lawn chemicals on your pets.

Having an organic lawn is definitely the way to go for the health and long life of you and your dog. And it really is a lot easier than you think; you just have to utilize different practices, change your way of thinking and learn more about how you can take care of your lawn naturally for full lush growth, fewer weeds and pests.

Fall is a great time to not only improve your organic lawn, but start utilizing organic lawn practices to make your lawn a safer place to be for you and your pets.

Step 1:

In early Fall (September/October in the North and late September/October in the South) take advantage of one of the good rainfalls. Get out there after the downpour and start pulling up those unsightly weeds.

We recommend using a good weed or dandelion puller (recommendations below), because it saves your back and knees, and really works to get the root out (which is your goal, so they won't come back).

Step 2:

Make sure and rake up any debris from your lawn; including leaves, weed residue, grass thatch and add all this good organic matter to your compost pile. It will become great feeding for your flowers, shrubs and vegetables next Spring.

Step 3:

Now it's time to work to thicken up your lawn by planting a good quality, uncoated grass seed. (We recommend un-coated because it doesn't add any chemical laden residue or growth hormones to your lawn and is safer and healthier). Be free with reseeding bare patches and thin areas of your lawn (best times are in September in the North and October in the South), and remember, the more grass you have the less weeds you will have. Once you've removed the weeds throw down your grass seed in thin areas; and be sure to prep the bare spots with a little raking of the soil first.

If frequent rain weather isn't cooperating, give your new seeded areas a good sprinkle when it gets dry for about 4-6 weeks to provide a good start in life.

Step 4:

About 4-6 weeks after reseeding, or in September/October/November if you aren't reseeding, we recommend putting down a good quality organic fertilizer to help give your lawn the nutrients it needs to prepare for and weather the Winter well.

We like several types of organic fertilizers, from worm poo and fish emulsions (which are sprays) to pellet based fertilizers made from feather meal, bone meal, and/or soybean meal. (More suggestions below).

The type of lawn fertilizer you use depends upon you and your dog's lifestyle. Gracie (pictured to the right) likes to get into everything, and we mean everything :). One time when we utilized a pellet based fertilizer, she spent most of her time sniffing at it, eating it (which wasn't harmful to her at all). Well, too much of anything isn't good, and she got a pretty good runny nose from sniffing it up so much. So the next time we utilized a liquid based fertilizer with a hose-end sprayer and viola! Problem solved. Even the fish emulsions we've used were a little smelly at first, but went away after about an hour.

Step 5:

If you'd like to get rid of some of that grass around the fence line, or along the patio, here's what we like to do. We use BurnOut, it's an environmentally friendly, safe product of concentrated vinegar that you can buy. As long as you use it when it's above 80 degrees for a few days, it works like a charm in killing grass and anything else in it's path!

We hope these ideas will help you have a great, green, healthy, safe and eco-friendly lawn! And if you have any trouble finding some of the products we've provided some resources below. Happy gardening!

It's National Holistic Pets Day: A great day to help celebrate healthy dogs!

Happy National Holistic Pets Day!

Founded by Colleen Paige of Animal Miracle Foundation, National Holistic Pets Day is a great day to celebrate helping your dog be the healthiest and happiest they can be!

But what is holistic? And how can it help my dog? We believe holistic means caring for and treating the whole living being, their life, their health and their relationship to their environment.

To us that means taking preventative care to help your dog live a healthier, happier life by taking measures of healthy eating and healthy living; and creating a fun, happy, entertaining and engaging life for the mind.

To celebrate this special day, we wanted to share with you some of our most important tips to help your dog have a greener, healthier life and environment; and learn to live holistically like we do:

You are what you eat! And that goes for dogs too. Eating a good healthy, wholesome diet is one of the most important holistic paths you can practice with your dog. Learn more about healthier eating, the food options available and what's right for your dog!

Water is one of the most important elements to your dog's health and life. Learn about how you can keep your dog's water the safest it can be!

Your dog spends a lot of time playing and having fun in your yard. Learn how you can make your dog's domain the safest and healthiest it can be through organic lawn and garden care!

What goes in, must come out! Learn how you can reduce your dog's environmental and carbon pawprint by learning the proper ways to dispose of the doo.

Remember, part of being holistic is having a positive and loving outlook on life; so get out there and celebrate this special day with your dog! Take a nice hike, a fun walk around the park, teach them a trick or two, or play a fun game together; and remember to always have fun with your best friend!

You can learn more about how to help your dog be greener and healthier in the Learn To Be Green Section of our website, as well as sniff out pawsome healthy and green products from our Raise A Green Dog Partners! And don't furget to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up on updates, discussions, info and more; to help your dog be the healthiest he or she can be!

And have a great National Holistic Pets Day!

Less Ticks = Happy Dogs: Review and Giveaway Earth Heart's Buzz Guard!

Oh are we happy, we have fewer bugs!

A few months ago we moved from our cabin in Tennessee to a cabin in the Mountains of Northeast Georgia. We liked all the hiking and dog agility opportunities in Tennessee, but we didn't like the massive amounts of ticks, chiggers and other nasty bugs we encountered there, neither did Mum. We also wanted to be a be closer to agility trials and other training opportunities.

So we packed up and moved to our new cabin in the Chattahoochee National Forest.

We knew that ticks would potentially be a problem for us here as well, but after our first visit we discovered that we just may be able to live our dream and live it without many of the nasties!

And that's just what happened.

We have been enjoying our time here, lots of hiking, doing some agility, and we even got to do some sheep herding and lure coursing.

But the best part is that we have a great fenced in area around our cabin and we've only found about three ticks on us over the course of our three months here doing all our fun activities. And none of them were attached!

So how are we combating ticks, chiggers and more nasties now? We're back to going natural, yeah!!! You may remember since we encountered 100's of ticks in Tennessee in just one little walk around the pasture, we had to resort to more 'chemical-based' methods to keep away the nasty tick diseases that can plague dogs and humans.

Now that we're in Georgia, we've been utilizing a product from one of the new Raise A Green Dog Partners to help us combat the nasties. Earth Heart's Buzz Guard is what we've been using with really nice results.

Mum sprays it on our harnesses, and on a bandana that we wear during our hikes and when we are out in the yard. We've only had a few ticks show up in all the hikes we've taken while using Buzz Guard. And none were attached, they came right off us when we were lounging on the couch with Mum. Mum just grabbed 'em up and disposed of them properly. We think that's amazing, considering we are deep in the forest!).

Even though you can spray Buzz Guard right on us dogs safely and naturally, Mum sprays it on our gear because we like to lick and cuddle with our kittie bros in the evenings, and essential oils aren't really good for cats, even though they are safe for dogs.

Earth Heart's Buzz Guard is made with water, polysorbate 20; neem seed oil; pure essential oils of citronella, fir, geranium; rosewood, basil, myrrh; and potassium sorbate, which we like.

Even though we are deep in the Chattahoochee National Forest, we are able to effectively manage the ticks, chiggers and other no-see-ems naturally thanks to Earth Heart.

And now for the best part:

We are giving away one bottle of Buzz Guard to try with your dog!

To enter, all you have to do is sign up for Earth Heart's email newsletter and then go and sign up for the Raise A Green Dog newsletter. Once you've subscribed (just click on the links) come back here and leave us a comment on this blog post and tell us why you want to try Buzz Guard or Travel Calm and that you signed up for the newsletters! And if you'd like (this is optional) you can go like Earth Heart and RAGD on Facebook too; and leave us some photos of your pups, we love pups!

Your deadline to enter is Midnight, August 28th, ET. We'll do a random draw on the 29th, and leave a comment with this post to let you know who won! Check back K? Because we'll need to get in touch with the winner.

And there's more!

Yep, the nice folks at Earth Heart have agreed to give our readers a chance to buy one get one free of their Buzz Guard or Travel Calm products. All you have to do is visit their website, enter the code HURRAH RAGD in ‘special instructions’ or ‘note to seller’ at checkout when you order a bottle and you'll receive a second bottle (2 fl. oz.) FREE with your order of either Travel Calm or Buzz Guard. If you don’t specify which product you’d like to receive for free, one will be selected for you. This code is good for one-time use with a single purchase (one bottle, please) between August 18 and 28, 2011.

Please follow all the instructions, or your eligibility for the giveaway or BOGO will be at risk, K?

Disclaimer: Earth Heart Inc., is a partner of Raise A Green Dog and we do receive compensation from them in the form of advertising. However this review and all the reviews through the Raise A Green Dog are of our personal, independent and honest opinion. The products and the claims made about specific products within this blog post have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease or any other ailment your pet may have. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information in this blog post for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment for your pet. Please talk to your veterinarian about using any supplements or products geared to help your pet. Giveaway is open to individual in the US, +18 years or older; no purchase is necessary to enter; winner will be chosen via random.org.

Fluoride Awareness Week, a great time to bring awareness to the dangers of fluoride in our water supply.

This week, August 8th-13th, is Fluoride Awareness Week, a great week to bring awareness to the dangers of fluoride in our water supplies.

“In a nearly unprecedented about-face, U.S. health officials recently admitted that Americans are getting too much fluoride, “ said Dr. Mercola, founder of Mercola.com, one of the most popular alternative health websites in the world and promoter of Fluoride Awareness Week. “Coupled with disturbing new studies showing the detrimental effects fluoride can have on children, we thought this would be a perfect time to help educate the public on the dangers of fluoride,” Mercola added.

The practice of adding fluoride began in 1945 after about 40 years of research indicating that fluoride may reduce cavities. First started through an experiment by adding trace amounts of fluoride to the water supply in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the five year study of the benefits of adding fluoride to the water supply concluded in a reduction in cavities in that area. By 1951 fluoridation became a policy of the U.S. Public Health Service to the point now that over 60% of the US water supply is fluoridated.

But within the past years individuals, governmental agencies and scientists have begun to understand that the fluoridation of the US water supply may do more harm than good.

According to the National Toxicology Program, "the preponderance of evidence" from laboratory 'in vitro' studies indicates that fluoride is a mutagen (a compound that can cause genetic damage). It is generally accepted that if a substance can induce genetic damage there is a heightened risk that it could cause cancer as well. (source: FluorideAlert.org)

So what can you do?

Here are some tips to keep your dog's (and your) water healthier and safer, and reduce the amount of dangerous chemical ingestion, as well as how to utilize best overall drinking water practices:

• Utilize a water filter for your dog's water that filters out both chlorine and fluoride.
• Avoid distilled water or water treated with reverse osmosis, as it lacks beneficial minerals and nutrients normally found in water.
• Never reuse plastic water bottles for your dog's water, the bottles can leach dangerous chemicals into the water.
• Purchase safe reusable water/beverage bottles - Safer choices include bottles crafted from safer HDPE (plastic #2), low-density polyethylene (LDPE, AKA plastic #4) or polypropylene (PP, or plastic #5). Best bests are made of stainless steel.
• Provide your dog with a stainless steel pet water fountain to encourage more drinking of fresh, filtered water; which can discourage them from drinking from potentially harmful sources.
• Replace any plastics dog bowls with stainless steel to further prevent leaching.
• Keep your dog's water bowl full and clean at all times and provide water often. (Clean the bowls at least once a day with hot water and vinegar, and rinse very well).
• Don't allow your pup to drink out of potentially harmful ponds, streams, rivers or puddles to avoid contamination with unhealthy bacteria and viruses.
• Utilize safe lawn care practices, organic and all natural fertilizers, and avoid areas with your dog where dangerous lawn chemicals are used to help keep your dog and you safe, as well as the water supply.
• Don't allow your pet to swim in chlorinated pools, or stagnant contaminated rivers, streams or ponds.
• Don't allow your dog to drink out of public or shared dog water bowls.
• Get a filtered bath/shower head for your dog's bathing area.
• Utilize environmentally friendly shampoos, conditioners, cleaning products, laundry detergents, non-chlorine stain removers and other items to keep your water cleaner in your community, around your dog and you.
• Keep your pup from drinking out of the garden hose, the combination of leaching plastic, chlorine and fluoride can be dangerous.
• Take your own filtered water on trips and outings, avoid bottled water and utilize a bpa-free water container or dog water bottle.
• Read up on other safety measures to help keep the water your dog drinks, healthier.

These are a lot of guidelines. But by taking part in as many of these tips as possible you can help your dog (and you) live a longer, happier and environmentally friendly life.

Helping Husky rescue with spun Husky fur!

What a great way to reuse to help dogs in need!!!

While pondering a way to help Huskies in need of rescue, Pat Tetrault and Janet Whitesell came up with the idea of the Siberian Husky knitting project to raise needed funds.

Through the Save Our Siberians - Siberspace Rescue Fund the undercoat of huskies is sent in and spun into yarn. The yarn is then knitted into articles that are sold via an Internet Auction to raise funds for Siberian Husky Rescue. The crafts made from the yarn include hats, scarves, dreamcatchers and mittens; all created with the undercoat of huskies!

Here's a vid all about the project:

For more information, to send in fur, or to bid on knitted items, visit the Save Our Siberians - Siberspace Rescue Fund website auction page.

Homemade Frosty Paws - the sequel!!!

It's that time of year...fun in the sun, hiking, agility, swimming! But, it can get really hot some days!

We were at our local training facility this past weekend doing a little lure coursing and guess what? We found some blackberries growing along the fence line on our little hike around the property. (Mum and I took a few, yummmmm.....gimme!)

That one little blackberry made my Mum say, 'Hey! It's hot, we need to make our famous Homemade Frosty Paws!'

Over the past few years we've posted often about our Homemade Frosty Paws, but this time we're going to add in some extras, some information to make them even yummier!

First let's get started.

How do we make 'em? Here's my favorite recipe for our Homemade Frosty Paws!

Ingredients needed:

* 1 large container (32 oz) of low-fat, plain, organic yogurt (we like Stoneyfield Farm)
* 3 handfuls of fresh (organic) blueberries
* 1 banana
* 2 tbsp of organic peanut butter

* Other fruit as desired - like apple slices, orange slices, pineapple slices, and more. Remember, locally grown and organic is best! And only stick with the fruits and veggies that are safe for dogs.

Instructions:

* Chop up the banana in small pieces (or mash) and mix all ingredients together. Place the mixture in ice cube trays and freeze for about 3 hours.

* Once frozen, run hot water over the under side of the trays, pop out the frosty paws, and serve.

That's it. For fun, you can use bone shaped ice cube trays!

Now for the good stuff! We know you're dog will not only love our recipe, but gain some pawsome health benefits too, like:

Yogurt - Did you know that organic healthy yogurt (one of the main ingredients in our recipe) is high in calcium and vitamin D (good for bones), but also contains probiotics, or the 'good' bacteria of the digestive tract to keep everything 'flowing' nicely. :)

Blueberries - This blue fruit ranks with one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are important to your dog's health to keep free radical damage at bay and help them better cope with environmental toxins.

Peanut Butter - A pawsome food, rich in protein and high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (that's the good fat) and vitamins for keeping muscles strong and active.

Bananas - High in potassium bananas are great to keep your dog alert and thinking clearly and help with muscle strength and tone. Great for us agility dogs who can always use more energy, but also great for all dogs who need to focus their energies the right way. :)

Apples (peeled) -'An apple a day, keeps the doctor away." These powerful fruits are packed full of flavonoids, a class of antioxidant that can help your dog be heart healthy.

Oranges - High in Vitamin C, oranges contain an important water-soluble antioxidant for disarming free radicals and preventing damage. And they add a nice little tang to the HFP's!

Blackberries - These black yums are loaded with soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. Like blueberries, they are rich in anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants that protect against cancer and chronic diseases.

And remember, these are treats, everything in moderation, K?

Ready? Set? Go!!!!! Enjoy your healthy treats!!