Top 5 Eco-friendly Products of May

Posted by co-inside on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 ·

By Candice Aiken.

We adore our fur children (aka: dogs)! What’s not to love about them… they talk back to us (and the neighbours, and the dogs down the road, and to the people in the next suburb), they let us know several times a day that they’re ready for a walk (in the form of whinging, barking, yipping, crying and going ‘psycho puppy’), they let us sleep for 6.45 hours a night (and not a minute longer) and they LOVE gardening (which usually involves the removal of plants and grass to be replaced with rather large holes… and I must admit looks SOOOO much better than perfectly landscaped gardens *note the sarcasm*). But in saying that, they have brought so much joy and laughter into our lives and taught us the true meaning of unconditional love… which we are still yet to get a grasp on .

As we personally eat 100% organic and reduce our impact on the environment in all areas of our life, this too extends to our fur children. This month I’ve compiled a few items that our love-giving pups are fortunate enough to know and hopefully yours will benefit from too:

1. Natural Treats:

Our dogs deserve the very best ESPECIALLY when it comes to their food! I’ve attempted making treats in the past but nothing beats buying them already made and in perfect little bone shapes (for my viewing pleasure only as obviously my pooches couldn’t care less, so long as it tastes good!). Natural dog treats are a must!! You’d be surprised by the amount of ‘food-posing-as-food’ items they pack into those little things, not to mention a bucketload of preservatives, colours and unnecessary grains & genetically modified soy. Since when was a dog supposed to consume such nasties as part of a ”healthy diet”? Makes sense as to why animals are now getting cancers and other ‘human’ diseases. Here are some of my favs and they tick all the boxes in my books: www.waggydog.com.au

2. Shampoo-ch:

Thankfully, due to a super healthy diet and lack of areas in the backyard to get all ‘dog-dirty’ in, my pooches don’t tend to get stinky (or maybe I am just used to their smell??! ew!). When I do give them a fortnightly or monthly scrub-a-dub-dub, I will only use natural products on their sensitive little bods. I personally don’t think it’s fair to avoid using foaming agents and other nasties on myself and then slather them all over my dog. You can find my favourite here: www.tranquillita.com.au

3. Doggie Duvet:

Ok, so I am going to let you in on a bit of a secret… one of our dogs OFTEN sleeps on our bed. And not just ON the bed, but underneath the covers and all up in my nook (you know that part behind your knees when you are curled up in foetal position). Judge all you like but you should feel how cold her little satellite dishes for ears are when the thermometer drops below 15 degrees! Alright, I’m just making excuses but I do appreciate my nighttime snuggles with her. And when she’s not sprawled across our bed, she’s sleeping in her own: www.pawsabout.com.au

4. David Beakham Toy:

hahahahahaha…. I am still laughing at this. The lameness is overwhelming, yet I feel compelled to pick one up for the dogs/me. Of course my furry friends wouldn’t quite understand why they have it, but I do know they would appreciate chewing on the pointy bits… oh come on, get your mind out of the gutter, I am referring to the beak! They just like things that stick out. Hmmm, maybe I should cease typing. ANYWAY, they are hand painted and made from natural latex. You can even pick up his hen pecking wife, ’chicktoria’ here: www.snootypaws.com.au (even if it’s not up your alley, just read the product info for some giggles).

5. Hand Dyed Felt Lead:

When you are taking your dog out (or in my case, my dog taking me out) for a walk, you not only want to make sure you are all comfortable, but that you all look damn awesome too. I adore these hand-dyed felt leads for the sheer fact they have so much colour in them. I am also slightly obsessed with anything handmade! Handmade usually means ‘made with a truckload of love and passion!’ How cool are they?! Grab one from: www.etsy.com