5 Essential Tips For Being An Eco-friendly Dog Owner

Are you committed to being an eco-friendly dog owner? It is going to be harder than it looks. There are a lot of ways that our pets harm the environment.

The NRDC wrote a great article on owning pets in an environmentally sustainable way. They talked about the need to buy supplies that are good for the environment and follow appropriate eco-living measures when raising your pet.

Becoming a Dog Owner that is Dedicated to Sustainability

You are going to find being an eco-friendly dog owner is going to be a lot of work. However, it will be worth the effort, once you see that you are doing your part to help the environment.

You don’t want to be too dismissive about the carbon footprint of your pet. One study found that dogs and cats account for a quarter of the carbon footprint of all animals. They leave 64 million tons of CO2 in the atmosphere.

A lot of planning and preparation is essential before making a decision to add a new pet to your home. This isn’t only to ensure it is the right thing to do on your part, but it’s also key to helping your new pet successfully adjust to your home. Patience and preparation are vital during this time. It can take anywhere from a handful of days to a number of months for you and your new pet to fully adjust to each other.

However, for a smooth transition, here are five things you need to do before you bring your new dog home in a way that doesn’t hurt the environment.

Get Your Supplies

Preparing everything your dog will need before you bring them home is vital when it comes to helping your new canine companion settle in. You will need a number of items, such as a collar, leash, water and food bowls, food, a crate, toys, grooming equipment, training pads, cleaning products, and an identification tag. Purchasing training and other dog books can also be useful.

You need to choose sustainable pet products. Citrus Sleep has a list of great sustainable pet products, such as Castle Bath and PetzLife.

Prepare the Home

You need to make sure your home is prepared just as much as yourself. You need to make sure that they leave a small carbon footprint and their waste is confined. This includes sealing off any out of bound areas, protecting valuable items and preparing a space for your furry friend. You need to make sure the outside of your home is safe too. This includes the back and front yard. If your property’s land isn’t secure, then follow the link for advice on building a dog fence.

Yu need to understand that keeping your dog properly confined minimizes the risk that they will spread their waste to the rest of the community. This wouldn’t just hurt the environment directly, but it would leave a large carbon footprint for cleanup process.

Agree on House Rules

If you live with multiple people or have a family, then you need to make sure you work out some kind of dog-care regimen before your pampered pooch comes home. This includes who will be doing what for the dog, where the dog is allowed to go (such as on the furniture and up the stairs), whether certain rooms will be off-limits and where the dog will sleep at night. These rules need to take eco-living strategies into consideration.

Plan Out the Arrival

Ideally, the day your dog arrives should be during a weekend or some other kind of break from work. This is so you are at home for a few days while your new four-legged house member settles in. This means you can spend some time together and get to know each other. Be sure that you don’t neglect other pets and people in the home during this time. You also need to make sure that your home is equipped with sustainable materials to take care of it.

Make Sure all Animals are Healthy

If you have other pets in the home, you need to make sure they are healthy before you bring your new dog home. This includes booking them all in for a health check at the vets and checking that they are all fully vaccinated and that they are up to date. If you are adopting from a shelter, then your new pet should be health checked, vaccinated, and spayed/neutered. If you are buying from a reputable breeder, you will need to make sure you sort all of this out with your veterinarian as soon as you can.

Getting a new pet can be hard work. You need to make sure you are in a good position financially, that you’re patient, and that you will have time for your new member of the family. However, no matter how hard it is, when done properly, it’ll be worth it.

Make Sustainability a Priority as a Pet Owner

You can be committed to saving the environment and be a loving pet owner at the same time. There are a lot of ways that you can be an eco-conscious dog owner. You just need to follow the tips listed here.