All Natural Dog Toys
Chew toys play an important role in a dog’s life. Not only is he cleaning his teeth and exercising his jaws while having fun, but it’s also good for them mentally. Experts believe that as he digs into the toy and dives into his own little world, it’s the equivalent to us curling up with a good book. But not all chew toys are created equal.
Lots of dog toys contain polyvinyl chloride, or as you probably know it, PVC. And what makes them so rubbery and ideal for chewing? Phthalates. Why is that bad? Research shows that as the pooch chews on the toy, the heat, moisture and grinding starts to break down the material. This leads to phthalates being released into the dog’s body, which can increase their risk of developing health problems (particularly reproductive, kidney or liver problems).
So this Christmas, fill your dog’s stocking full of toys that are specifically marked as “phthalate free”. You can find all kinds of natural, organic dog toys here, as well as many specialty shops that are popping up.
Healthy, Natural Snacks
Eating all natural, organic foods is becoming more mainstream than ever. So why would you continue to feed your furry family member the same old food and snacks? There are tons of pet food boutiques and stores that cater to healthy pet snacks for cats and dogs.
Not all snacks have to be specially made and bought, though. Some healthy options are the same for them as you... When you sit down for a healthy fruit or veggie snack, why not share with them? While dogs are more likely to be interested in these foods, some cats are too. And keep in mind that some fruits and veggies are very dangerous for pets to eat, so you need to know which ones are safe and which ones aren’t. According to PetMD, here are a few that are just fine and have been known to be favored by our four-legged friends:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Green Beans
- Lettuce
- Popcorn
On the contrary, you should avoid sharing grapes, onions, raisins, garlic, avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes, nuts and any fruit that have a pit in them (plums, peaches, etc...)
Hair and Skin Care Goodies
We’ve all been there, watching our poor lil' guy scratch, scratch, scratch. Hair flying everywhere and no matter how much they scratch, that dry red skin just won’t give in. So it’s trip after trip to the vet to get temporary relief just to have it return, along with the odors and sores that go with it. Depending on the root cause, changing their diet to an organic, natural diet can help. A lot of the time, there are simple home remedies that can help. One remedy is to use baby oatmeal to treat the problem area. You can get directions and info on lots of other natural pet skin remedies here. If nothing else works, you may want to consider something like Epi-Pet (They even claim to have the only pet sunscreen that’s FDA compliant).
