PHOEBE THE ECO DOG

I want to introduce you to the first official canine member of the G.G. community! This is Phoebe, who we rescued a few days ago. Phoebe is on her way to full becoming a Gorgeously Green Girl: She’s delighted with her cozy, organic bumper bed by West Paw Design(pictured right). It contains zero harmful substances and is certified safe by a third party – so no green-washing here. Better still these beds are filled with Intelliloft, which is made from plastic bottles. Phoebe is fast becoming the most beautiful dog on the block on account of her diet, which is of course organic and pretty much homemade. I’ve realized that you can make a wonderfully healthy doggie dinner from leftovers mixed with a little brown rice. Phoebe loves watermelon and apples, so instead of  expensive treats from the pet store (which is just junk food for pets), she’ll be snacking on affordable and delicious fruit. I also add a teaspoon of Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil for Pets, to her dinner – this will make her eyes shine and her coat gleam. I was thrilled to find a number of non-toxic shampoos and conditioners for Phoebe as she’s a pretty high maintenance girl. I especially love Earth + Bark Canine shampoo, which is deodorizing without all the toxic chemicals that’s in regular pet shampoos.

I have a holistic vet, so I’ll avoid having to use the plethora of toxic flea treatments on her – very important because my daughter can’t keep her hands off her new BFF! That just about covers all my bases before I get onto the really fun stuff – ACCESSORIES! Dog collars have become my obsession de jour. I keep seeing another that I just have to get her. If I don’t get a grip on myself, Phoebe will have more collars than I have shoes and that would push her into the “Conspicuous Consumer” category, which we want to avoid on account of our green credentials! That being said, if you’re on the lookout for a great selection of eco-collars, take a little visit to Up Country, and look at their new “Green Market” line.

I have had to stop at clothes. My husband has totally drawn a line in the sand when it comes to dressing her up. My daughter, needless to say, isn’t on the same page and so we’ll have to avoid anywhere that sells anything of the kind. She’s already squeezed Phoebe into a couple of old Build-a-bear outfits – awful t-shirts with “Princess” emblazoned upon them. Mercifully Phoebe is very good natured and humors Lola – up to point! However, I did just happen to come across (not that I was searching) some rather cute eco-friendly dog clothes at Thayer and Ridge. When the weather gets cooler, we might just have to invest in one of their classy little coats – after all Phoebe deserves (after an especially tough start to her life), the very best.

Finally I want to recommend an excellent book for any passionate dog or cat owner: The Nature of Animal Healing by Martin Goldstein, D.V.M