I fully admit that my dogs are pampered – actually spoiled is what my husband calls it because he came in the other evening to find a simmering pot on the stove of what he thought was dinner for us. He was horrified to find out that it was for Phoebe and Lucky (pictured below), and there wouldn’t be enough for him! The meal in question was actually vegetarian: an assortment of chopped veggies with small chunks of tofu – I also threw in a couple of spoons of brown rice – all of which were leftovers from the weekend.I always add some Natural Calcium and Pet Omega oils into whatever I’m cooking for them.
Lucky and Phoebe have a hugely varied diet – they do eat meat, however because the quality is important to me, it can get expensive. Talk about expense – I was fascinated to read a report about the fact that sales in the Pet sector continued to rise steadily during the recession – not just remain stable, but the sales ROSE. Some of the companies that had done really well during the downturn included a company that sells doggie treadmills and another selling doggie nail polish – HELLO!!!! What is that about? I’m very happy to report that my dogs don’t have any fitness equipment or cosmetics. The only truly ridiculous thing I’ve ever purchased for Phoebe was a pair of “Doggie Boots”. I don’t know what possessed me to buy these weird yellow rubber things, which she clawed off before I’d even got the fourth on – plus as my husband pointed out, we could have made them by snipping the fingers off a pair of cheap rubber gloves. Needless to say, they got recycled, as they weren’t even thrift store-worthy!
So what are my Pampered Pet indulgences? There’s a brand of food, which I love because it’s super-healthy and so easy to prepare. It’s made by The Honest Kitchen, is packed full of free-range meat, veggies, herbs & nutrients, and all you need do is add a little hot water (it’s dehydrated). It’s also perfect for travel.
If I ever buy canned food, I go for Evo, which tries to get close to the ancestral diets of our canine friends. After reading a fantastic book called “The Nature of Animal Healing” by Martin Goldstein, D.V.M. I vowed never to buy canned food again, unless I knew exactly what was in it. Mr Goldstein points out that the diseased and putrid remains from slaughterhouses – meat that is ostensibly unfit for human consumption, is ground into dog food. No wonder cancer in domestic pets is on the rise.
I absolutely love Olive Green Dog Products because they are so well made. The shampoos are fantastic and the Fur Spritz is heavenly – 
especially if you sleep with your dogs as we do!
My favorite dog beds are made by West Paw Design. The Organic Bumper beds come in every size, are cozy, easy-to-wash, and eco-friendly.
Aside from my cashmere poncho, which was ripped to shreds (teach me to actually put things away in cupboards!) Lucky’s favorite toy to date, is an old cardboard tube from a roll of paper towel, stuffed with cellophane.
Don’t forget to check out a plethora of money-saving dog and kitty recipes in my book, Do It Gorgeously. The non-toxic anti-flea spritz is a must.