Earthbark: Dogs guarding our planet!

Faster, easier and more enjoyable dog training sessions using Ma Snax Treats

One of my biggest incentives when going for a long run is finish up at my favorite coffee shop and order a three-shot latte with a delicious homemade croissant. I wouldn’t be so motivated if instead I would get an unhealthy tasteless and poor quality pastry. This was my thought when I was training Lola and our furry guest Ranger using Ma Snax treats. They were so motivated to follow instructions when rewarded by the mouthwatering, handcrafted and fresh-baked biscuits. These treats are prepared with whole certified organic people-quality ingredients. You know this is a top quality product not only from the texture, the smell and the list of ingredients, but also when you know it is produced by a family run company based in Sonoma, California; founded and managed by the awarded chef Mary Ellen Oertel. Mary Ellen's knowledge of chemistry and the combination of flavors and ingredients she constantly comes up for her wide selection of treats, makes

Ma Snax one of Earthbark’s top recommended treats for dogs.

You can order Ma Snax products online or find a local retailer near you.  Join their Facebook page to keep updated on their new tasty products.

 

 

 

Our economy is in the doghouse. More merchants are asking to change laws to allow dogs to enter all kinds of businesses

Times sure have changed! 34 years ago the City Council of Santa Cruz California imposed a law to ban dogs from downtown because merchants complained that stray dogs and dog owners did not control their pets and pushed customers away from stores. But now, many store owners want to change the law only this time in the opposite direction because they are realizing that they are missing out on business from tourists and locals who would like to bring their dogs for a walk or to dine at terrace tables just as other dog-friendly cities. One thing should not change though and that is responsible ownership that should commit to train our pets to behave properly at public spaces so we can have more and more dog friendly businesses. With this idea in mind we created the Earthbark Companion Program which encourages our movement members to recruit any kind of business that accepts dogs by giving them one of our program sticker to place on the window or door of their store and more dog owners know that their "wallets" and dogs are welcome there. Our economy needs our help by driving traffic to stores and we need more places where we can take our lovely furry companions.

There are so many ways in which dogs help guard our planet

During my last trip to Mexico City we stopped at Houston airport where I saw a couple of dogs searching for drugs. It came to my mind the recent controversy of the published book titled “Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living” by two New Zealand “scientists”. They compared the ecological footprints of owning pets to other life style choices and concluded that eating our dogs would be a good idea to reduce their carbon paw print. Lola, our CPT (Chief Product Tester) made a careful review of the book and her assessment was that Mr. and Mrs. Vale could make an even greater contribution to our world’s institutional knowledge about our environment by entirely self-selecting themselves out of our wacko infested planet.  She is one sage old lab.

 

Dogs not only give us loyal and joyful companion but also provide invaluable services to our community helping the blind, helping us cope with stress, participating in search and rescue, sniffing for the drugs that fuel the writings of their critics and helping the handicap live more independent lives.  But it is their devotion to us (and ours to them) that make our wonderful friends true companions.  We need more “dogs guarding our planet” and less “scientists” making up absurd analysis just to sell books. 

 

 

 

Save lives and win prizes for your dog; Today marks the 16th Spay Day. Enter the Online Pet Photo Contest

To support the 16th Spay Day, The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International host the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest. Raise funds for spaying and neutering, and win great prizes. Simply upload a digital photo of your pet and tell something about him or her. You can also enter as a memorial tribute to a pet who is no longer with us. Deadline for entering is Friday February 26.

Animal overpopulation is an issue not only because up to 3 million shelter animals are euthanized in the U.S. each year, but also because of the environmental impact of too many stray and abandoned animals: they can harm local wildlife, deposit waste, and spread trash. Help solve this problem by having your pet spayed or neutered. Many animal shelters have a local clinic. They may also offer vouchers to have your dog spayed or neutered at a lower cost by local, private veterinarians. You can find a shelter near you at www.pets911.com, animalshelter.org, Humane Society or call SPAY/USA at 1-800-248-SPAY (7729). Read about Frequent Q&A about this topic. 

 

A more eco friendly practice than biodegradable poop bags in off leash dog parks

Last week I went to Genesse Off Leash Park in Seattle and it was the first time I saw pooper scoppers for dog owners to use instead of using plastic bags. I am not sure if many parks do, I know Marymoor does not. Great idea! I liked the park. It is not very big, more like a neighborhood one which is cool There's a water spigot, lots of pooper scoppers. The OLA has plenty of trashcans and a few garden plastic chairs to enjoy beautiful days with sun like the ones we have had in the last couple of weeks in Seattle.

Not choosing the right dog, regardless if it comes from a shelter or if it is purebred, is one of the reasons why there are 2-3 million euthanized dogs every year in the USA

 

 “Nearly 40 percent of shelter and purebred dogs do not make it through their first year with their first owner, and instead are returned to their breeder, given to a shelter, euthanized or abandoned, according to statistics gathered by the U.S. Humane Society” says Stanley Coren, author "The Intelligence of Dogs," "How Dogs Think," and the "Modern Dog."

 

In my opinion, this is a greater challenge to attack rather than the controversy between shelter vs. purebred dogs. A lot of angles this topic are worth reading in yesterday’s NY Times article "Felling guilty about your purebred dog?".

"Nano Pet Products" uses environmentally friendly technology for healthier, safer and cleaner dog products

       

A high level of water resistance, a natural self-cleaning effect and a durable protective function characterize nanotechnology-based textile impregnation. Based on this technology, Chris Othanka canine behaviorist who owns a state-of-the-art canine center in Connecticut, developed Dog Gone Smart Technology tm and founded Nano Pet Products

These products:

• Reduce the spread of bacteria which may cause dog odor, infections and allergens

• Are extremely resistant to liquids, dirt, grime and coat oil

• And are non-toxic, pet safe and environmentally friendly

So now you can have clean, safe and odor free dog beds and dog apparel. I recommend watching the demo videos in his site.

 

The Humane Society of NY minimizes animal's health risks from toxic cleaning products with the "Greening the Cleaning Program"

Our "Action 7" on how to be an eco friendly dog owner talks about choosing services and facilities that use green products. I was visiting today The Humane Society of NY site and I was very happy to read that they have implemented the "Greening the Cleaning Program" from the Deirdre IMUS Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology". Their goal is to provide animals with the safest and cleanest facilities possible minimizing health risks associated with commonly used, toxic cleaning products by replacing them with environmentally safe alternatives. The "green" products are dispensed through a system that minimizes waste and eliminates the tedious process of diluting and mixing cleaning solutions before use. It would be great if other dog services companies and organizations could join this program and start using these products.

Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move Campaign” is also a great opportunity for families to exercise with their dogs.

I have always thought that Lola is the best personal trainer I have ever had. Even if I don’t feel like going for a run or a walk I know she needs her everyday exercise and that makes me get up.  That’s the responsibility I got when I decided to have a dog. I always hear that children need or want a dog as a way to learn to be responsible and I rarely see this. Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign can also be an opportunity for all family members to stay fit in an inexpensive activity. Children spend an average of 7 hours per day in front of computers, TV, cell phones and entertainment devices and leaving their dogs neglected and deprived of their everyday exercise. After 24 - 44% of dogs in America are obese. You can read more about dog's obesity and health at the VetBalance’s site.

Tell PETCO and PetSmart to protect kids from dangerous pesticides in flea products!‏

Green Paws which is a program of the NRDC's Green Paws published important information about dogs and kid's safety in their site "across the country, major retailers are selling flea and tick collars laden with toxic chemicals. These poisons pose a serious health hazard to young children and the pets they love'.  Learn more about this and how you take action on that.