Having a dog in the house keeps you moving, makes you happier, more social and you always have a buddy nearby. But whether keeping pets is also good for our green and blue bulb? Just like keeping a close eye on your own ecological footprint, dogs of course also have an ecological foot... er, paw print. But rest assured, there are quite a few options for raising your dog green(er). As a green owner, how do you make sure your dog puts as little strain on our planet as possible? Thegreenlist.nl looked it up for you.
Sustainable tips for dog owners
We would rather not hear it, but of course not keeping a pet is the most sustainable option. Still, for many people, the advantages of having a four-legged friend in your life will always win out over the sustainability disadvantages - they are so much fun! So let's see how you can live up to your green ideals as best you can, with a dog. What about your dog's paw print? We found out for you!
In this way, your dog is taxing the planet
Like ourselves, our pets also have an ecological footprint. Horses, ponies and other small livestock kept for pleasure have the most (negative) impact on the well-being of our earth. Fish, birds and rabbits the least. Dogs and cats are in between. Although dogs naturally defecate (hello nitrogen!), what they eat is the biggest culprit. It logically requires land, water and raw materials to produce, package and transport the food. Things that simply wouldn't be needed if we didn't like crawling on the couch at night with a curled-up dog at our feet.
Living sustainably with a dog? You certainly can! In these photos dachshund Belle and greenfluencer Elize Been.
Responsible choices for more sustainable dog education
Besides food for your dog, there are the practical utensils to take care of your dog. Stuff, in other words. Think of a good leash to walk your dog, a food and water bowl or a cushion or basket to sleep in or on. You cannot avoid this as a dog owner, but you can of course make responsible choices. Alongside this again, a whole economy exists to make it as fun as possible for the dogs in our lives. Toys of all shapes and sizes, cuddles, snacks and believe it or not, clothes too. First, let's look at the things you can't ignore:
Sustainable dog food: this is how to feed your dog green(er)
As a climate-conscious animal lover, chances are you consider what you eat yourself. Lots of greens from the season and perhaps less meat or fish. And your dog? That probably eats meat - at every meal. Maastricht University sustainable development professor Pim Martens did Study on the ecological footprint of Dutch dogs and cats. He confirmed that the large amount of meat dogs eat does indeed have a considerable impact on their paw print. The footprint of a Dutch dog - depending on the size of your dog and thus how much she/he eats - is somewhere between 0.9 and 3.66 hectares per year. To put that in perspective, the footprint of the average Dutch person is 4.9 hectares. So an adjustment in your four-legged friend's diet can have a big effect.
A plant-based diet for your dog?
But can you put your pet on a plant-based diet, dogs being carnivores after all? On this, opinions vary considerably. Several dog food manufacturers advise against a vegetarian or vegan diet for your dog, but of course they also have something to sell. Their view is that such a diet can cause your dog to suffer a deficiency of essential amino acids, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin A and some B vitamins. Dogs need animal protein, they say. On the other hand, more and more vega or vegan dog food brands have entered the market in recent years, promising a balanced diet. A word on the fact that dogs are carnivores: this is true, of course, but they are also adaptive carnivores. That means they can adapt according to what is on offer. They learned that from their ancestors, the wolf. Those could feed on purely plant-based food as a survival strategy when prey was not caught. So this is where you have to make your own choice as a dog owner.
Want to make a less rigorous choice than an all-vegan or vegan diet for your dog? Then you can also look at what else you feed your dog:
- You can store dry food much longer than wet food from cans or sachets and it is often mixed with grains or corn. You can also often buy dry kibble in bulk packaging. This also saves on packaging materials and transport kilometres. Quality vet food is often preferable to supermarket food.
- Does your dog get a lot of snacks? The regular pet shop has plenty of green snacks or snacks made partly of vegetables. Snacks can of course - especially after the puppy phase - also be left out.
- You can also make conscious choices when giving your dog bones. There are bones made from animal products and thus produced versus bones you get at the butcher/pet shop. Mind you, opinions differ on their safety. But did you know that there are also cheese bones? These bones are made from yak milk and therefore vega!
There is much more to tell about sustainable dog food. We have therefore also devoted a separate article to it with more tips.
My little dog Iain loves these longer-lasting dog snacks.
Did you know that it is better not to feed cats plant-based food?
So a vegan dog is possible, as long as you choose a complete diet from a good feed manufacturer. But what is true for dogs is not automatically true for cats. This is because cats lack the ability to get nutrients like vitamin A from vegetables, humans and dogs can. Cats have to consume animal food for this.
Responsible choices for green dog owners
Apart from dietary choices, there are a few other things you can't ignore for proper care for your dog. Of course, you would like to give your dog a golden basket, both literally and figuratively. But there too, you can make responsible choices. We list a few considerations for you!
Green boss, green dog: go for quality
A good leash, food and water bowls and a cushion or basket are essential. And expensive! Besides, there is so much choice that it is tempting to go for a cheap one. Or that nice colour. But even in dog country, cheap is often expensive. (Many) dogs are demolition monsters, especially when they are young. That cheap leash will be broken in no time, that basket corroded or just too small. Believe us: invest in a nice product and it will last a dog's lifetime. There are several great brands that make dog leashes, collars and harnesses from recycled materials. The Woolly Wolf brand uses recycled PET bottles, for example. Many more tips for awesome sustainable dog accessories can be found in this article.
Durable dog harness from the brand Woolly Wolf.
A green(er) dog doesn't need everything new
Anyone who has ever raised a dog will be able to tell you that you never touch many items you think you need later on. For example, for a crate - which many people use especially in the first year - you can do well on Marktplaats. Unfortunately, dog lives are not infinite either, so baskets and leashes can quite often be taken over from another dog lover for a soft price.
Choose durable toys for your dog
Toys of all shapes and sizes, cuddly toys and even clothes. Pet shops (physical and online) are full of them. Many dogs are real cuddly (scrappy) butts, and yes, those cute - plush toys made especially for dogs - are hard to resist. But here too, choose rather one nice toy made of, say, hemp (such as from EarthDog) or from a sustainable pet shop, than being seduced by yet another cuddly toy that lies in flakes across your living room after a just a little too active cuddling session. By the way, not taking your dog to the pet shop also helps, because those big loyal eyes are of course the hardest thing to resist.
Even more fun: get to work yourself. The internet is full of tips, but a rolled up towel with something tasty, a pair of knotted old socks with a tennis ball or an old doormat with strips of old fabric will win out over any bought toy.
More tips for raising your dog more sustainably
Besides being well informed about feeding your four-legged friend and buying stuff for your pet, how you make green(er) choices for your pet is not that different from the choices you would like to make for yourself. Or maybe still - clean up the dog poo, because yes: even a dog turd can cause damage to nature by excess nitrogen and phosphorus, according to an Belgian research. Can just use a compostable poop bag (E.g. from Pawness or EarthRated). So, hands off!
Adopt don't shop?
The most enduring way to bring a canine friend into your life is to adopt one. Both at home and abroad, there are dogs waiting for a warm home. You can adopt through the animal shelter, the Animal welfare or the website moving animals.nl. Read up well before getting a critter from abroad, unfortunately not all parties operate honestly.
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Sustainable tips for cats: making responsible choices without fuss.
- You can also help the animals in the garden by taking good care of them: This is how you help the hedgehog in your garden.
- Did you know that most cheese is not vegetarian? You can read all about it in this article.
Photo credits: main image, dog snacks and dog harness: Mahlee Plekker, dachshund Belle: Elize Been.
