You could read earlier that your four-legged friend can follow a more sustainable, even vegetarian, diet. But your dog needs more: a leash, a basket, a food and water bowl, a crate or a fun toy... Here, too, you can make more sustainable choices. We take you through some fun sustainable dog accessories. Have you come across these yet?
Durable dog accessories
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 For example, it uses recycled PET bottles and the Dutch Cooper & Quint only uses good, European materials and workshops to produce their dog treats, Barkalot Sells vegan dog leashes from appelleer and Bendl Makes dog leashes from old fire hoses. TOF!
Want more choice? Then check out these ecological dog brands too: Hurtta, Trixie, Coralpina,
Sustainable dog accessories are a sustainable tip, but you can also choose dog food more sustainably and even vegetarian. Check out the sustainable dog food tips.
Second-hand accessories for your four-legged friend
Anyone who has ever raised a dog will be able to tell you that many items you think you need are never touched later on. For example, for a bench - 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.
Take your dog on the road sustainably with a second-hand bike trailer. Right: durable dog harness from brand Woolly Wolf.
The cutest dog accessories? Get started yourself!
Even more fun: do it 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. Good luck and above all have fun playing together!
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- We have written about our four-legged friends before. See more sustainable tips for dogs here.
- 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.
- Give animals a hand in winter? Here's how to get your garden ready for winter.
Sources: main image: Mathew Coulton (Pexels), dog on bench (Kaboompics), dog with harness: Mahlee Plekker, dog in bike trailer: Mali Maeder (Pexels), food bowl: Mart Production (Pexels).
