Most of us are changing the way that we look at our environment, and making changes to try to help the planet.
From recycling to sourcing products that come from sustainable and ethical sources, in the last few years we've seen a shift in people's thinking when it comes to their purchases.
Obviously, there is still a long way to go, but at The Thoughtful Pup we wanted to go that extra step - and look at how we can be more responsible dog owners and what we can do to help improve our impact on the planet.
Becoming more ethical - our top tips
If we all make just small changes to the products we choose, it can go a long way to having a more positive effect.
Below, we've listed just a few ways in which you can change your purchases to become a more ethical pet owner!
Review The Packaging Of Your Products. Unfortunately, packaging is probably one of the largest culprits when it comes to being able to deliver sustainable and ethical products. It's still common to see many pet products packaged in single use plastic products, bags and packs made from plastic, food from tins and a whole variety of products which still are wrapped in see-through plastic, often when there is no need.
Plastics are difficult to break down. Single use plastics can take many hundreds of years to break down into micro components - and never "truly" break down into organic matter.
By changing to products which come in recycled packaging, or sustainable packaging such as cardboard, some of which can be compostable (i.e. we can throw it away with our green waste), we can ensure that we reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.
We're especially proud to stock a range of products from Goodchaps. All their products are packaged in compostable, biodegradable and recyclable pouches - made from plants and not from plastic.
Eco-Friendly Dog Toys. Dogs love to play! Whether you have a pup or an older dog, chances are they love the rough and tumble of a game of pull, chasing a ball or simply shaking a teddy about. It's great enrichment for them, and keeps them active. However, many dog toys on the market are made from products which are either single use plastics or certainly not from recycled or sustainable sources.
We are a stockist of the Beco range of dog toys - they produce some great products including toys made from hemp and recycled dog toys.
Hemp is a fantastic plant - it grows quickly (it can be harvested in around four months after planting), grows densely, requires no nasty chemicals to sustain growth, returns between 60% and 70% of all nutrients it uses back to the soil and requires very little water to grow.
Choosing toys, such as pull ropes, made from hemp is a great alternative than the rubber variety.
Poo. Yes, we know... it's the subject that we don't like to talk about, but every dog owner has to face on a daily basis.
Poo bags historically have been plastic bags, which as discussed above don't break down very quickly in landfill. That's why supply a range of Beco poo bags - either compostable or bio-degradable. Check out our full range.
NOTE: Looking to compost your dog poo? Then don't forget, if you're composting at home you cannot use any dog poo to compost food you will eat. It's fine for fancy plants, but harmful to us!
Choosing Natural Treats & Chews. Natural treats and chews are not new. However, many owners still prefer bones over more natural treats and chews. Unfortunately, bones can splinter and cause issues in the stomach of our dogs, so choosing a more natural chew is preferable. For example, antlers make a great alternative - much safer and less harmful, as are olivewood chews. We also provide a range of yak's milk treats which your dog will love. Check out our full range of natural chews.
We're helping reducing the impact on our planet - are you?
Here at the Thoughtful Pup, we go beyond just providing ethical and eco-friendly dog products. All of the packaging we use to ship our great range of products to you is environmentally friendly as we can find and come from recycled products. We use paper sellotape as well! We use tissue paper which contains no chlorine or bleach and comes from natural waste products.