Eco-Friendly Dog Tips & Tricks
With the rising concern of phenomena such as climate change, green-house gas build up, and the ever-present littering across our country, it makes sense that many of us have become increasingly interested in ways we can make a personal impact in our day-to-day life. Thankfully, as pet owners there are a plethora of ways to make our pet-care routines more sustainable and eco-friendly!
I’m sure that the majority of readers can agree that living in California is a complete privilege when it comes to the gorgeous wildlife and ecosystems that we get to view and explore. In order to keep California, and our world in general, gorgeous and clean we must do our own due diligence. This article shares tips, tricks, and product recommendations for those who are wanting to venture into a more sustainable lifestyle when it comes to caring for your pets!
It Can Be As Simple As…
What many people do not realize is that becoming a more sustainable and eco-friendly dog parent can be extremely simple! Sometimes we forget that small change can lead to bigger impacts, and our small efforts can motivate and inspire those around us to do the same; the butterfly effect! You can:
Remember to ALWAYS pick up your dog’s poops when your out walking or hiking! It is a common misconception that dog poop is biodegradable and used to richen our ecosystems. However, unlike the feces of the ecosystem’s local critters, dog poop has the ability to spread harmful pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasitic worms that can cause extreme detriment to our wildlife. These gross and harmful pollutants can also end up harming our lakes, creeks, and rivers, making the water unswimmable, unfishable and undrinkable.
You can take this a step further by being a hero and picking up other dog’s poop that people have left behind. Our wildlife will be forever grateful, and those that watch you do this may be inspired to do the same. People are much more likely to also engage in these helpful behaviors if it is modeled for them!
Pick up litter you come across on your walks and hikes! Whenever you take your pup out on an adventure, keep an eye out for trash and litter, pick it up and dispose of it in a trash or recycling receptacle.
This simple, yet helpful, behavior can help to reduce pollution of our communities and wildlife making for a more beautiful and healthy landscape.
Buy your dog food and supplies in bulk if possible! Buying dog supply items such as kibble, treats, and poop bags in bulk cuts down on the constant disposal of packaging materials in the long run. Just make sure to properly store perishable products to keep your pup safe and healthy; we recommend reusable storage containers instead of plastic bags.
Also, remember to check if any packaging is recyclable before sending it to landfill!
Make your dog’s food fresh! If you have the time and capability to make your dog’s meals and treats, it can be an excellent way of cutting down on your environmental footprint, and many times also aid your pups health! There are a variety of benefits from making your dog’s food at home.
Making their food can: save you money, cut down on packaging materials, cut down on by-products that are often times scrapped by companies when making high-quality foods, ensures what you’re feeding them is whole, safe, and delicious, caters to your dog’s specific needs and taste, can improve allergies and digestive problems, amongst so many more benefits!
However, if this is something you are interested in doing, do your due-diligence as a pet parent and research what a proper balanced meal is for your dog. Make sure to only use dog-safe, nutritious ingredients, and only trust respected peer-reviewed sources. How you make your pup’s balanced meal can also depend on their breed, size, metabolism & lifestyle habits, health concerns, and personal taste!
Consider buying pet care products from environmentally conscious brands and manufacturers. One of the easiest ways to make a big impact on lessening our personal environmental footprint as pet parents is to be conscious and responsible about how, when, and where we spend our money!
With every pet product purchase we make (and any purchase in general) we are actively funding corporations that are either conscious and considerate of sustainability practices, or are inconsiderate or indifferent about sustainability practices. Put your money where your morals and concerns are, and buy from businesses that do their best to be environmentally responsible.
The more that we support these sustainable companies with our purchases, competing companies will be more likely to follow in their footsteps. You’ll find some of our favorite eco-conscious pet care brands below!
Environmentally Friendly Products
Earth Rated Poop Bags & Products: One of our favorite brands to use as professional dog walkers is Earth Rated. From the start, they have been committed to being an environmental conscious and responsible brand.
Their poop bags are made up of 65% post-consumer recycled plastic, giving a second life to over 5 million pounds of landfill-bound plastic each year.
They have also earned a B Corp certification, which is no small feat. In addition to being a formal third-party recognition of all of their hard work, it represents their commitment to innovating, evolving and continuing to do better.
The Honest Kitchen Food & Treats: The Honest Kitchen is another brand that prides themselves on being environmentally conscious when it come to the ingredients they use in their foods, as well as their packaging. They make a positive environmental impact by using organic and non-GMO ingredients, prioritizing sustainable farming practices, and using post-consumer recyclable materials for their packaging.
They have also earned a B Corp certification; they pride themselves on holding high ethical standards and continuously striving to make a positive impact on the world, which is something we can absolutely get behind!
Their products are made from whole, human grade ingredients, which not only are more eco-friendly, but also a healthier choice for your dog’s diet!
West Paw Dog Toys & Supplies: West Paw is yet another brand doing amazing work when it comes to creating sustainable and environmentally sound dog products! They specialize in making eco-friendly toys made from ocean-bound recycled plastic, and have diverted over 16 million (and counting) plastic bottles from ending up in landfill!
They pride themselves on manufacturing everything with care using safe, sustainable materials that are better for the earth, for their workers, and for our pets.
To them, it is also important that their entire team consists of passionate pet people that are valued and cared for as part of the West Paw family—from their American production teams, to their select domestic and international partners who deliver exceptional quality with ethical practices.
Green Pet: Green Pet is another pet supply business that prides themselves on making eco-friendly pet products for your pup! They specialize in making dog beds as well as warming and cooling mats made from bamboo and other sustainable and biodegradable materials.
Their mission is to provide unique products that care for our pets without compromising the environment, a total win!
Their warming and cooling mats are made with patented technology that is unlike many others on the market!
Conclusion
Overall, there are many (pretty simple) ways to be a more sustainable, environmentally friendly, dog owner! Some may believe that our individual actions have little to no effect on our environment’s wellbeing, however this couldn’t be further from the truth. Even the smallest gestures can make a big impact in our communities and wildlife. As stated previously, the butterfly effect is real and prevalent as ever; it’s in our human nature to be inspired by others. When we see a healthy and helpful behavior modeled to us, it makes us much more likely to participate in those behaviors as well. Likewise, when we see an unhelpful behavior modeled, it makes it easier to fall back into those same bad habits (like not picking up your pup’s poo!). You never know who’s watching, so begin your own grass-roots movement by engaging in sustainable and eco-friendly behaviors; your dog, your neighbor, your community, and your local wildlife will be grateful!
Written By:
Jessica L Hays
Social Media & Community Outreach Associate; Professional Dog Walker
References
Earth Rated. “Responsibility.” Earth Rated, www.earthrated.com/pages/responsibility. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Green Pet. “Highest Quality, Unique, Eco-Friendly PET Products: The Green Pet Shop.” Green Pet, www.thegreenpetshop.com/pages/about-us. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Han, Jessica. “The Environmental Impact of Pets: Working towards Sustainable Pet Ownership.” Earth.Org, 24 May 2023, earth.org/environmental-impact-of-pets/.
The Honest Kitchen. “How to Choose Ethical Dog Food For Your Pet.” The Honest Kitchen, www.thehonestkitchen.com/blogs/pet-food-ingredients/ethical-dog-food#:~:text=Ethical%20Dog%20Food%20Options%20From%20The%20Honest%20Kitchen&text=We%20are%20proud%20to%20say,our%20carbon%20footprint%20and%20waste. Accessed 6 June 2025.
The Team at Dr. Harvey’s. “11 Benefits of Homemade Dog Food For Your Best Friend.” Dr. Harvey’s, 6 June 2025, www.drharveys.com/blog/post/239-11-benefits-of-homemade-dog-food-for-your-best-friend?srsltid=AfmBOoqKtlk6aS5mBf57IVmi5LDQmpCbNyrkM6jgO3833oOEPbFgw6f3.
Reisen, Jan. “Eco-Friendly Tips for Dog Owners - Go Green with Your Dog.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 22 Apr. 2021, www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/10-ways-to-go-green-with-your-dog/.
Washington State Parks. “Why and How to Pick up Dog Doo on Trails.” Why and How to Pick up Dog Doo on Trails | Washington State Parks, parks.wa.gov/about/news-center/field-guide-blog/why-and-how-pick-dog-doo-trails. Accessed 6 June 2025.
West Paw. “Made Responsibly.” West Paw, www.westpaw.com/pages/made-responsibly. Accessed 6 June 2025.
The Wildlife Trusts. “How to Be an Eco-Friendly Pet Owner.” The Wildlife Trusts, www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-be-eco-friendly-pet-owner. Accessed 6 June 2025.
