Friday, October 24, 2008

Day 186 of our Green Year: Refreshing Our Dog's Breath

Layla and I own one dog; Niko. He is not just a dog to us, but practically a child. We love him dearly and only want the best for him (hence the spending of $25.99 medium-sized bags of organic dog food). As much as we love him, his breath can be a bit atrocious. Rather than buy the dog breath fresheners at pet stores that are not organic and may be harmful to the health of the dog, we have looked towards some green solutions.

First, we try and look at our dog's mouth about twice a month to check for bleeding gums, pale gums, tartar, decay, sores and broken teeth. This is done so that we can make sure that he is healthy. Despite what many would think, the mouth can tell you a lot about the health of the body, even for us.

Second, bacteria can cause a lot bad breath and there is a lot of bacteria build up in old water. So, in our house we take the water that is more than two days old in Niko's bowl and we put it in the plants, then we refresh his water. However, this only has to be done on occasion because Niko drinks most of his water within two days since he has a small bowl. Most of the water that is collected each day is put into the water bowls for the dogs and is never more than a day or so old.

Three, a raw carrot is great to clear away plaque on a dog's teeth and they are a good source of vitamin A, C and fiber.

Lastly, we will be looking for organic dog treats that can help clean our dog's teeth. As well, we will begin making our own treats, as we have started to do, that will help keep the dog's mouth fresh and healthy.

Got some green tips for fighting bad breath in your dog's mouth, let us know with an e-mail to craigbaird@wildmail.com