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Going Green to Support Shelter Dogs

It’s Adopt a Shelter Dog month, so all October long we’re looking at ways to help shelter dogs in our communities! Last week we brainstormed a few easy ways for your family to help support homeless dogs in your area (Adopt, Donate, Volunteer, Foster), so this week we’ll take a look at how you can be green and be of service to shelter dogs

Neat, huh?

  1. Got flannel and denim? If you have old flannel sheets or shirts or old jeans, you’ve got the makings of some pretty awesome tug toys for shelter dogs! Cut the material into long strips (at least a few feet) then fold them over to double up the strength of the fabric. Take three strips, tie them in a knot at one end, and then give your arms a work out by braiding it as tight as you can, before knotting it at the end.

 

  1. Got a lost sock mountain? If you have a bunch of lonely socks, with no matching pair, you’ve got more toys for dogs! Take an old athletic sock and tie a knot in the middle. Done! Or, if you have tennis balls to spare, throw a ball in the sock, then tie a knot. We told you this would be easy!

 

 

  1. Got a kitchen cabinet full of ingredients left over from last year’s holidays? If you have canned pumpkin that is about to expire, why not use it (while it’s still good) for dog treats? Here’s an easy recipe, with common kitchen cabinet ingredients, that you can use to whip up tasty treats for the dogs at the shelter:

 2 1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour

2 organic eggs

1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons organic creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. If needed, add water to help make the dough workable, but the dough should be dry and stiff. Roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick roll. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Bake in preheated oven until hard, about 40 minutes.

  1. No time to make anything? Stop by your local thrift store and buy a bunch of used towels and sheets. Donate this soft bedding to the shelter for lonely dogs to sleep on.

Those are just a few ways to use things you have around the house to help shelter dogs in need. Being green and being kind go hand in hand!