We all know I’m passionate about living as sustainably as possible as a dog owner. I try my best to avoid single use plastic and choose to use products from more ethical and eco friendly origins wherever I can. I’m a firm believer that less is more, particularly when it comes to dogs and thought I’d share with you some of my favourite items in our low waste dog walking bag.
DOGSCLOSURE: This post contains gifted items. You can find out more about the brand partnership under each item. I highly recommend all of the products featured in this blogpost and use them on a daily basis. They’re firm favourites in my low waste dog walking bag.
The Dandy Dog Company Dog Walking Bag | GIFTED
DOGSCLOSURE: I was gifted my dog walking bag in exchange for this blogpost.
The Cosy Canine Company Poo Bag Holder | GIFTED
DOGSCLOSURE: I was gifted a poo bag holder by Lottie when she came to visit Cornwall earlier this year. We hadn’t adopted Hen at the time, which is why it just says Woody – It’s not because I have favourites!
I never used to use these for my dogs, however my Personalised Dog Poo Bag Holder by The Cosy Canine Company is fast becoming one of my essentials. I clip it to my keys and take it everywhere with me. The carabiner attaches nicely to the side of my bag, freeing up space inside for other belongings. It also means I very rarely lose or forget poo bags when we’re out, which means I’m no longer purchasing them as frequently. Lessening your reliance on single use plastics is a great way to reduce the overall demand for these sort of products.
The Cosy Canine Company is an independent business based in Essex. Lottie makes all her products by hand, many of which are customisable too. I think it’s really important to support small businesses like these, particularly ones based in the UK. Your money goes directly to the business owner with every purchase, enabling them to continue creating bespoke products while supporting their family.
Fetch It Compostable Poo Bags | GIFTED
DOGSCLOSURE: I was gifted a box of poo bags in exchange for this blogpost.
Ever since writing my blogpost about switching back to plastic poo bags, I’ve been eager to find companies passionate about improving understanding and disposal of dog waste. Fetch It poo bags are Certified OK Home Compostable, the highest European standard. This means they can be added to your compost heap at home. Just make sure you don’t use the compost on your vegetable garden, as dog poo can contain nasty parasites. You can also bury them in your garden, as the poo bags won’t degrade into micro plastics like other brands. They’re not petroleum based either. They feel more like food waste bags distributed by some UK councils, rather than like a typical plastic poo bag.
Fetch It Compostable Bags are passionate about educating dog owners about the difference between degradable and compostable products. There is so much greenwashing in the pet industry at the moment and it’s great to see a company going above and beyond to improve understanding. They’re in conversation with UK councils to to help devise more eco friendly alternatives to dog waste management, including using composted waste on council owned woodlands and flower beds.
Remember to double check with your council about how your waste is managed before purchasing compostable dog poo bags. In Cornwall, our municipal waste is incinerated, instead of sent to landfill, so the bags won’t properly decompose in this waste management system.
The Dog and I Coconut Oil Dog Soap and Paw Balm | GIFTED
DOGSCLOSURE: I have previously been gifted dog soap in exchange for our Low Waste Swaps blogpost but now purchase this product myself. I was gifted this paw balm in exchange for product photos for The Dog and I in 2018.
I carry a couple of grooming/healthcare items regularly in my low waste dog walking bag. The Dog and I’s Coconut Dog Soap is one of my essentials, I store it in an old metal tin. It’s handy for washing off fox poo and other disgusting substances on the go, particularly if we’re out for the whole day. You can purchase the bars individually and they’re shipped entirely plastic free. I prefer the 1kg boxes of mixed soap ends, which is packed full of soap bars that are either misshapen, old stock or too small to sell as samples.
I also pack our The Dog and I Paw Balm, which is also packaged plastic free. It comes in handy for treating minor cuts and abrasions when we’re out and about. It comes in an aluminium tin that can either be easily reused or recycled when you’ve finished the balm.
Plastic Free Personal Care Items
I also pack items for myself in my low waste dog walking bag. Aside from the usual keys, phone and wallet, I like to have a few personal care items to hand. These tend to stay together in the middle section of my bag. My Mini Bamboo Hairbrush is useful after beach walks, particularly in winter or in crazy winds. I received the hand sanitiser with my dog walking bag and it’s saved me a couple of times already. It has a screw top lid, which means I can fill it with my own aloe vera based hand sanitiser when it’s finished. I also carry a tin of cruelty free lip balm, which is also plastic free.
Just Fish Treats Fish Cubes | GIFTED
I have previously been gifted treats in exchange for our Natural Cornish Pet blogpost but now purchase them myself.
I’m not sure Woody or Hen would forgive me if I forgot to pack treats in our low waste dog walking bag! I use an old tin to store them in, it’s a little grubby but it does the job. The dogs love their fish cube treats from Natural Cornish Pet. They’re a byproduct from the fishing industry and are landed in Newlyn, Cornwall. The treats are great because not only are they saving fish skins from going to waste, they’re tasty and help maintain healthy teeth and coat.
Green and Wildes Original Antler Chew
The front of our low waste dog walking bag is fastened by a popper. There’s ample room for a chew or two either side. I recently bought a Green and Wildes Antler Chew for the boys to try and they love it. You can easily fit a bonio biscuit, yakers chew or dental stick in there if you prefer. I purchased the antler chew plastic free and the product itself is entirely natural. They’re a good source of calcium and other minerals, however, there is some controversy over using antlers as dog chews. Some species of wildlife, including deer and red squirrels, gnaw on antlers in the wild. Creating a demand for antler based products removes them from the wild, making them scarcer for wildlife to source.
What’s in your low waste dog walking bag? How are you trying to reduce your waste as a dog owner?
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