|
Mark Your Calendars for our 15th Anniversary Celebration!
Happy Fall!
Wow - it’s suddenly Fall! It was like someone turned off the light switch on summer heat.
But fall's still a great season for camping and hiking with your dogs (or adventure cats). We've got some neat gear in the store for camping with pets: Backpacks, cat harnesses, travel bowls, and more. Check out a few of our favorite pieces of clever gear below!
Apologies for missing the August newsletter. I do still want to say thank you to everyone that came out to Fremont Fest, especially those that marched with us in the parade! Check out the fun photos here
Saturday October 5th we’ll be celebrating our 15th anniversary! We can’t believe it. It will be a big 20% off sale, and everyone that makes a purchase will get to spin the wheel for prizes. Enjoy a piece of the giant cake while your pups check out our treat tasting table, and we’re working on a Halloween themed pet portrait idea. Stay tuned for details and put the date on your calendar!
|
|
| | Some Neat Camping Gear!
No question, Ruff Wear just plain makes the best outdoor gear for dogs!
Their backpacksare better quality and better fitting than any other we've seen. One model even has water bladders included, compression straps, and it quickly detaches from its harness - it's nicer than my own pack!
The Bivy bowl is honestly one of the best travel bowls out there - it's super light and durable, easy to clean and collapses flat.
The Knot-a- Hitch is a campsite dog-hitching system using climbing-inspired components and hardware. This comprehensive and intuitive system allows dogs to roam at camp while remaining on leash. The Knot-a-Hitch includes a strong, Kernmantle rope that can be set up between two trees or secured to a single post using Ruffwear-designed hardware and an easy-to-use tensioning system. Dogs can explore their new surroundings while their human performs camp duties such as setting up the tent, cooking dinner, or building a fire. Newsletter Special! Mention this newsletter at the register by the end of the month and get 15% off of any backpack, Bivy Bowl and/or Knot-a-Hitch! |
| |
|
|
| New Buffalo Chews!
In our quest to find more sustainably/humanely raised chews, we dug deep to find more buffalo products. Buffalo (also called Bison) are native to our grazing lands, so they’re softer on the environment than cattle which tend to have more of a negative impact on their grazing lands and riverbanks. We were somewhat surprised to find out that these days buffalo are being factory farmed. When we first opened, if it was buffalo, it was guaranteed that it was grass fed and finished. Now with their popularity as human food, the pressure’s on to grow more of them. However, we did find some lovely grass fed and grass finished buffalo trachea chews - big, hard tubes rich in chondroitin and other joint supportive nutrients that last a pretty long time for most dogs. We also sell little trachea rings for small dogs and puppies, bison achilles tendons for little dogs, and bison shins for bigger dogs.
Newsletter Special! Mention this newsletter at the register by the end of the month and take 15% off of any Buffalo chews! |
| | Big Squids and Goldfish Kitty Toys!
These are such cute toys! The goldfish has a big crinkly tail, and the super cute squid has a bell and long, trailing tentacles. We love Goli cat toys, as the company empowers those living in impoverished developing countries (especially women and families) by providing alternative forms of income to villages. This is achieved through providing projects to those communities in order to produce socially responsible and environmentally friendly products through Fair Trade.
Newsletter Special! Mention this newsletter at the register and take 15% off of any Goli Cat Toys!
|
| | Shameless Pet Treats!
These folks rescue food that might have been wasted! They tell their own story well: “Our story began when James was working as a corporate food buyer at the giant retailer, Target. He witnessed first hand the vast amount of food that would go unused in stores every week. He wondered how big this problem was and couldn’t believe what he found out — in the US alone over 63 million tons of food gets tossed out every year! If that wasn’t crazy enough, global food waste accounts for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions! He teamed up with Alex who was a dog lover AND a food scientist who also shared a passion for the environment. Alex whipped up four tasty treat flavors that were all natural, grain free and boosted with superfoods to provide health benefits while utilizing upcycled ingredients.
There’s no shame in wanting the best for their health. In caring as much about your pet’s food as you care about your own food, and every little thing that’s baked into it. There’s no shame in wanting a better world for them, too. In wanting a better, more sustainable place to play that eats into fewer resources and pays more forward. Not just for your pets, but for all pets. And all people.
we love our pets shamelessly, too. They’re why we make treats that are creatively crafted and uniquely flavored, every season. They’re why we work with experienced nutritionists to source the best ingredients, from lobster for hip health to kelp for shiny coats. And they’re why we rescue food, not waste it. Because the more we upcycle, the less impact we make on the environment. So as our pets eat healthier, our world becomes healthier, too. Now, where’s the shame in that?"
Newsletter Special: Mention this newsletter by the end of the month and get 15% off of any Shameless Pet treats. |
| | P.L.A.Y. Bird Toys!
We love to support companies like P.L.A.Y. who are B-Corp Certified. which means all of their business practices are focused on social responsibility and sustainability. These super fun bird shaped stuffed animals each have unique sounds - for example, the Toucan has a plastic water bottle in its beak, the Parrot has a loud squeaker in the body, and the Peacock has a really crackly material in its big tail. All P.L.A.Y. toys have double fabric layers and extra stitching, but these birds also have a inner mesh lining to make them even tougher.
2% of the purchase price of these bird toys will benefit the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to aid in its mission to reduce the commercial exploitation of animals, protect wildlife habitats, and assist animals in distress. Read more here
Newsletter Special! Mention this newsletter before the end of the month and take 15% off of any P.LA.Y. bird toy! |
| | Pet Food and Heart Disease - Should We Even Worry About It? We say Probably Not At All.
Why? The article that has become so famous citing a link between pet food and DCM (a kind of heart disease) was one of the most widely read and publicized articles of all time, but it has major flaws. This article discusses many of the reservations we've had about this issue. Among them: - There is no evidence yet that DCM is correlated with any grain free or "boutique" diets, or even any specific ingredients. There has been no study done, yet the article claims an association has been established, which is false.
- There is no evidence that canine DCM rates have increased in recent years.
- The three veterinarians at the heart of the DCM investigation all have financial ties to one or more of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Mars Petcare, and Nestle-Purina Pet Care. These companies (and therefore these veterinarians) stand to gain financially by convincing other vets across the country to get their clients to switch their food to these brands.
- The leading academic article about DCM wasn’t peer-reviewed, and contains false statements about DCM.
- There have been only two diet-associated DCM studies published in recent years, and they both contain methodological problems and data irregularities. One of these studies did show that taurine supplementation can help to resolve low taurine levels. We'd like to encourage all of you that are feeding a processed kibble diet of any kind to add taurine rich foods to their meals to support their health. Taurine and the other amino acids in fresh or freeze dried meats help more than just their hearts!
- The numbers just don’t add up to a pervasive problem. Over 45 million dogs in the U.S. are eating the types of foods described in this article. Fewer than 1 in 100,000 dogs will be diagnosed with diet-associated DCM (the odds of a person dying in an earthquake are 1 in 130,000, and from lightning is 1 in 135,000). It is very unlikely that your dog is at risk for DCM. It is of course a serious disease, but it is not very common.
- A study is certainly warranted, and we look forward to any that are eventually completed, but the article that caught fire in the media was not a study, and no association has yet been proven between grain free foods and DCM.
- Remember, though not all grains are "bad" (and we do carry some foods with grains and always have), be very wary of diets containing wheat, soy, and especially corn as they are likely to contain contaminates that don’t cook out. Even small amounts of aflatoxins on a day to day consumption can lead to serious illness. Read more here.
|
| | | In October we'll be having our second annual photo contest for the 2020 Holiday Calendar!
We and 12 other independent pet stores in Portland have come together into a coalition to try to promote the value of independently owned local pet supply stores over the big box stores like Mud Bay, or online behemoths like Chewy.com and Amazon. Mud Bay's ever-expanding empire (59 stores and counting) has especially hurt the bottom lines of stores like ours who can't afford the level of marketing power that bigger organizations have. We decided to band together to trade ideas, combine our social media reach by cross promoting each other and the real value of independently owned local stores, and to do good by fundraising together for local animal rescue organizations. Each of us will have one month of the calendar to highlight both the winning photo and the rescue organization we each choose to support with the proceeds from the calendar. Keep a look out at the beginning of October for our social media posts calling for photos!
|
| | | Neighborhood News!
- Red Sauce Pizza on NE 42nd will be moving to the old Anchor's End space.
- Mark your calendars: Fremont Fright Night is scheduled again for Halloween! Bring the kids down from 4pm - 6pm for the haunted house, vote for our pumpkin in the businesses' pumpkin carving contest and to trick or treat on the street!
- Did you know that McPeet's just turned 40 and Amalfi's just turned 60??
- Beaumont Barber will finally be reopening after being shuttered for a year after a fire. They're hoping for a September opening.
- A new consignment shop called Pacific Holiday will be opening in the old Denim and Gin space. It will feature boutique brands and good-quality women’s clothes in all sizes. The owner, Allyson, is very aware of the environmental impact fashion is having on our planet. Climate change, sustainability, and reducing waste are part of the Pacific Holiday business model. We of course think this is fantastic! Opening event Sept 28th 11-5pm |
| |
Thank you so much for supporting your local independently owned pet supply store! We count on your patronage to stay afloat, and we are grateful to you as we know your dollars are hard-earned. |
| | | | | Located in Beaumont Village 4327 NE Fremont Street, Portland, Oregon 97213
Telephone: 503-528-1800
© 2007 - 2015 Green Dog Pet Supply. Green Dog Pet Supply® is a Registered Trademark. |
|
|
