Happy Summer!

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Subject: Happy Summer!

HOT WEATHER IS BACK AND SO IS FREMONT FEST!

Before I launch into the meat of the newsletter, I want to thank all of you that voted for Green Dog on Next Door as a "Neighborhood Fave"!

We of course also have the best customers ever! I'm amazed every time I'm on the sales floor, as there is almost always someone that's shopping who has shopped with us since 2004. What an honor that is! Mike and I are so grateful to you that have been supporting us for so long, and we also want to thank the newer folks that are just discovering us!

Anyway, I know all of us are hoping that this summer isn't a repeat of last year's 115 degree days (which of course is likely a pipe dream). I was relieved though when the burn ban and the fireworks ban actually seemed to make a difference this year during the 4th of July. I'm hoping your dogs had an easier 4th of July Eve this year. I think the most important thing we can do for our pets is to keep them safe during the hot days of summer, and remember that older animals can be very vulnerable to heat stress, as can fluffy dogs and Short-snouted breeds ("Shorty-Snorty" types like Pugs, Boston Terriers and English Bulldogs,etc.) Read on for heat solutions for all dogs below. Don't forget about your outside cats - keep them inside on days that are too hot as they are also susceptible to heat stress and pavement burns.

BIG SALE!!!

Come on in during Fremont Fest and take 15% off of anything that's not "Food"!
This just means all regularly priced products like collars, leashes, treats,toys,bully sticks and other chews, cooling gear, etc are all on sale. Kibbles and other complete diets that you would put in a bowl for dinner are not. It's a good time to stock up on things you know you need, like fish oils and other supplements!

FREMONT FEST "ICE CREAM" SOCIAL!

Come early to beat the heat and score a FREE Frozen treat, while supplies last!
We want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to SWELL GELATO and NUGGET'S BONE BREWS for sponsoring our Frozen treat social. We're excited to try out the new flavor from SWELL: Blackberry with Chamomile Tea! Sounds delicious!!

COOLING GEAR!

Our shelves are stocked with great summer gear from Ruff Wear! One of our favorite products throughout the years has been the swamp coolers. These clever cooling jackets can be soaked in water, keeping a pup's core temperature lower on hot days. Their new design is a bit more streamlined than the old ones. Many a customer have reported great results when attending outdoor activities with their dogs on hot days. Reaching under the jacket, you can really feel the difference in temperature. Bring your water bottle along on your walks and refresh the jacket by drizzling water right on it if you're out long enough to have evaporated the water. . Ruff Wear also has a cooling neck gator! Check out these handy tools to help to keep your pup from overheating on these hot days.Heatstroke is no joke, and we talk about things like Swamp Coolers every year because of the dogs we've known, loved, and lost needlessly to heat.

Caution! Hot Pavement!

Please remember, if you bring your dogs outdoors during a hot summer day, use caution as the day gets hotter and the pavement heats up much more than the air. When the temps get up high, a sidewalk might be 100 degrees (WOW), but the darker pavement can be more like 140 degrees! (OUCH!) This temperature can easily cause pain and blistering for dogs and verges on the temperature that could result in permanent damage to the pads (120 degrees can cause pain, 140 degrees can cause permanent damage after 1 minute of contact, and 150 degrees can cause instant damage). Please remember that the darker road temperature can often be even hotter than the lighter sidewalk, but not by much – the sidewalk can be almost as hot, or in some places hotter. Bring dogs out in the earlier part of the day for their exercise, and keep an eye on their feet. Reach down and feel the pavement – leave your hand on it for a minute – can you leave it there? They might have slightly tougher feet than we do, but heat is heat, and tissue damage can occur. Blistered paw pads are no fun for either of you to deal with! Please See this link on our blog that has a few excellent extra tips (such as which temperature gauge we use, in case you'd like to check out the pavement temp yourself for your pets or kids, etc. Friendly reminder: If you're coming to Fremont Fest, please don't get distracted by the booths while your dog is behind you trying to dance around because their feet are too hot. :)

WALTER'S CORNER

If you haven't tried Silvervine on your cats, they may be missing out on a really good time! Silvervine is a plant in The Kiwi family that has similar effects to catnip. In fact, many cats who don't care much about catnip actually react much better to Silvervine. It's nontoxic and safe just like catnip and It's Walter's very favorite! We do have little inexpensive yellow bags of loose Silvervine leaves mixed with catnip, but the Silvervine sticks are actually really fun for them to play with. They can be batted around, or you can hold the stick steady while they rub their faces on it. Some cats really like to chew on the sticks, which perhaps could have some dental benefit. We have packages that have multiple sticks and loose leaf, but there are also bulk sticks so you can try a single stick and see what they think about it. Most Silvervine is sourced from Asia, but all of our Silvervine is wild grown in the Northwest and tested for safety in Washington.
My (and Walter's) favorite presentation is a fluffy Cloud toy that comes with a small container of pure silvervine powder It's a very fine powder, and putting a tiny pinch on the cloud or sprinkled onto other toys, their bed,etc gives them the most intense experiences (It's all very safe like catnip, and a tiny pinch goes a long way). There are just a few of those Clouds left right now, but we'll be ordering more and also some larger containers of the fine pure powder that you can sprinkle onto other toys for big fun. It has the biggest bang of any other product. He really doesn't care even a little bit about catnip, but the silvervine powder makes him really funny.

SHEDDING MUCH? TRY THE ZOOM GROOM!

Hot weather often makes dogs and cats shed extra hair. One of our favorite products for brushing out loose hair is the Zoom Groom, which comes in cat and dog versions. We like it because it really does do a great job of removing loose hair. So many animals really like the way the flexible rubber prongs feel, and it doesn't seem to cause discomfort like many metal combs. (You can see that Walter loves the feel of it). It's especially good at removing fuzzy, floofy undercoat hair, but also does a great job on a short coat as well. When I use it on coats like a lab's, it sort of moves a big pile of hair towards the tail, which you can just pull off with your hand (it doesn't gather it up in the rubber fingers, like it does with fine fluff, but either way it's great). For loosening short-coated loose hair, it might be easier do it in the yard. They're also great for dogs getting a bath, helping to work in the soap and get it all out again while you rinse.

This Entry was written by Maggie, one of our completely fabulous and brilliant staff members, who we all lean on for her excellent knowledge, especially related to supplement solutions matched to the troubles different animals are having.

Wanna make your dog some fun frozen treats? There are so many options from our own kitchens! Making a smoothie for yourself? As long as it's just fruits and veggies go ahead and make your dog a pupsicle!

Make sure that all fruits and veggies are fresh or frozen. It's best to toss these in a blender or food processor prior to making them into a delicious treat. Add some raw goat milk or bone broth to the mix to make them extra delicious! You could even pop a Chicken foot or a Bison Tendon in there.

Here are some dog safe people food options:

Blueberries - helps eye health

Apple - contains tons of fiber

Mango - boosts digestion

Pineapple - boosts digestion and is anti inflammatory

Parsley - helps stinky breath

Broccoli - helps detox the liver

Cauliflower - helps detox the liver

Spinach - helps the body detox

Beets- breaks down cystic tissue

Radish - tons of fiber

Carrots- helps eye health

Summer Pro tip: you can also freeze these foods in a handy Toy Food dispenser like the West Paw Toppls or the new Tall Tails Polar Toy

ANOTHER BUMMER SAFETY MESSAGE FOR SUMMER : DO NOT LET YOUR DOGS SWIM IN ANY WATER THAT IS GREEN(not even a little!)

Unfortunately, climate changes abound, and another one besides heat in summer is this very toxic growth

We're advising dog parents to keep their pets out of algae-covered ponds and lakes at the moment, due to risk of death via toxic blue-green algae. The high heat of our current climate is feeding the algal
Dogs owners may be risking death after playing in the
water and ingesting the algae, which can cause seizures and serious liver damage.

SOLUTIONS PET FOODS NOW COME IN SLIDERS!
Solutions Pet Products is a united, mission oriented, intentionally focused fresh pet food and supplement collaborative. Using traditional farming and modern science to create simple solutions to complex problems, these experts stem from all fields of the pet food industry, from regenerative farmers to nutrition and regulatory specialists to veterinarians and advocates.Their foods come from regenerative pastures, with green meadows dotted with wild flora and diverse animal life. These conditions are the foundation on which they lay their mission. they say, "A solution for the planet and for the animals that inhabit it is not possible unless the macrobiome is nourished – the Earth must be supported if she is to support us. Our farmers understand this fundamental truth and work hard to cultivate the land – under their care, it thrives, radiating life from the soil and through the air." This news about sliders hasn't even hit their website, but we have sliders in our freezers in chicken, Beef, and Pork!

A NEW PRODUCT FROM FOUR LEAF ROVER: YEAST GUARD!

Yeast Guard is a powerful blend of Organic herbs, including Olive Leaf and Pau D'arco, that can help gently cleanse dogs from yeast overgrowth without harmful side effects. Come on in and talk to our smart staff about yeast problems!