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HAPPY 2020!
Don't miss newsletter specials below!
We know many of you were hoping for snow, but for now, their coats are mostly just keeping them dry. What a strange winter! At least this rain has helped the snowpack on the mountain (for those of you new to town, this has a big impact on whether or not we have a drought in the summer). The up-side is that we can head just a little ways east to visit snow without it ruining our own commute to work. (Don't forget your Musher's Secret!) Honestly we're always relieved when it just rains instead of snows, as even the threat of snow results in very quiet days at the store.
For some reason this time of year can feel bittersweet - looking backward at the accomplishments and challenges of the previous year, feeling raw from the losses of furry friends of ours and the people we've lost, and reveling in the number of tiny new adorable squishy baby puppies and kittens that flood in around the holidays. We so very much want to help you set these new babies up for success! Don't forget: the better their nutrient quality is in their early days, the better their chances are at avoiding chronic illness later in their lives. I can't tell you how many times people have made big changes in nutrition for their senior pets with illnesses and been so amazed at what it's done for them, then feeling regret that they hadn't done it for their beloved pet earlier. Small changes can make a big difference no matter how old they are! If you feed a processed food dry diet like kibble, we can help you find inexpensive ways of amending their meals that they'll love and will help them to thrive!
We'd like to thank all of you for participating in and supporting fundraising efforts and food drives this holiday season! We know there are a lot of "asks" this time of year. Santa Paws photos raised over $600 for Fences for Fido. Our cat food drive allowed us to buy 740lbs of food for Feral Cat Coalition to help them encourage and reward people who trap feral cats and bring them in for spay and neuter surgeries. Finally, the dog food drive helped us to buy 2,025lbs of food for the Pongo Fund, helping to keep pets in low income/homeless families out of the shelters. Yippee! Earlier in the year, our Earth Day Raffle raised $800 for Bark, to help protect Mt. Hood forests. And throughout the year we've been able to donate more than $500 of product in gift bags to support local animal rescue and environmental organizations' fundraisers.
The PDX Pet Calendar 2019 Was a Success! Our coalition of 13 independently owned Portland pet supply stores continues to combine marketing efforts to promote the value of locally owned stores over big box chains like Mud Bay, and to work together to raise funds for local pet rescues! Thanks again to Heidi and Terrance at Meat for the big job of doing the layout of our PDX Pet Calendar for the second year. Don't forget that if you bought a calendar, there's a whole page of coupons for all 13 stores in our coalition! Big savings! Come check us all out!
Thanks to all of you who bought calendars, the project was able to raise $3,000 for local pet rescues! (If you missed out, there are still two more calendars at Green Dog, filled with adorable photos and coupons!)
Thank you as always for the food and gear donations you bring us throughout the year for us to donate to local rescues. We have been able to give giant piles each month of food, beds, toys, collars and other gear to The Paw Team, The Pixie Project, Angel's Eyes Rescue (a rescue that runs on a shoestring and takes in dogs that can't be re-homed), a low income housing unit in town that allows pets, as well as giving several thousand pounds of returned dry food to Meals on Wheels for seniors to feed their pets who couldn't otherwise afford it.
Some sad news - Meals on Wheels has lost a few critical volunteers that were repackaging dog and cat food into smaller portions to be distributed with the seniors' meals, so for now, Meals on Wheels is regretfully no longer able to accept our pet food donations. If you've been thinking you'd like to volunteer for some sort of community service this year, this could be a great thing to do. We started saving returned food for them many years ago when we heard that some seniors were sharing what might be their only meal of the day with their beloved companions. We wonder what they might be facing again this year without these pet food donations. We know that Pongo Fund also helps Meals on Wheels in some areas, but the loss of our 3 thousand pounds a year must be impactful. Call Robin at 503-953-8146.
Thank You to those of you that drop change into containers at the counter - it adds up! In 2019, we were able to donate a total of $906, split amongst Multnomah County Animal Shelter, Feral Cat Coalition, Fences for Fido, Safe Dogs by the River, and the Pixie Project
Newsflash: Mark your calendars! We're working on a very exciting event on March 12th at the Jupiter Next Hotel, featuring Billy Hoekman, the Nutrition Science Director for Answers Pet Food. He is involved in formulation, research, product development, working with farms, science education, and performs all of their nutrition consultations. He specializes in developing diets that pertain to specific disease conditions. Joining him will be Dr. Keith Weingardt, a truly gifted holisitic veterinarian. Stay tuned for more details next month! (we'll likely be closing a bit early that night to allow our staff to attend) |
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| Winter Coat Drive!
We're kicking off our 4th annual coat drive for winter/rain gear for houseless dogs and their people. Though we’ve avoided ice and snow so far this winter, being soaking wet is no joke when it’s in the 30s overnight. Gladly accepted at the store through the end of January are new or gently used warm sweaters, blankets, and especially rain/winter coats for dogs of all sizes (no little dresses, etc- just practical gear), and new or gently used coats/hats/gloves/scarves/new socks/rain gear, etc for people. Some of the dog coats will be given to Fences for Fido, and the rest will be distributed by The Paw Team.
Donate items between now and the end of January
and receive 10% off your purchase as a token of our appreciation!
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| | AUSTRALIAN FIRES SUCK
The whole situation is a tragic mess. We were impressed with Meat For Cats and Dogs store for taking the lead and donating a portion of their sales to try and help. The loss of wildlife is overwhelming to think about - we've decided to follow in Meat's footsteps and try and raise money for an organization called Wires Wildlife Rescue. In a recent statement, they announced their plan: "A National Emergency requires a national response and WIRES will act to provide assistance to all wildlife in line with our mission. The allocation of donations received by WIRES will be used to assist as many animals as possible across our nation - we can and will allocate funding and support to all states and territories where needed to assist animals affected by this crisis".
Please join us Saturday the 25th from 10am -6pm. We'll be donating 10% of our sales for the day to Wires Wildlife Rescue!
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| | | WE'VE FINALLY GONE DIGITAL!
So most of you know that we finally have found a program that would enable us to track your frequent buyer progress online. Yay! We’ve of course wanted to do this from day one, as since we are a green store, we want to be as paper-free as possible, but we couldn't find anything that meshed with our point of sale system. It frustrated us to have all of those file drawers filled with paper cards, and we know it frustrated you that those cards were often “creatively filed.”
Not only is the process easier for us now, but the new system comes with perks for you as well. First, there are new frequent buyer cards for things you might be buying, like Grizzly Pet fish oils and joint products (buy 6 get 1), Ultra Oil hemp & fish oil (buy 6 get 1), 20oz Nugget’s Bone Broth (buy 12 get 1) all Holistic Hound CBD products (buy 5 get 1), Vital Essentials Raw and Freeze Dried (buy 12 get 1), and cases of canned foods are buy 12 get 1 from Nulo, Nature’s Logic, K9 & Feline Naturals, Koha, Lotus, Nature’s Variety and Pure Vita. Each month the program also has cool coupons for products we carry in the store. This month, for example, if you buy any 14oz Primal Freeze dried diet (which make a great whole food topper for kibble, especially for picky eaters), you get a free small or medium raw beef bone! Vital Essentials is also offering $2 off Freeze Dried CBD treats. Want to know what the offers are each month? The program has a free app that lets you check on your frequent buyer progress and see the coupons that are available (with no spam!) Let us know at the register and we’ll send you a link. |
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FERMENTED PIG'S FEET!
Ok, these are arguably gross to look at, but I assure you they’ll make your dog’s eyes light up! It’s a good sized chew that might last for hours or days, depending on the dog. Feet naturally contain lots of connective tissue that are high in glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health. They also contain super proteins and healthy fats. The best part is that they’re fermented, so they are rich in probiotics, and the good bacteria helps to protect it from bad bacterias that might make other foods spoil. These good bacteria and all of the textures in the feet make them wonderful for supporting oral health. These neat feet treats also mean fewer parts are wasted. Of course, the pigs that are raised for Answers are pastured and sustainably raised in low-stress environments, as are all of the animals raised for their products. Using only Global Animal Partnership (GAP)-rated sourcing, they ensure their animals are humanely raised and handled, living in their natural pastoral habitat. These have a buy 12 get 1 box free frequent buyer program too! Next month, look out for a Buy One Box Get One Free deal from Answers. Until then:
Answers is offering 20% off a box of delicious Pig's Feet through January!
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5¢ BAG FEE
We know you're probably aware by now that all retailers are required by the state to charge 5¢ for any shopping bag that we give out. We think it's a great thing! Wood is technically renewable, but a forest is an incredible and complex habitat full of life, and a tree farm is a monoculture that supports very little diversity. Paper is recyclable, but recycling takes a lot of energy! Paper shopping bags are expensive for a small business, so the people that bring their reusable bags are helping out in many ways! The good thing is that if you do need a shopping bag, 5¢ isn't a steep price. If you do have paper bags at home, please bring them into the store for recycling! It still helps us out a lot.
The fun thing is that this small fee has really been working in a pretty significant and dramatic way. So many people are motivated by this small fee not to take a bag, or even to run out to their cars to get their bags. If you're not used to it, don't worry - all good habits (and bad) just take a little practice to become easy. We won't judge you if you forget - you'll remember next time! :) |
| | | SODA PUP!
Soda Pup Dog Toys are animal and planet friendly! Their all-natural rubber compound is FDA compliant, non-toxic (California Prop 65 compliant) and technically biodegradable. The rubber is sustainably harvested, helping to reduce its carbon footprint. They're also keeping jobs at home by designing and manufacturing them in the USA. They’re dishwasher safe and these durable toys even come with a one time 30-day replacement guarantee! (Always supervise dog's play time and remove damaged toys.)
Ultra-durable solid rubber retrieving ball is for power-chewers! This ball is stimulating and entertaining for dogs with its unique design for erratic bounce. Excellent for even the most aggressive chewers. Designed for dogs 35-90 lbs.
Rubber coffee cup toy dispenses small hard treats! Coffee Cup Toy is designed to withstand the abuse of most "power chewer" dogs.
The Rocket Pop is the perfect retrieving and tugging toy. Great rope for pulling, tugging, and throwing, and the rope’s material floats and resists molding. One end has a good treat dispenser for small treats. While no dog toy is indestructible, this toy has been tooth tested and holds up to the vast majority of dogs. 6” long, 2-1/4” wide for dogs 30-65 lbs.
The Lifesaver is a great alternative shape to Kong toys! It has a treat stuffing ring inside a tough toy that you can pack with crunchy cookies and smear with peanut butter, or fill with moist treats like applesauce or cooked sweet potato and freeze. Newsletter Special! Mention this newsletter at the register before the end of January and get 15% off of any Soda Pup toys! |
| | | SNEAK PEEK
We'll be bringing in some adorable Valentine treats and toys. Look for them at the beginning of February! |
| | | PEANUT BUTTER NO HIDE!
Oh Boy! Variety is fun. We've decided to swap one of the flavors of No Hides (beef) for Peanut Butter! They smell so nice, and an added benefit is that they have fewer calories than the other flavors. We love No Hide (we don't carry regular Rawhide for safety reason). No Hides are the healthy rice-based alternative to rawhide! They are carefully hand-rolled, uniquely cooked and dried making them easily digestible and nutritious. And, they are 100% free of chemicals, additives, bleaches, and formaldehydes. We didn't have room to add the peanut butter, so we sacrificed beef, as even though Earth Animal uses humanely raised animals to flavor their rolls, cows are in fact one of the least sustainable meat sources and the biggest consumers of resources. Newsletter Special: Mention this newsletter at the register and get 15% off of any Peanut Butter No Hides! |
| | WHAT'S THE BEST BLAND DIET FOR DOGGY DIARRHEA?
Check out this great advice from
Dr. Karen Becker, DVM:
"If your dog is otherwise healthy and his behavior is normal, my recommendation is to withhold food - not water, just food - for 12 hours. A short-term fast gives the GI tract a chance to rest, repair and restore itself.
Follow the 12-hour food fast with a bland diet. I recommend cooked, fat-free, ground turkey and 100% canned pumpkin. If canned pumpkin isn’t available, you can use fresh, steamed pumpkin. If you can’t use either of those, you can use cooked sweet potato or even cooked white potato.
Mix the turkey and pumpkin, 50/50, and feed it to your pet until the diarrhea resolves. If it doesn’t clear up in about three days on a bland diet, it’s time to call your veterinarian.
Many veterinarians still recommend a bland diet of ground beef and rice. I don’t agree. Even the leanest ground beef is high in fat, which can worsen GI upset, and boiling it doesn’t substantially decrease the fat content. That’s why I recommend fat-free meat for bland diets.
Rice is a very starchy carbohydrate that tends to ferment in the GI tract and also provides a food source for opportunistic bacteria. Rice also often zips right through the digestive system and exits your dog’s body looking the same as it did going in. This tells you it hasn’t provided much in the way of calories or nutrition.
In addition, since dogs don't have a nutritional requirement for grain, feeding a pro-inflammatory food like rice when they're already having GI upset is counterintuitive. There’s also the issue of arsenic in rice.
Canned 100% pumpkin provides about 80 calories and 7 grams of soluble fiber per cup, compared to 1.2 grams of fiber in a cup of cooked white rice. The soluble fiber in pumpkin coats and soothes the GI tract; it also delays gastric emptying, slowing down GI transit times and helping to reverse the effects of increased peristalsis (muscle contractions).
When animals have diarrhea, they can lose important electrolytes, including potassium, which puts them at risk of dehydration. Hypokalemia, or low potassium levels, can result in cramping, fatigue, weakness, and heart rate irregularities.
Pumpkin happens to be an excellent source of potassium, with 505 milligrams of naturally occurring potassium per cup. Pumpkin is also safer for diabetic pets than rice".
Read more of this article about causes, other helpful remedies and actions to take here
Newsletter Special: Mention this newsletter at the register before the end of the month and get 10% off of any organic canned pumpkin or organic canned sweet potato! |
| | DO YOU HAVE A NEW PUPPY? I've decided to write a few blog posts with behavioral tips for new dogs (and cats) In this first installment I ask, are their bad behaviors getting worse because we inadvertently reinforcing behaviors we don't like? How do we get them to do the things we wish they'd do, like being quiet when we're busy, or staying out from underfoot? Read What do they Want? How should they get it? Foundational Thinking For Creating Good Behavior in puppies (and kittens!) Part One here |
| | | NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS!
Pacific Holiday + Utility Zero Waste + Happy Day Juice Pop-Up! Pacific Holiday is doing a pop-up with Utility Zero Waste and Happy Day Juice on Friday Jan. 31 from 11am-1pm. Utility Zero Waste is Portland's Refill shop for home, laundry and body care in bulk. Bring your containers!
Wildhearts Wellness has a new class schedule - Have you been to Wildhearts? They have created a beautiful space with really talented acupuncturists, massage therapists, naturopaths, and movement instructors. They have a great new class schedule for the new year including Qigong on Mondays and Wednesdays @ 9:30am and Gentle Yoga @12pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. Come join them! You can sign-up here! They also now have acupuncture on the weekends with Katie Bowens, L.Ac., for those who can't come in during the week. Katie combines massage, acupuncture and cupping in her treatments to help you feel amazing! Schedule here.
Free 30 Minute Consultation at Honest Gym! Here is the link
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| | Thanks again for your business. In a city filled with so many choices, we thank you for choosing us!
If you have opinions about how we could be doing anything better, we want to hear from you personally. If you’ve had a good experience in our store, please consider writing a review! (Show us any review you've written, we'll give you a free pound of bulk biscuits!)
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| | | | 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. |
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