Caring for these beloved companions requires a certain amount of resources. Studies show that a dog's carbon footprint is so high that you could fly to Mallorca for each year of its life—but why is this, and what can you do about it? We explain what's important for sustainable dog ownership.
Sustainable dog keeping: No industrially produced feed
One reason for your four-legged friend's negative carbon footprint is easy to identify. Industrial meat production is a climate sinner in all its aspects, from the husbandry to the transport of the animals and the finished products. However, there are already start-ups that address sustainable dog ownership and promote it with their products - for example, they produce "meat" from insect protein . Together with natural dry food , occasional vegetable meals and feeding leftovers that are not too salty or seasoned, you can find a good compromise. Even cooking your own dog food and storing it for a week is possible and can promote sustainable dog ownership, as you decide what is processed.
Sustainable dog ownership: The bags for the poop
An important aspect of sustainable dog ownership is how to deal with dog excrement. Due to its composition, excrement is a burden on nature and the environment, not to mention public roads and well-maintained green spaces. However, picking it up as required is just as unsustainable – the plastic bags add up. The average dog owner uses around a thousand bags a year, and they end up in landfills because neither bags nor poop are compostable. There are some alternatives, but even these are not a perfect solution . In this regard, owners must therefore decide for themselves what a viable path to sustainable dog ownership would be. You can do without bags when walking in the woods, but not in residential areas.
Sustainable dog ownership: Plastic accessories
The "accessories" you need for your dog are numerous, pretty, and often unnecessary. Those who focus on sustainable dog ownership avoid plastic equipment and supposedly useful grooming products containing chemicals. In consultation with your vet, all you really need, besides a collar or harness and leash, is a brush or comb that suits your dog's skin and hair type, and a well-tolerated shampoo. Many of the things offered to dog owners in specialty stores may make their owners happy, but their dogs will still prefer playing with a stick and receiving their owner's attention. Sustainable dog ownership also includes baskets and blankets made from natural materials and purchased secondhand.
Sustainable dog ownership: Balancing the ecological footprint in other ways
Of course, even with sustainable dog ownership, a dog can never completely avoid consuming resources – just like humans. Nevertheless, it's worth the effort to initiate small changes. Even small things like going for long walks on foot, by bus, or by train instead of using the car can help. We at NIKIN are also trying to make a difference with many small things. For example, we use little paper, and when we do, we only use tree-free paper. Our shipping from us to you is carbon-compensated, and we have an electric company car. You can find out where else we save resources and how we live sustainably here .
