Raising a puppy can come with a lot of purchases. Before Charley came home, we did our best to acquire items that she could grow into. She’s 10 months now and today we are sharing three of our sustainable dog swaps.

1. Endless soft toys vs. a couple of heartier chew toys. We noticed early on that Charley chewed through the softer toys. I couldn’t stand finding them ripped to shreds not knowing what she ate and having to discard them. We instead started shopping for tougher toys such as thicker ropes, a kong and bully sticks from our favorite local natural pet store NorthPoint Pets. We fill and (and freeze) the kong with natural peanut butter, blueberries and Greek yogurt. The bully sticks are high quality treats but you should remove the last 2 inches of them from your dog so they do not become a chocking hazard.
2. Plastic bowls vs. stainless steel bowls. We actually use the original set of these from my childhood dog Bella. Charley is a fast eater so to slow her down, we found a stainless steel slow feeder bowl. It has been working great. The pegs are removable so it is easy to wash and she still uses Bella’s water bowl. Going with stainless steel lasts forever and you don’t have to worry about your dog consuming bits of plastic.
3. A stylish leash vs. a quality leash. We came across Kona Leashes and loved their story. They are made in the USA and have a lifetime warranty. I love the carabiner closure on their climbing robe leashes, it adds another level of security. It’s a great leash for hiking and Charley especially loves to go in the water with hers on. We partnered with Kona to offer you a 20% discount on their products. Enter code MSL20 to receive your discount. In the picture above Charley is wearing the Popsicle Climbing Rope Leash.

In the comments below, what sustainable dog swaps you have made? We would love to hear from you!