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Happy May!
Hello friends! We hope you are all outside enjoying Portland's lovely weather. We didn't have much in the way of April showers, but we sure do have so many incredible spring flowers!
First we’d like to say thank you so much to everyone that bought raffle tickets - thanks to you we were able to raise $1,302.00 for The Orca Conservancy! We had such fun handing out more than 40 prizes. Your contribution will fund:
- Actionable legislature to protect the environment, salmon, and safety of the Southern Resident population of orcas,
- Innovative technology that keeps the population and its waterways safe from man-made threats and environmental harm, and - Quality education to ensure future generations know the wonders and hardships of this endangered species.
We sure are loving seeing you again inside the store, and it's going well, so we'll be sticking with our current system of two people in the store at a time, etc.
Check out this cool article that was written about us in an industry magazine!
They also posted "17 photos that show why Green Dog is one of America's Coolest Stores" See it here
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| WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ANSWERS PET FOOD?
Many of you have seen news in social media about some big changes in the organization of the Answers company, and many rumors about what this might mean.
There have been some substantial and disconcerting changes in the structure of the company, with the loss of what we would consider the key people. The new owner sent us a letter mentioning his divorce from one of the owner/founders of the company and some of the changes in ownership. While we’re both upset by the changes and sympathetic to the complications of a divorce between business partners, we are focusing on what matters most in this new arrangement, which is the continuity and security of the food production chain. We’ve been pressing him to give us reassurances about some of the rumors we’ve heard. He’s told us that they do not have any intentions of eliminating any of their products, including goat’s milk, fish stock and turkey stock. They intend to to continue to use the sourcing that they have been using and means of production, including the same fermentation technology. He says that the specifications on how livestock is raised and handled are not intended to change and that it is their intent to continue to produce and provide the same high quality pet food as they have done for almost 12 years. We are not able to get the full scoop at this time from our friends who have left the company as they are not legally allowed to give their opinion about this situation or the statements above. Our plan is to try to be closely watching the GAP certification program that allows them to claim “Certified Humanely Raised” animals. This program sets standards of care for humanely raised animals, and then farmers must apply to GAP-accredited independent verification companies for GAP-certification. If Answers is transparent and forthcoming with information about its current GAP status, and its plans concerning future recertification, it could be used as an impartial measure of gauging whether they really are sticking to their original sourcing and care standards. If that information is not forthcoming, that will be telling as well.
They have told us that they’re having Covid related issues that are delaying delivery of some products, but we worry that the consumer’s desire to hoard Answers products could also negatively affect our ability to access some products for a time before things settle down. We have seen shortages of beef lately. Unfortunately, we don’t have the capacity in our storage freezers to order more than our regular amounts, and our distributor is also rationing orders so that no store has the ability to out-purchase another store’s orders. They’re being very fair to everyone. Though we wish we could order you giant amounts to help you feel secure in your access to foods you love, it won’t be possible.
Here’s what to remember about this situation as we watch it unfold: We are very loyal to the amazing people that started this unique company and we want to support any efforts of theirs to potentially strike out on their own new venture. However, we have no plans to remove the product from the shelves without more information regarding food sourcing, safety issues and possible changes to the food we know and love. This food has been medicine to an overwhelming number of customers and we don’t want to be hasty in our reaction.
Most importantly: The fact that you are feeding a raw food diet to your animals means you are truly committed to extending the life of your beloved pets. There are a number of excellent, safe, humanely-raised raw food products in the industry, so if Answers somehow collapses, you won’t be left high and dry for food.
Rotation is important actually, regardless of whether you’re feeding a high quality food. We all need a variety of nutrients in our diets, and feeding the exact same diet every day for long periods of time can conceivably lead to a deficiency or excess of nutrients over time. Nutritional deficiencies or excesses can take years to accumulate and become apparent. No matter how thoughtful I am, I couldn’t design a meal for myself that I could eat every single meal of every day without some sort of deficiency or excess of nutrients for me, that might be different than they would be for you.
We promise to keep you posted as we travel this frustrating road.
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CYCLE DOG TOYS!
Don’t miss out on these great toys! These super soft but very durable toys are handmade right here in downtown Portland. They’re made with a tough 2-Ply Bonded Laminate and Double Stitched Turned Seams. They’re also washable, and made with post consumer recycled materials. Even better, they’re guaranteed! They offer a free repair program for any sewn product (including beds, plush toys, jackets, collars and leashes). If your Cycle Dog product falls victim to chewing, send it back to them and they will repair it free of charge for the useful life of the product. Portland folks can also go right on down to their factory showroom and get it fixed on the spot! (They also have a tavern and dog park )
. Among my favorites are the Duraplush Flyers, which have no stuffing, which makes them ideal for super shredders, are great for playing catch with your dog, and the plush material is safe on dog’s teeth, yet durable enough for hours of fun. I also think the springy elastic ones (like that blue one next to the carrot) are super fun, and one customer pointed out that their dog who usually shreds toys had trouble with this one as when he tried to tear it the elastic just stretched instead of tearing. The peas in a pod are 4 toys in one, as the dog can pop the peas out of the pod - good for indoor fetch games! New puppies will enjoy the little variety pack of small soft toys (the 3pk with the green worm on the pink flower), and the bored looking butterfly is a big floppy toy for indoor playtime and tug. There are definitely more designs than what I’ve photographed - come check them out!
Newsletter special! Take 15% off of any Cycle Dog Toy when you mention this newsletter!
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| | JIMINY'S TREATS WITH NOVEL INSECT PROTEINS!
Are you one of the folks that have tried a beyond burger? There’s been some awakening recently in this country about meat proteins not being an environmentally sustainable practice, and now dogs have the chance to able to join this sustainable trend!
Jiminy’s brand cricket treats have been popular with dogs who've tried them, and are available in both crunchy biscuits and soft chewy training treats.
Nutritionally, they’re fantastic.
Crickets have 3 times more protein than beef, two times more iron than spinach, all of the essential amino acids, 10% more B-12 than salmon, and a perfect omega 6:3 ratio.
Jiminy’s has also come out with treats that use grubs (not as cute in our minds as crickets, but even more nutritious.) In fact, grubs have 3,140 times the protein than beef! Insect proteins that Jiminy’s works with also score above 80 in digestibility studies with dogs – that qualifies these proteins as “high-quality protein” for dogs.
Even better is the sustainability factor. In the US, our dogs consume more than 32 billion pounds of protein each year. In fact, according to a UCLA Study, cats and dogs are responsible for 25 to 30% of the environmental impact of meat consumption in the US. Our dogs need high quality protein to stay healthy, and plant proteins don’t cut it. BUT 32 billion pounds of protein is an enormous amount – and the traditional sources for this protein (cow/chicken) are just not sustainable.
If you compare one 5 oz bag of Jiminy’s with the same size bag of traditional treats, they save 220 gallons of water! WITH JUST ONE BAG. Jiminy’s partnered with Carbon Credit Capital to measure the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with their products. They found that “Not only does Jiminy’s provide more nutrition per gram of treat and consume substantially less water, but they also emit an average of 7.4 times less greenhouse gas than beef protein treats, and 2.3 times less greenhouse gas than chicken protein treats.”
Insects also require far less space than other animals do, and the process for growing them is much more humane than most animal protein operations. Crickets are free to roam inside a giant barn. Harvesting time comes near the end of their natural life cycle – which is approximately 6 weeks. This comes after they have mated and laid their eggs. At the end, temperature is lowered and they go into a hibernation-like state before they’re harvested.
We invite you to try some cricket and grub treats! (More flavors coming in Wednesday!) They’re not gross - they look and feel like regular dog treats, and come in yummy flavors like Pumpkin/carrot (which are soft enough to make pill pockets out of) and Peanut Butter Blueberry. We’re looking forward to eventually stocking insect based kibbles.
Newsletter special! Take 15% off of any Jiminy’s dog treat when you mention this newsletter!
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| | | MOOSH SHAMPOO!
The customers (and employees) that use this shampoo love this shampoo! Made right here in Portland, this lovely shampoo is soothing to irritated skin, lathers easily, and rinses clean.
The ingredient list is great: Aloe Vera Juice*, Saponified Oils of Coconut *, Olive* and Sunflower*, Glycerin (Vegetable), Bentonite Clay, Argan Oil, Guar Gum, Lime Essential Oil, Shea Butter*, Nutmeg Essential Oil, Vetiver Essential Oil, Rosemary Extract, Citric Acid. * = Organic
They do sell on Amazon and have over 1,000 5 star reviews. Here's just one: "My little Maltese tends toward dry, itchy skin--especially during the cold winter months--and I tried several shampoos before finding Moosh. Although the scent is not "pretty" smelling, the shampoo does leave my dog smelling fresh, but more importantly, she is happy to not be scratching her little nose all the time. Moosh is very sudsy, so use less than you think because a small dollop goes a long way; my first bottle of Moosh lasted almost a year (washing about every three-weeks AND washing a neighbor's dog when I dogsit), so there is definitely value for the money spent. Rinsing Moosh is easy, unlike some dog shampoos that seem to never get fully rinsed, and I'm confident that no shampoo is left on my Lovely Little Lady Lucy! Overall, I'm very pleased to have found Moosh, and so is my pooch!"
Many people mention its powers against fleas, and this time of year when so many dogs are itchy and likely to come across fleas seems like a good time to tell you about Moosh!
Newsletter special! Take 15% off of any bottle of Moosh when you mention this newsletter!
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| | | FREEZE TAG PET TAG SILENCER!
Stop jingly tags with this simple and rather genius device. Here are some of the problems with dangly jingling tags: They can get stuck in a crate or a heat vent. They can rub against each other and wear off the important information you need if they get lost and then cause you to have to invest in new tags. You can sometimes accidentally attach your leash to your tag ring and lose your tags in the grass when the dog jerks against the leash. Some dogs are stressed by the constant noise, and some are irritated when it jangles against a metal or ceramic bowl as they eat. The noise might wake you up at night.
The Freeze tag is a simple solution - The little strap enables multiple tags to be stacked in a tidy pile, yet are accessible at all times just by fanning them out. Tags can be added or updated quickly, without the nail-breaking frustration of a traditional split-ring. Here's a great video.
Newsletter special! Take 15% off a FreezeTag when you mention this newsletter!
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| | | NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS!
FREMONT FUN RUN: "BREWS & SCOOPS" is happening Saturday June 19th from 10-1. Kids 14 and under can enter for free, adults are $15. This obstacle course will be similar style to the Dash for Donuts events of the past. The rewards for participants will be provided by Blind Ox Tap House: choose between a beer or a scoop of ice cream! The fun run will start and end at Foot Traffic. There will also be goodie bags!
The Arrangement is celebrating 41 years of serving the community (wow!) with beautifully curated items for life’s special moments. Sale runs May 11-25th.
Arcanna cannabis boutique opened at 4305 NE Fremont (our old building) “providing a comfortable atmosphere, inviting inquiry, discovery, and conversation. They offer a carefully curated selection of the highest quality cannabis and non-cannabis products, including Lab Certified CBD, Topicals, Tinctures and more. more here
Shop Adorn has moved! On May 1st they opened at 4529 NE Fremont St (near Prince Coffee)
Amalfi’s will have live music beginning mid May and running weekly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Star News Pet Connection has good suggestions about where to find professional training help for dogs with issues, and also has good suggestions for fun ways to connect with animals for those that might love animals but do not have pets.
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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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