Why Organic And Non-GMO Ingredients Matter For Your Dog

We didn’t always feed our dogs real food. There. I said it. But when we first adopted Peanut Butter Brickle and Digby Pancake, we promised ourselves we would try harder. We would research their dog food. We would not use cleaning products that could harm them. But I had no idea where to start.

So in my opinion, if a product was more expensive or simply looked better, well, it must be better. One veterinarian would recommend one brand of dog food. Another would say the opposite. I became frustrated. And long story short, I decided I was able to think for myself rationally. To understand dogs had not always had the luxury of “dog food”. And from that day on, I fed Brickle and Digby homemade food. That was over ten years ago.

What did I find out about usimg organic ingredients in my dogs’ food? Was it worth the extra effort it took to find organic, and most of the time, the extra cost? Plant derived nutrients that may help prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, along with vitamin C are significantly higher in organic fruits and vegetables. So, yes. If there was any way I could help my dogs not to get cancer, I would do it.

But once I saw the difference that real food made for my dogs, I started to look at other products I was exposing them to. In fact, I was particularly upset at the ingredients in dog shampoos and flea medications.

There are so many products out there which may clean your pet’s coat, but harsh chemicals in the shampoo can irritate the skin and lead to itching and pain!

These chemicals can include artificial colorings, fragrances, and thickening agents. When you change to organic dog shampoo, you avoid all these nasty chemicals in favor of naturally-sourced ingredients. This means there is less chance of your pet running into any potential irritation. Yes. I was keeping our dogs clean. But at what cost to their health?

And then a company called 4-Legger contacted me.

Their dog shampoos were made with organic ingredients. Natural ingredients. How could I have missed this part of taking care of my dogs? If I was watching what I put into their bodies, it was no less important what I put ON their bodies. What we treat our yards with. What they are exposed to.

So after years of using 4-Legger products, we asked them if they could help us. So many traveled with their dogs. But with this comes bugs. Irritants. And we needed a dog shampoo we could safely use on them every day if we had to. Not using chemical flea medications meant we had to do extra work. But we want them with us as long as possible. We say we would do anything for our dogs. But do we?

So we worked with 4-Legger to make a travel sized version of Happy Camper Dog Shampoo.

Organic hemp, fir, cedar, lavender and calendula are combined with an organic base of aloe, coconut, shea butter, olive oil, sunflower oil and jojoba for a beautifully balanced, great smelling all natural dog shampoo that is safe and non-toxic.

Designed to moisturize, deodorize, relieve itchy skin, soothe irritated skin, and leave your dog smelling great! Because there are no synthetic thickeners, we highly recommend using the 4-Legger Foamer Bottle!

Our all natural hypoallergenic dog shampoo is handcrafted in small batches using plant based vegan ingredients like organic coconut oil, organic cedar essential oil – a natural flea deterrent – and soothing aloe vera.
100% biodegradable dog shampoo is perfect for camping in a handy 4 oz travel size
You have our continued commitment to use no synthetic or artificial chemicals!
A little goes a long way to give your dog a safe and healthy bath!
No artificial thickeners that could add toxicity to your dog’s bath
Use with lots of water for excellent lather and a quick rinse
Provides relief from hot-spot for dogs with sensitive skin & coat
Great for dogs with allergies and dry itchy skin
Made with all USDA Certified Organic Ingredients and proudly displays the USDA Organic Seal – the gold standard recognized worldwide

Ingredients: Organic Aloe Juice, Organic Saponified Oils (Coconut, Shea Butter, Olive, Sunflower, and Jojoba), Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Fir Essential Oil, Organic Cedar Essential Oil, Organic Lavender Essential Oil, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Calendula, Organic Rosemary Extract

Also, one of our goals for 2020 was to bring to you a homemade treat that we made for our dogs on the trails and when we travel. Our granola bites. And we knew that a company called 4Legz would be perfect to make them for us.

We wanted our treats to have organic and non-gmo ingredients, but also to be affordable. We hope you love that you can pronounce all of the ingredients.

Organic rye flour, organic oat flour, organic crunchy peanut butter, rolled oats, unsulphured macaroon coconut, whole brown flax seed, canola oil and water.

But why are non-gmo ingredients so important to your dog? Why was it important to us and to 4Legz?

Let’s talk about GMOs. What are GMOs?
Genetically modified organisms (or genetically engineered – it’s the same thing) are created when genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of another plant or animal. Genetically modified crops include corn, soy, beets, canola, rice, potatoes, tomatoes, peas and alfalfa. You’ll recognize these as ingredients that are often in commercial pet foods. Experts say 70% of processed foods for humans contain GMO ingredients. A 2009 safety study found that GM foods can cause hepatic, pancreatic, renal, and reproductive effects and may alter hematological, biochemical, and immunologic parameters. The safest way to avoid GMO foods is to buy whole, certified organic foods. Certified organic foods aren’t allowed to use GM ingredients. They are grown without artificial pesticides or fertilizers.

One useful tool is the Non-GMO Project website. Their Product Verification Program is North America’s only third-party verification for non-GMO food and products. Because they test for GMO contamination, it’s even stricter than organic certification. Guess who is on this list? 4Legz! They are the FIRST full dog treat line to be Non-GMO verified!

Can we control everything that may hurt our dogs? No. We cannot.

But we DO have some control. We will try to keep our dogs with us as long as possible. And we want your dogs with you as long as possible. We may only have two products with our name so far. But there is a reason.