Why are pets so great?

If you are a proud pet owner this may seem like a silly question.

Pets are great for many reasons. Some of the obvious reasons: it has been proven that owning a pet can lower a persons stress level. I mean look into the eyes of your adoring loyal pet and how can you NOT feel less stress?  They help us to exercise more.  In order to keep your Prada’s from turning into lunch you have to exercise your dog.  What a great way to get yourself up off your chair and get that recommended 10,000 steps in.  Plus living in Colorado dogs are pretty much accepted at most places. Did you know at the Shops at Briargate you can bring your dogs shopping with you??!! I thought that was really cool! One of the (many) reasons we chose to move to CO.  Check out their site for pet approved shops.  Another reason, they protect your family. We have heard so many times that owning a German Shepherd was a bad idea because we have small children. HA! They are the BEST dogs around our kids. They are more tolerant than our Yorkie!  And the best part, we feel safe because we know our dogs would not allow anything to happen to us or our children.

 

For all our pets do for us, the least we can do is give them the best life possible 🙂 If you  haven’t done so already, give your Fido or Fluffy a big hug 🙂

Why Organic fabric??

I get asked this A LOT…along with how did you come up with the idea for this business (which once I get my butt in gear and finish writing the “About” page, that part will be answered). But back to the why organic. Ok so you asked and I will tell. WARNING: I am long winded…or long typing?? anyway you get what I’m saying and this is the whole story from the beginning so stick with me!

When we had our first child, Riley back in 2003 I did a LOT of research on chemicals and the harmful effects to our human bodies. We did a lot of changing in our household to include more natural/organic materials, cleaners, food, etc. I also have a wonderful friend Laurel (you must check her site) and she has always been into that too and taught me a lot about benefits of natural/organic stuff for dogs. Over the years I’ve learned more and applied more to my health, family, and our lives in general. When I came up with the idea for Fido & Fluffy’s Pet Boutique and our organic line of toys, I knew right away what I wanted my focus to be and why. First off with the scare of the dog food recalls and the dog toys being recalled from WalMart stores…oh you didn’t hear about that one?! SIDE NOTE: Yes there was a recall that found dog toys made in China being sold at WalMart to have toxic chemicals and metals in them…see HERE. Being a mom to our, at the time, newborn daughter and 3 year old son, and the proud mom to 3 fur babies I wasn’t taking any risks!  Being a supporter of organic farming and wanting to make a difference by providing our pets with a quality, affordable, ORGANIC dog toy was another reason for me to start my business. I started my search for the best US grown organic cotton canvas. I found great suppliers and great fabric! One thing I didn’t know before going into this was how much dogs LOVE the taste/smell of organic cotton. It’s pure (no formaldehyde..yes there is formaldehyde in conventionally grown cotton along with a TON of pesticides and other junk). They go nuts, I refer to it like a dogs catnip. The fill I use is raw organic cotton. When I say raw I mean there are still leaves in it! I guess the only thing not organic in my toys are the squeakers. Which are optional. I enjoy making these toys. I have fun drawing up new designs for them. My entire family is involved and my puppies are happy with their supply of toys and I am happy knowing they are safe playing with them! I hope to reach as many “fido” & “fluffy”‘s as possible with my toys!

I have googled the benefits of organic dog toys versus conventional and come up with a TON of different articles. Here is a clip from one I found:

Why choose organic dog toys?

• August 11th, 2009 10:22 pm ET

Photo: Alexandra Blantyre

The term organic is defined differently in various countries. In the USA, we define organic products as being produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.

Organic crops are grown without conventional pesticides and fertilizers. Before a product can be labeled organic, the farm must be approved by a certified inspector who acknowledges it is following the rules for being organic.

Conventionally grown cotton consumes approximately 25% of the insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides used in the world. It takes roughly an eighth of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers to produce enough cotton for just one doggie T-shirt.

Plush organic dog toys are made from organic cotton which is free from herbicides and pesticides. This helps in reducing your pet’s exposure to allergens and toxins.Organic rubber toys are free of lead and latex or petroleum based softening agents.

When you buy organic toys you know they are safe for your whole family.  Think about how much time your dog spends with a toy in his mouth, either playing ball or chewing on something.  You can feel better about where that toy comes from when you buy organic, even if they do cost a little more.  As a responsible pet parent, it’s up to you to make sure you are doing everything you can to make sure your dog is not exposed to toxins.

The New Year and lots of sewing

Its almost a new year and I have big plans for Fido & Fluffy’s in 2011. I know they won’t happen without a lot of hard work and dedication so I’m preparing myself. First on the list is to get another sewing machine. I am in love with vintage sewing machines so I will probably get another one of those but eventually I have my eyes on a viking that can do embroidery. I like the idea of being able to embroider special order toys and coats.  Of course I need to build up my inventory and get some advertising out there.  Very excited with what is to come!

So lets raise our…in this case…thread and cheer to a prosperous and productive 2011!! Happy New Year from our “fido’s”

Make sure to “like” Fido & Fluffy’s Organics fan page!

I am running a promotion until Monday to get a free toy if you comment on my status! Also till the end of this year you can get 50% off any coat and any toy! (Retail only).

I will be updating our new blog as often as possible with information on pets and our products!  Thanks for stoping by!

Check us out HERE

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