Deciding to bring a new dog into your family is exciting — it’s also a long-term life decision. It’s important to be prepared before you embark on the journey of bringing a new four-footer into the home!

There are some common problems that folks run into, but once you’re aware of them, you can steer your pup towards a healthy and happy future.

Here are five common mistakes dog parents make:

1. Impulse Adoptions 

   It’s common knowledge that dogs have an average lifespan of 10-15 years. But when those puppy-dog eyes are melting your heart, it can be easy to forget that you’ll need to budget for a decade or more of veterinary bills, food, supplies and grooming. If you have children, the companion animal of a ten-year-old is likely to become yours when your child goes off to college. Sleep on any adoption decision, and do your homework before you bring that pup home!
   
   

2. Failing to Spay or Neuter

   For starters, spaying and neutering drastically reduces the risk of some cancers. These procedures can also reduce behavioral problems, such as roaming, fighting, and mood swings. Most obviously, spaying and neutering reduces dog overpopulation. Your veterinarian will know the best timing for your dog’s spay or neuter surgery.
   
   

3. Poor Training Techniques

   Unfortunately, some pet parents use punishments rather than reward-based training — this can create major barriers to the bond you share with your pet. Instead, concentrate your efforts on setting boundaries to set your pet up for success.
   
   Keep them safe using supervision and a controlled environment — use a leash during walks or in a pet-proof room or crate when home alone. Above all, you should provide rewards for good behavior, like healthy dog treats. This will reinforce appropriate behaviors and prevent problems from becoming habits.
   

   

4. Failing to Vaccinate

   This mistake represents a troubling trend - more and more new pet parents are failing to vaccinate their companion animals. Distemper and parvovirus in dogs are still very present in much of the United States and prove fatal for a significant number of pets annually — the bottom line is vaccines do save lives.If you have a new puppy or dog , make sure you provide them with ‘core vaccines’, which includes protection against rabies, distemper and parvo in dogs. If you have rescued an adult who has no verifiable vaccination history, two boosters of core vaccines are advised. For non-core vaccines, such as canine lyme, discuss these preventatives with your vet.
   
   

5. Being Reactive and Not Proactive

   Last but not least, new pet parents tend to be reactive rather than proactive when it comes to their companion animal’s overall health. Obviously, it is important to address health problems with your veterinarian when they arise. However, it is equally important to take the steps now to ensure the long-term health of your furry friend. Remember, a dog’s health starts with their primary nutrition source — their food. Make sure they are eating a high-quality diet that is complete and balanced!
   
   New pet parents need to know that getting off to the right start, including diet and lifestyle choices, can improve the health, longevity and quality of life for their pets. Avoid these common mistakes and you will be well on your way to being a happy pet parent with a happy, healthy new best friend!

---

New pet parents need to know that getting off to the right start, including diet and lifestyle choices, can improve the health, longevity and quality of life for their pets. Avoid these common mistakes and you will be well on your way to being a happy pet parent with a happy, healthy new best friend!

We should always be looking for new ways to be kinder to our planet — a great way to start is by making your own home more eco-friendly!

Having an eco-friendly home will help you contribute to a sustainable environment and also save some money. Every step you take helps reduce your own carbon footprint!

Here are seven ways you can put your home on an eco-friendly track:

1. Save Water

   It’s time to get serious about saving water! Installing a water meter, checking your place for any leaks, and even just cutting down on shower time are ways to be conscious of your water consumption. A low-flow showerhead can save over 2,000 gallons of water per person each year! Remember: Use only what you need when it comes to water.

2. Compost Food Waste

   Don’t waste your leftovers — turn your kitchen scraps into compost. Consider investing in a compost bin or building your own to start composting food waste. After breaking down kitchen scraps you will be left with rich fertilizer for your garden and a lot less food waste. Plus you’ll make insects such as worms very happy!
   
   

3. Non-Toxic Cleaning Products

   Harmful chemicals are not only bad for the environment, they can be dangerous if you have pets or kids in your household. Luckily there are eco-friendly cleaners designed with kid and pet safety in mind. Check out our eco-friendly cleaners that are safe for the whole family, including our Bio-Base Floorwash and Bio-Base Biodeodorizer Spray.
   

   
   

4. Proper Insulation and Ventilation

   If you are a homeowner, maintaining the temperature inside your house is crucial to energy management. The latest in insulation and ventilation helps keep your home’s temperature steady during all seasons, eliminates energy waste and saving you money in heating and cooling costs each year.
   
   

5. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

   This is a simple one — investing in energy efficient light bulbs isn’t very costly and they use less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs. They also last much longer, which means you don’t have to replace them as often. It’s a no-brainer — save some cash and energy at the same time!
   
   

6. Buy Recycled Items

   Try to buy recycled products whenever you can. From toilet paper to paper towels and napkins, you can find almost any paper-based household product made with recycled materials. You can even buy recycled technology, such as cell phones and video game consoles.
   
   

7. Install Solar Panels

   While it’s a long-term investment, solar panels are an essential feature for an eco-friendly home. Solar panels provide clean electricity — and in many cases you can generate enough energy to sell some back to the electric company. Deciding to install solar is a long-term financial investment. The big upside here is that at a certain point you will break even and be free from continuing to pay your utility every single month. Hands down, solar is one of the best ways to make your home eco-friendly.

-----

Here at Life’s Abundance, we are focused on reducing our own carbon footprint everyday. Our Florida headquarters is solar powered, our Texas warehouse will be powered by wind, and we’re constantly implementing more sustainable practices throughout our business. Thanks to these initiatives along with our tree planting program we are a climate positive company. Customers are a big part of this impact too. For each skin care product purchased another tree is planted!

Do you have other great ideas for eco-friendly living? Share them in a comment below.

Every three months, our nonprofit agency The Dr. Jane Foundation awards grants for animal rescue groups across the country. From the October 2019 round of funding, we are excited to thank grant winner CAMO Rescue for their continued work in saving dogs from homelessness and the uncertainty of being in a shelter.

Located in Houston, Texas, CAMO Rescue is a nonprofit animal rescue group that works to save dogs in shelters and on the streets. They work with shelters in the area to move dogs at risk of euthanasia into foster homes, and ultimately find their forever family!

“We try to concentrate on euthanasia lists, and dogs on the street or headed to the pound,” said founder Holly Dool. “Last year we rescued over 800 dogs, a few cats and a couple of pigs.”

Holly started helping dogs in her area when she realized how bad the homeless animal situation was. She became an animal advocate, appearing on the local news fourteen times and petitioning the mayor and city manager to reinstate the local shelter committee. Holly even worked to help raise funds for a remodeling of the local shelter.

But a shelter remodeling wasn’t enough for Holly or the animals. There were still a lot of homeless dogs in the area and many on euthanasia lists at shelters.

Holly turned her own shop into a makeshift kennel and started taking in as many dogs as she could. Before she knew it, Holly had about 35 dogs on her property and worked to find new homes for them on the weekends. She knew she had to find an even more efficient way to save a larger amount of dogs.

“I switched from doing it all myself to being foster based,” Holly said. “We probably have about 70 to 80 foster homes spread out among Houston and Dallas.”

Now, CAMO Rescue is an official non-profit that saves dogs that other rescues won’t take due to fearful nature or medical needs. The rescue currently has about 100 dogs available for adoption at foster homes in Texas.

“We tend to take a lot of sick or injured dogs that other shelters can’t take,” Holly said. “To date, we have never euthanized a dog for behavior. We put them with a trainer here in Houston, sometimes for several months and then she’ll tell us what kind of home they need.”

CAMO relies on donations and foster homes to continue operating. All funding from donations and grants goes straight to medical bills, supplies and boarding.

The biggest challenge for a nonprofit like CAMO is finding new foster volunteers. Whenever a dog is introduced to a new foster family, there is a quarantine period where they need to be kept separate from other animals before they are allowed to mingle. Once the dogs go through the quarantine, they are free to live with an available foster family.

“I’m working towards buying a little house or facility so I can keep 10 to 12 dogs in quarantine,” said Holly. “Hard-to-find fosters is our biggest issue and it is with any rescue.”

When the dog is ready to be adopted from a foster home, it’s important that the new family is qualified by CAMO. The rescue group requires references and a homesite inspection.

“We are selective with where we place our animals,” said Holly. “We don’t want these animals to end up right back where they came from.”

Throughout the years, CAMO has had multiple success stories when it comes to saving dogs and finding them a forever home. About three years ago, a tiny, paralyzed yorkie was left in front of a local shelter in a box. The shelter emailed CAMO and Holly picked the dog up right away. Through nutrition, homeopathy and physical therapy, the yorkie was miraculously able to make a 100% recovery.

“I got another picture of a dog who wandered up to a business on the side of a highway who was extremely sick,” Holly said. “He spent two weeks at the vet with fluids and meds and he survived. The foster sent me a picture a year later and it's amazing the difference, it doesn’t even look like the same dog!”

It’s stories like this that drives CAMO Rescue to continue saving dogs in their area. They recognize that dogs are an integral part of the family, should be treated as such and are turning that into a reality for dogs every day. That’s why they received one of the grants for animal rescue groups awarded by The Dr. Jane Foundation! 

If you want to learn more about how we give back, click here and read more!

When people hear “hemp seed oil”, some still think about the psychoactive effects of cannabis. While it won’t alter your state of mind or show up on drug tests, studies have shown that the topical use of hemp seed oil can be great for your skin!

This skincare ingredient naturally contains a rich profile of nutrients, fatty acids and bioactive compounds that can help keep skin healthy and clear.

The benefits of hemp seed oil for skin are so apparent that many beauty companies are adopting this ingredient — including some of our own premium skin care products!

According to studies, here are the different ways that hemp seed oil benefits skin:

Moisturize and Soothe

• The most popular benefit of hemp seed oil for the skin is its ability to moisturize, leaving a soft and supple feeling. It can balance your skin and regulate oil production without clogging pores — this can help acne that is caused by excess oil.

Feed Your Skin

• Hemp seed oil contains omega-6 fatty acids which encourages new cell generation. These nutrients can also help soothe irritation.

Reduce Lines and Wrinkles

• The naturally occurring acids found in hemp seed oil can minimize fine lines and facial wrinkles. Linoleic and oleic acids aren’t produced by the body, but these hemp seed oil compounds can supply your skin with important nutrients.

Ongoing Scientific Studies

• Studies suggest that hemp seed oil may have antibacterial qualities — future research will determine if it can be used as a possible treatment for various skin ailments.

---

Now that you know a little bit about the benefits of hemp seed oil for skin, you may want to try a product that uses this ingredient. Check out the hemp seed oil and other amazing ingredients in our Body Lotion, Facial Cleanser, Facial Moisturizer and Facial Serum!