A couple weeks ago, Artemis and I hosted an Amazon Live with BuzzFeed Pets, in which we shared our favorite pet grooming products and sustainable dog treats on video. It was a delight, especially for Artemis, because she had the important job of eating all the treats on camera. Tough life. Due to popular demand and to increase accessibility for those who cannot view or hear the video, we’re sharing the products we featured!
Kiehl’s Cuddly-Coat Grooming Shampoo
Why we love it: This soap-free formula contains soothing chamomile extract and is perfect for all-over usage, including the face. While it lathers less than you’d expect from a shampoo, it’s a worthy compromise for the gentle formula. We also feel fancy when we use this.
J.R. Liggett Dog Shampoo Bar for Sensitive Skin
Why we love it: We’re trying to reduce our packaging waste, and I’ve been using shampoo and conditioner bars myself. I was pleased to discover shampoo bars made just for dogs by this New Hampshire-based company, founded by former Madison Avenue advertising executive J.R. Liggett, who gave up his Mad Men career for soap. According to the packaging, one bar equals 24 ounces of liquid shampoo. This bar contains colloidal oatmeal, which is perfect for sensitive skin.
Skout’s Honor Probiotic Pet Shampoo & Conditioner
Why we love it: This 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner contains live kefir cultures to help support healthy skin and coat. As most of us can agree, our dogs don’t love bath time. A nice way to reduce bath time is by using a 2-in-1 formula instead of applying shampoo and conditioner separately.
Why we love it: If you’ve ever washed a car, you know what this is—a microfiber towel! This is such a great way to dry your dog fast, so that they don’t get everything else wet during their post-bath zoomies.
Why we love it: After walks, or just when Artemis rolls in something stinky at the park and we don’t have time for a bath, we love these alcohol-free, vegan, compostable, hypoallergenic dog wipes, which contain shea butter, aloe vera, and chamomile, for a quick fix.
Evereden Multi-Purpose Healing Balm
Why we love it: After you’ve washed your dog’s paws (or used wipes on them), you’ll want to keep them soft and nourished. Every night, I applied this balm onto Artemis’ paws. This balm is made of five organic oils and is safe for nursing mothers and newborn babies, which means it’s safe for your dog, too. I like to think of this bedtime ritual as Artemis’s skincare routine.
Bark Bright Dental Chews for Dogs
Why we love it: Listen, there is no replacement for brushing your dog’s teeth every day, which is the only way recommended by veterinarians to truly keep oral disease at bay. But we get it: You have enough obligations and responsibilities in a day. Remembering to brush your dog’s teeth can be hard. I brush Artemis’ teeth every night, and it’s still a struggle with her. That’s why we love these chicken-flavored chews, which Artemis eats like they’re treats. Just apply the included enzymatic toothpaste onto the ridge of the chew (like peanut butter in a celery stick) and give to your dog once a day.
VetriScience Perio Support Powder
Why we love it: Again, nothing replaces tooth brushing! But you can buy this powder to sprinkle on top of your dog’s food, and it reportedly claims to reduce plague over time. That’s almost no effort on your part, as long as you remember to feed your dog.
Why we love it: The ingredients read like they belong in a green juice, but Artemis loves this vegan treat so much. If only I had a green juice that I were this excited about! It contains spirulina, which is an ancient vegan protein, and works great as a meal topper, too.
Bocce’s Bakery Turmeric Latte Dog Treats
Why we love it: These wheat-free treats smell like sugar cookies, but are much healthier than those. As the winter months approach, I love the idea of cozy but healthy treats.
Why we love it: However you feel about eating crickets yourself, which is a wonderful protein embraced by many people around the world, remember that your dog doesn’t care if something is made of crickets. Artemis loves these treats, which also smell like cookies, and are made of cricket powder, which uses far less water to produce. It takes one gallon of water to produce one pound of cricket protein. It takes 2,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. Crickets are also excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Shameless Pets Jerky Bite Dog Treats
Why we love it: At least 33 percent of the ingredients in every bag of these jerky-based treats is up-cycled, which is means they would have been thrown out otherwise. Our favorites are the Moo Lobsta, which are beef- and lobster-based. (It’s fun to say that you feed your dog lobster every day.) The founders, who were based in Massachusetts at the time, realized that so much of lobster is discarded after processing for human consumption, and that lobster shell is an excellent natural source of glucosamine, which is important for joint health.
The Honest Kitchen Nice Mussels
Why we love it: Mussels are one of the most sustainable animal proteins you can eat (you should eat it if you eat shellfish!). That’s because mussels don’t need fertilizer or feed; they just clean the ocean themselves. We love these freeze-dried mussels, which are great meal-toppers and super high in omega-3s. Just don’t open the bag on the plane or train. It’s not an unpleasant smell (it’s just the ocean!), but it’s very strong.
Photography by Tayler Smith