News, Advice and Resources for Thoughtful Pet People
Saffron makes her podcast debut in Episode 109 – Keep Your Pets Cool!
Lots of ways to help your pets beat the heat.
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You can listen to it here and or on iTunes. We also have an RSS feed you can subscribe to if you use an RSS reader.
Check out these topics mentioned in the podcast:
Here’s Episode 107 – Dig, Dig, Dig:
Learn how you can have an awesome garden that can survive your dogs!
Click below to play.
You can listen to it here and or on iTunes. We also have an RSS feed you can subscribe to if you use an RSS reader.
Check out these topics mentioned in the podcast:
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A few issues ago, Sunset magazine had an article on how to plant a vertical garden to create a lush, tropical look. It reminded me of how much I like the look of green roofs done nicely. I love the aspect of pointillism in the ones planted with succulents, but I like how they also look like an aerial view of some amazing garden. (Sunset also has an article on a vertical garden with succulents.)
I don’t think cats or dogs should just be left outside, but even pets who spend most of their time indoors may need some shelter from the heat or rain when they are outside. A house with a green roof would work great and look nifty too.
Want to build your own? I have two posts on DIY Green Roof dog houses. Be sure you get a safe version of pressure treated lumber, or use naturally rot-resistant wood like cedar or cypress, or plastic lumber.
The first project is for a veranda with open sides and a raised floor. Love it!
The second project is for a pretty simple, but cute house.
If you’re not handy, you can buy a green roof dog house from Sustainable Pet. They’re pretty expensive, but I think prices have come down some since I first wrote about them. They have some fun design ideas.
So what’s so cool about green roofs? Greenroofs.org has a TON of information on the benefits of green roofs. Briefly, green roofs:
Of course, a green roof dog house alone won’t save the planet, but:
Here are directions for making your own green roof dog house. (Don’t miss the previous post on a do-it-yourself green roof veranda.) And be sure to check out these directions for making your own green roof dog house (scroll down) from the people at Sustainable Pet.
The two articles give information on supplies needed, what to use to water-proof, proper soil mixtures, and good plants to use—non-poisonous, don’t need fertilizer, pest free, native.
So what’s so cool about green roofs? They:
As I said in the previous posts on the green roof dog houses (DIY: Green Roof Veranda and Green Roof Dog Houses), a green roof dog house won’t save the planet by itself, but it can start the conversation, it can serve as a small scale trial for a larger green roof, and it can give your dog a comfy place to relax when she’s outside.
Find out a lot more about green roofs at GreenRoofs.org.
I love the green roof dog houses at Sustainable Pet, but I can’t afford to spend $3000 on a dog house. Instructables comes to the rescue again!
Check out this brilliant Do-It-Yourself Green Roof Veranda (less a house and more of a covered deck.) It has thorough instructions and lots of helpful photos with notes. You can do this! If you use pressure treated lumber, make sure you get a safe version, or use naturally rot-resistant wood like cedar or cypress, or use plastic lumber.
I really like this design! It has a good over-hang so your pup will be well shaded and the floor is well away from the drain holes in the roof, so your pup will stay dry too. The elevated floor will keep your pet cooler and keep them away from bugs. You can easily put a blanket or a pad on the floor to give your dog more cushioned spot to hang out. And the Green Roof Veranda will look great in your garden.
So what’s so cool about green roofs? They:
As I said in the post on the green roof dog houses you can buy, the Green Roof Veranda won’t save the planet by itself, but it can start the conversation, it can serve as a small scale trial for a larger green roof, and it can give your dog a comfy place to relax when she’s outside.
Find out a lot more about green roofs at GreenRoofs.org.