Yesterday I did my first telephone interview with Marilyn Tokach.  She’s an animal communicator and dog Trainer.  Marilyn has  been all around this country training other people how to communicate with their animals.  She comes with over 20+ years of experience and is very active with animal related issues and rescue shelters.

I’m always fascinated by alternative ways of doing things and believe that’s it’s all possible.  You need to keep an open mind and use your own intuitive powers to hone in on the messages you may be getting from your animals.

Marilyn can not only help with dogs, but with all your animals.  She also becomes another layer for Veterinarians and helps them put the pieces together for a more clear diagnosis.  She does not diagnose diseases herself and always recommends that you listen to the advice of your Veterinarian.

Helping with end of life issues is a very popular request from pet owners.  I just went through that last August and I wish I would have known about her then.  It would have made the transition so much easier.  As you will hear, Marilyn can also speak to your animals spirit after they are gone.  I think I’m going to take her up on that.  My dog was very special to me and I’d love to hear what she has to say.

So, if your having behavior problems, health problems or just want to know what your pet is thinking, please take a listen and hear how she got started communicating with animals and how she knows what they are feeling.

You can find Marilyn’s website at Pure-Spirit and from there, you can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Thanks for listening.  You can listen to my interview with Marilyn Tokach here.

I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to Marisa Herrera.  Marisa is a Green Pets Eco-Living Consultant that is dedicated to reaching out to the global community and teaching us how to make our homes and pets in harmony with Mother Nature.  She is also passionate about a raising the funds to open up an animal sanctuary in Mexico.

Chris: Marisa, thank you for stopping by Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales.  Please tell us how you started out on this wonderful journey in helping animals and families become more eco friendly.  What is your working background?

Marisa: Thank you, Chris, for having me.  It’s great to connect and talk with you!  My journey started a long time ago with my love of animals and my desire to help them in any way possible.  Since young, I’ve also had a deep connection with Nature and concern about the environment.  I grew up in Mexico City and remember wanting to help and rescue all the stray dogs I would see.  I saw so much apathy, cruelty and injustice that it forever touched me.   I have been an animal and environmental advocate for decades and, finally, I’ve reached a point in my life where I had to pursue my passion and purpose of dedicating my life to help as many animals as I can while helping Nature, too.  So, this is how Green Pets Eco Living was created in late 2009.  I integrated my passions, interests, background and knowledge to help pet parents “green” their companion animals and create toxic-free home environments so their pets can live as long and healthy as possible.  By incorporating eco-friendly practices, your pets, you and the planet all benefit from living green and having a green pet.

Marisa and Roco

My working and academic background is diverse.   I’ve done environmental education, administrative work, public relations and field research.  My academic background covers tourism management, wildlife management, restoration of natural systems, ecological landscape design and sustainable gardening.  Over the years, I have developed my environmental conscience and have learned about ecology, sustainability, holistic living and holistic pet care.

Chris: I see you have loads of information and videos regarding living an eco friendly life.  Can you tell us what things we can learn from you?

Marisa: Indeed.  Living an eco friendly lifestyle starts with awareness and education.  Awareness that we live in a highly toxic world that affects us and our pets; that our planet needs help and that we have options to create non-toxic and more sustainable environments at home, our communities and the world.

This is my approach:  Bring awareness about the problems, conditions and risks associated with doing things the conventional way (from the foods we feed our pets and eat ourselves, to the cleaning supplies, cosmetic and personal care products we use and the vaccination regimes to which we expose our pets). Awareness about the toxic overload that is all around people and pets in their very own homes but are unaware of it.  Educate and present the options and benefits of implementing safer, holistic and eco-friendly practices for you and your pets.  Promote action by taking that first green step, by implementing the solutions for a healthier and greener lifestyle for you, your pets and the environment.  This whole process assists pet parents to reduce and eliminate the toxics that abound in most homes now and, in turn, help their pets live long, healthy lives.

For example, let’s take pet food.  What type of food do you feed your pet?  Is it the nutritionally-devoid commercial brands, or the vet prescribed diets?  Are you aware that many types of pet food use fillers made from corn and/or by-products (meat “meals”), artificial flavourings and colours, and ingredients that are grown with toxic pesticides or synthetic preservatives or contain ingredients that are deemed unfit for humans?  These pet foods are harmful to your pet’s health and to the environment.  So, what are the options?  There are high quality commercial pet foods that contain superior sources of protein; organic, whole, unprocessed vegetables and grains and other foods.  Another option is home-made organic food for your pets.  There are various online recipes and resources to help create wholesome, healthy and properly balanced meals and treats.

Being exposed to a toxic environment by what we eat, drink, breathe and absorb through our skins overloads the immune system leading to potential health risks and degenerative diseases.  We see this in people and animals.  However, because our pets have shorter lifespans, faster metabolisms and are constantly on the ground, they are at higher risk with less exposure than people.

Chris: I know that you are passionate about opening up an Animal Sanctuary in Mexico.  If you had all the funds you needed, and could afford to have the sanctuary of your dreams, what would that look like?  What kind of animals would you house?

Marisa: Yes, I am passionate about having my animal sanctuary in Mexico and help those most in need.  It has been a dream of mine for 10 years now, but finally I am taking action to make this a reality.  This is one of the reasons I created Green Pets Eco Living…to raise the funds to afford and maintain my animal sanctuary.  My intent is to open the sanctuary in 2010.

I will describe my sanctuary:  The Animal Sanctuary is located in the Colonial Region of Mexico; it’s an hacienda nearby natural habitat.  With my team of local staff and national and international volunteers, we rescue, rehabilitate, provide medical care, find foster homes, facilitate adoptions, and provide permanent refuge to as many animals in need as we can, including domestic, farm and exotics.  We deal with animals that have been abused, injured, abandoned and the numerous stray animals without any hope of a life worth living.  We also help people without the financial resources to pay for veterinary care by providing complimentary veterinary services for their companion animals.  Our free mobile clinic reaches remote communities.

Our ongoing humane education program facilitates resources and information about treating animals with compassion and respect and being better stewards of Mother Earth.  We have partnered with the local school Board to give complimentary Humane Education presentations throughout the school year.  It is our belief that we need to teach the young generations about treating animals with compassion and respect, and living more harmoniously on Earth.

Marisa

We conduct low-cost and free sterilization programs for dogs and cats, both in-house and out in the local communities.  The local government agencies support our on-going sterilization campaigns as a public health effort.  The Sanctuary provides internships to Mexican veterinary students, who work along with our resident veterinarian in performing these surgeries and other veterinary care.

The Sanctuary is also a Nature Retreat where people come to connect with Nature and her creatures, a place to find simplicity and refuge from the hectic demands of urban living.  Our accommodations are simple and comfortable with the touch of Mexican culture.  The Nature Retreat is another fund-generator for the Sanctuary.  The people you find at the Retreat have all one thing in common, whether they are volunteers, staff or guests; they all love animals and have an appreciation of Nature.  This is what brings us together.

Here at the Sanctuary we have a mission:  To help animals (domestic, farm and exotics) most in need by providing rescue, rehabilitation, medical care, temporary and permanent residence, and humane education to foster animal compassion, respect and protection.

Chris: Please tell us about your consulting business.  Exactly what does it mean to have an eco friendly consultant?

Marisa: Actually, just this month I launched my online consulting services as a Green Pets Eco-Living Consultant.  I am very excited about this!   It will allow me to assist a global community of pet parents in creating toxic-free, healthy home environments for their pets and themselves.   As an Eco-Living or Eco-Friendly Consultant, I also show you how to incorporate eco-friendly practices that are good for the planet.  Our pets rely on us to provide for them; they are not aware of the toxic overload that may surround them in their homes and communities.

There is a lot of information online about green living, which can be overwhelming.  I simplify the process for pet parents who don’t know where to start, don’t have the knowledge, patience or time to do all the research to start living green with their pets.  Through my services, pet parents become aware of the options and the solutions they have available.  I help them discover new ways to immediately implement easy steps to green their pets, themselves and transform their homes to healthy living spaces so their pets can live long, healthy lives.

For instance, my One-On-One Personalized Phone Consultation covers a thorough assessment of what your pets are exposed to, your home environment and the potential risks to your pets and you.  I provide you with recommendations and solutions to improve the health and safety of your pets and to create a toxic-free home.

Chris: If someone wanted to start living green with their pets, but didn’t know what to do, what would you suggest?

Marisa: That’s an excellent question, Chris, because I believe many people face that situation.  They hear about “going green” or having a “green pet”, but they may feel overwhelmed by all the information out there, which, in turn leads to a standstill.  I would suggest starting with small steps, actually one step at a time so that taking action is doable and satisfying.  Once pet parents see the benefits, I believe they will be motivated to move on to their second green step and so forth.

A good way to start living green with your pets is by starting to think toxic-free and learning to identify harmful, toxic substances you don’t want for your precious pets, yourself or your home.  This gives you a foundation to start eliminating toxic products.  It’s important to read labels.  The words “caution,” “warning” and “danger” point to the toxic ingredients in a product.  You need to avoid them!  Buy products that are free of synthetic ingredients like colorants, fragrances and preservatives, and are cruelty-free; that is, not tested on animals.

An example on how to apply this information to start living green with your pets is with flea and tick products.  Read the labels of whatever product you intend to buy.  The conventional flea and tick products on the market are highly toxic; they are pesticides, basically!  Pesticides are poisons and we know that they are dangerous and harmful to the environment, but what effect is it having on our precious pets?!

If you are currently using these toxic treatments on your pet, first, get rid of those collars, spot-on treatments, etc.  Detoxify your house by washing bedding, clothing, and other things with which your pet has come in contact.  This leads you to your second green step; that is, the use of a natural, biodegradable, phosphate, formaldehyde and chemical-free laundry detergent.   It’s also important to bathe your pet regularly using a natural, bio-degradable, chemical, phosphate and cruelty-free pet shampoo.  And by doing this you easily move on to your third step of grooming your pet with non-toxic products.  As you can see, one step leads you to another and as you move on, you will have the awareness and information to select toxic-free and eco-friendly products for your pets and yourself.

Chris: It’s been wonderful to talk to you today.  Please tell everyone how they can reach you on the web and on Social Media.

Marisa, I wish you all the luck in the world on your Animal Sanctuary and thank goodness there are people like you that care deeply for the animals that have no voice.

Marisa: Thank you very much, Chris!  I’ve enjoyed our talk, as well.  I appreciate your good wishes and the work you do to help animals, as well.  Every step, every action counts!

I can be reached via my website:  www.GreenPetsEcoLiving.com , Twitter:  http://twitter.com/marisa_herrera ; Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MarisaHerreraDupuis , and my YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/MarisaHerreraDupuis

Chris L Wagner

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog

Elizabeth, I’d like to thank you so much for letting us interview you today.  I’m very excited to hear about your company and the tips you can provide us for making our yard more pet friendly.

Elizabeth: Thank you!  I’m so honored you asked me!

Chris: I wanted to interview you because pet friendly landscaping is very close to my heart.  I love to garden but also board dogs in my home.  Needless to say, they have wreaked  havoc in my back yard, and  I’ve invested a lot of money into barriers to keep them out of my plants.

Chris: Were you always a landscaper with pets in mind or did that come about later?  What inspired you? Tell us about your company.

Remove sod to create doggie runway

Elizabeth: I’ve always been a plant and dog nerd.  When I was working for other landscape companies, I was heartbroken when clients would complain about their dog.  They always said something like, “I love my yard but just look at what my dog did!” There was no concern as  to why their dog was “destroying” their yard, they were just very angry with their dog.

When I started my company in 1998, I wanted to prove to people that dogs and plants can share a yard.  Their “destructive” behavior is simply their instincts.  They get triggered by certain elements in their yard and act like dogs.  They’ll bark at squirrels, go to the bathroom, etc. so I figured out what type of material to use so they weren’t killing everything.

I’ve always consulted with my vet about solutions since I have had no other resources to rely on – it’s been a lot of trial and error in the past 12 years but that’s what makes it successful.  We’ve figured out concepts that nobody else tried.

Chris: What a great idea to consult with your vet!  I have to tell you that I have literally almost been in tears after a dog has crushed my plants.  We put a lot of work into our gardens and to see all that hard work go to waste, is heartbreaking.   What can we do to keep our flower beds looking nice and keep the dogs out?

Red Flagstone in green grass for dogs to run across sod for squirrel Patrol

Elizabeth: One word of advice is never plant along the fence.  This includes grass.  No plant can withstand urine or heavy foot traffic.  Dogs actually make a yard more interesting since we incorporate walkways and/or organic shapes based on their habits.  We create runways along the fence with 1.5” Round River Rock (Stones).  If your dog eats rock (many of them do) we use pavers and pea gravel  or crushed granite (that can pass through their  stomachs). The bed line is about 3’-5’ wide – we never plant 3’ feet from the fence since that will be their runway to do their squirrel patrol, bark at a neighbor’s dog, bark at passer-byers, etc.  By the way, three foot wide walkways are a perfect size  dogs and humans to use.  We respect their habits.

We add thorny/textured plants, like junipers, roses, pyracantha, barberry to deter dogs from entering gardens. We also use large cobble or chunky rocks that are awkward for dogs to walk on.  The material we choose depends on the size, age and total of dogs in a backyard.

Creating retaining walls  for gardens also prevents dogs from trampling through beds.

Chris: You are so right, I had to put up a metal barrier so the dogs don’t go to my back fence and bark at my neighbor’s dog.   I know that poisonous plants are a big concern for our pets.  Can you please tell us which plants are most harmful to pets?

Elizabeth: Lilies!!!!!  All lilies! They are especially harmful to cats but they cause kidney failure very quickly in dogs too.  Every time I’ve been a vendor, I’ve had someone come to my booth and tell me to get the word out about lilies.  They’ve either lost a dog or their dog has kidney issues because he ate a lily.  I will install them in front yards only.

Other plants include:  foxglove (heart problems), bulbs of iris, tulips, daffodils, holly berries, ivy, lupine, apple seeds, tomato plants/fruit, etc.  There are so many – I’ve listed them on my website and I’m writing a third book about toxic plants with my veterinarian.

On the other side of that coin, we do NOT install ornamental grasses in backyards – they’re not toxic but dogs eat them and it’s not fair to  the plant since they can never grow.

Chris: Unless your completely organic, from time to time , we might have to use pesticides in our gardens.  I sometimes use soap and water to get the aphids off in the Spring.  What are your thoughts on that and what would you recommend as alternatives to commercial pesticides?

Elizabeth: Vinegar is an herbicide.  It kills everything so only use it on the weed or plant you’re trying to kill.  It must be used when it’s warm – above 70 degrees and it’ll take about a week to do its magic.

Composting is a good soil amendment.  Or  peat and manure – such as cow and peat, sheep and peat work to amend garden beds.

In some situations chemicals need to be used.  I don’t have a chemical license because we do not do maintenance so I always contact my arborist who knows all of my clients own pets so he uses chemicals that won’t hurt them or educates them about the life span of the chemical.

I always tell clients if they’re going to use a chemical – read the label and call poison control -  1-800-222-1222 – it’s free and they’ll help.  The ASPCA always has a poison control but it costs money – have your ccard ready when you call them – (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.

Chris: Is it true that putting tomato juice or ketchup in your dogs food can get rid of the urine burns on your lawn?  If not, what can we do about it?

Elizabeth: I’ve consulted with numerous vets about this and they tell me they are all myths.   I’ve never heard of a good solution.  So, we work with the dog’s habits.

If the dog is going to the bathroom in the same area (they are very habitual) then we pull out the sod and install rock (if their dog does not eat rock) and let them use it as the bathroom area.

Male dogs are always lifting their leg on plants and people continue to replace the plant.  Rather than replacing the plant, I incorporate statues into the garden where he’s  lifting his leg.  This is a technique I call “the fire hydrant” solution.   Statues can be planters, bird baths, sundials, boulders, etc.

If dogs are going to the bathroom randomly around the yard, I ask the dog owner to relocate his or her feces to one area and when they start using that area, praise them only when  they’re finished going to the bathroom – not during.  Then they’ll realize that is the bathroom area.  Again, I would not install any plants in the bathroom area, only rock or wood (if they eat rock) but the wood mulch can trigger them to eat it or dig at it – plus it needs to be replenished every other year or so.  The plus side to wood mulch is it neutralizes the odor.

If wood and rock mulch are not an option, we’ll use pavers or concrete as a bathroom area.  Dogs continue using the area regardless of our changing the texture of it.  I’ve only had one dog not use the area once we changed it – he was a Border Collie.  For some reason, he did not want to continue using the are a but that’s the only one I knew about.

Chris: Thank you for all the great advice and  it’s been great chatting with you.  As your final question, can you please give us your best tips for a “Paw Friendly” yard and where people can find you.

Elizabeth: Dogs’ habits add interest to a yard.  Never get mad or angry at them – there are so many cost effective solutions for their habits.

One important element that needs to be considered is edging.  Edging is used whenever there is a transition in a yard.  Say your yard is shaped like a “box of sod” and you want to create runways along your fence for your dog.  You would have to remove the sod and install edging so the sod does not migrate into the new bed and the new bed’s mulch, say rock, does not migrate into the sod.  Steel edging is the dangerous edger because it comes with a safety cap that always weathers and leave s the top exposed.  Edging is like a knife and will severely slice paws.  Some dogs have a permanent limp from their injury.  Many dog owners do not know why their healthy dog went outside but came back with a cut paw –it’s always the edging.

The safest edging is:  roll top, various plastic edgings, brick, pavers, timbers, etc.  They are pet friendly and some are very attractive.

I have a fan page on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Golden-CO/Pawfriendly-Landscapes/223141086885 and my website is www.pawfriendlylandscapes.com

Chris: Thank you so much for sharing all your wonderful information with us and I hope everyone will join you on your Facebook fan page to learn more.

No go out and pull some weeds!

Chris L Wagner

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog.