STUFF I SHARE WITH MY PETS (I PROMISE I’M NOT EATING CAT FOOD)

I can’t tell you how many times it’s been the end of the day at the store, and my stomach is growling.

I’m a very food motivated individual (my great great grandfather on my mother’s side was part golden retriever), and when I get hungry, or go into “food mode” as my husband calls it, eating is all I can think about.

I can’t believe I’m admitting this here, but there have been so many times I’ve gazed at the salmon jerky treats, or lobster treats and thought, “I wonder what they taste like…what if I — NO!”. (NOTE: Unless stated as “safe for humans to consume” on your pet’s treats or food, DO NOT EAT THEM. They often contain ingredients that are raw or unsafe for HUMAN consumption.)

This sort of five o’clock hunger is what compelled me to reach for the Oki Jerky.

Some of you already know this, but our Oki Jerky is homemade in our kitchen. Really simple: Okinawan sweet potatoes that are boiled, sliced and dehydrated. Voila! Purple, chewy, “jerky”!

Not to mention that it IS safe for human consumption. So don’t worry, if you choose to take a nibble of your dog’s Oki Jerky treat (which some of you already do!), you are not asking for an emergency room visit.

Anyway, I’m totally hooked. It’s chewy, tasty, healthy, easy to munch on when you’re running around town…purple.

I’ve definitely gotten the side-eye from a couple friends when they see me contentedly chomping away on a bag of dog treats, but in my opinion they are missing out.

So in the spirit of sharing here’s a quick rundown of some of the other pet products I’ve found uses for in my human life.

Buck Mountain Wound Balm

A Calvin & Susie favorite amongst the staff, Wound Balm is sort of our Holy Grail of “pet products for people”.

Reliable, high quality, three simple ingredients that are safe for pets and people alike (organic yarrow, organic burdock, and organic echinacea), Wound Balm is my go to product for skin snafus.

Got a zit? Apply wound balm over night for a couple days, shrinks that sucker right down.

Got a small cut or cracked, broken skin? Wound balm soothes and heals it with no yucky chemicals.

Got a burn? Slather on some wound balm. I once burnt the top of my hand reaching into my oven, and kept the wound slathered in Wound Balm for a couple days. Soothed, healed and no scar!

As long as you only use Wound Balm externally, and keep it away from your eyes, there is a myriad of uses for this simple, natural, product!

Shu! Shu!

I’ve always been intrigued by this product.

According to the product website:

Shu!Shu!+ is a disinfectant liquid isolated from pure water using a patented electrolytic method. This electrolytic process enables the isolation of highly alkalized molecules of water with a pH of 12.6. The highly alkalinized water molecules have three important properties which contribute to effective dirt and germ removal.

1. Better Permeation

2. Excellent Saponifier

3. Outstanding resolving power

Sounds pretty cool right?

Beyond being a good cleaner, I’ve found that Shu! Shu! makes a good 1) Plant fungus killer and, 2) A good jewelry cleaner.

I noticed that one of our potted plants was getting some white fuzzy stuff on it. Try as I might, I could not thwart it. So, as a last ditch effort I sprayed it with Shu! Shu! for a couple days. The white fuzzy growths went away and stayed away! (I sprayed mostly the dirt and a little bit on the effected leaves.)

My antique, etched, engagement ring was starting to look really grimy. One day, I just couldn’t stand it anymore so I doused the whole thing with Shu! Shu! And I was amazed as the build up (especially on the underside of the ring) started to slough off! I helped it along with a little rubbing, but it shined up my ring beautifully and gently!

Coconut Oil (Did you really think I’d pass up an opportunity to wax poetic coconut oil?)

If you’re sick of hearing me babble on about the AMAZINGNESS of coconut oil just skip this part. No hard feelings.

But the next time you’re slathering some on your pet’s skin, don’t be so quick to wash it off. I put coconut oil on my skin every night, and not only does it absorb quickly, but it does a fantastic job of keeping my skin soft and supple. Mind you, this is the very same coconut oil (just portioned out into a separate jar for my use) that I use on, and feed to, my cat.

In a post a few months ago I mentioned you could use virgin coconut oil as a deep conditioner for your dog’s coat when bathing. You can do the same with your hair!

I like to slather my own hair in coconut oil once a week, let it sit for at least an hour (overnight if I can stand it), then lather rinse repeat with my favorite shampoo and conditioner. Ta-da! Seriously extra soft, strong, and shiny hair! PLUS! It really does help keep flakey scalp at bay.

We sell one that is an organic, 100% natural, virgin coconut oil, Cocotherapy “For dogs, cats and birds”. I do not recommend it for human consumption (as it is not labeled for humans), but for topical application it is a great way to pamper both you and your pooch!

So these are my findings. Maybe working in the pet care industry has warped my brain, maybe I was already warped to begin with.

And just remember, there is a balance to everything. These are products that I’ve read the labels for, been careful with, and done some research on. Not every pet product is okay for people. Be the smart and informed customers that we love so much!

And again, PLEASE do not taste your pet’s kibble, raw food, canned food, or treats if there is no indication for human consumption! We know how the Oki Jerky is made, and they are simply sweet potatoes, but other treats aren’t so simple.

And as always, check with your vet before making any changes to your pet’s diet or body care. The Calvin & Susie Blogger always researches to the best of her ability, but she is not a vet. This blog is not in any way meant to replace veterinary advice or care. When in doubt always ask a vet.

Take care of yourself and your pets!

~Your Loyal Calvin & Susie Blogger