[This guest post is brought to you be Dog Fence DIY's staff veterinarian Dr. Susan Wright. Dog Fence DIY has a variety of small dog fence systems to choose from at the best available prices. Dog Fence DIY walks through step by step of installation and training of your new system.]

We're all aware of how important it is to take care of our environment. While we're taking steps to reduce our impact on our world, our dogs can also do their part. Here are ten steps to going green with your dog.

1. Recycle your dog's droppings. Feces can be used in a worm farm to create fertilizer for our garden. They can also be added to a compost bin. Don't put them in the worm farm straight after your dog has been wormed, because the chemical that kills your dog's intestinal worms will also kill your earthworms.

2. If you don't have a worm farm or a compost bin, make sure you pick feces up with a biodegradable bag. Plastic bags don't break down in landfill, and will persist in the environment for a very long time. There are doggie bags available that break down within a few months and these are a much more environmentally friendly choice.

3. There's no need to spend lots of money on new dog accessories. Recycle old blankets and towels as bedding, and use pieces of rope as tug toys. Your dog will be quite happy with that, especially if you spend more time playing with him.

4. When you buy new dog toys or accessories, where possible buy products made from all natural fibers. Recycled cotton and hemp are ideal for dog leads and collars. Dog beds can also be made with recycled filling.

5. Look at what you're feeding your dog. If you buy a higher quality diet, it will be more digestible, so your dog will need to eat less to get the nutrients he needs. This means he'll produce less feces. Choose a premium kibble, that is one with meat or meat products at the top of the ingredient list. If the budget allows, look for an organic diet.

6. Look at the packaging of your dog products. Choose those with recycled and biodegradable packages. Even better, see if you can buy products with no packaging at all.

7. If you need to clean up your dog's mess, avoid using harsh detergents and chemicals and instead use vinegar, baking soda, and other more natural options. They're often just as effective, and are much better for our environment.

8. You may be able to also use natural products for parasite control. For example, neem oil can be effective against fleas. Be careful - when it comes to deadly parasites such as heart worm, you must be sure the preventative you're using is 100% effective.

9. When you bath your dog, choose your shampoo carefully. Ideally, you should use a shampoo that doesn't contain sulphates or phosphates, or anything else that can harm the environment. It's also a good idea to cut down on how often you wash your dog. He doesn't need frequent bathing, and you can save water by washing him less.

10. The ultimate in recycling is to adopt a dog from a shelter. Make sure your dog is neutered to avoid contributing to the overpopulation problem. Try to avoid buying your dog from a pet shop which often supports puppy mills.

It's important that we all do what we can to look after our world, and that includes our dogs. Fortunately, it's not hard for them to do their share – these suggestions are easy to implement, and they would have no complaints at all.