"If It Weren't For Fido" Essay Contest

How did your dog change your life? It’s not a simple question, and there isn’t a simple answer, but Best Bully Sticks knows you have poignant and weighty words to say about your special four-legged family member. BBS is asking you to tell a story about how your dog altered your thinking about life or even how you live.

By sharing your story in Best Bully Sticks If It Weren’t For Fido Essay Contest, you could:
-Have your essay published on the BBS Blog
-Win Free Bully Sticks For A Year or other great BBS Prizes
-Have BBS donate to the Animal Rescue/Shelter of your choice

To Enter:

1. Like Best Bully Sticks on Facebook.

2. Submit a typed, 1,000 word max submission to the Offerpop App.

3. Submission must be creative non-fiction and address the prompt “If It Weren’t For Fido”

4. Submissions will be up for voting by others. The 3 most voted on Essays will receive BBS Gift Cards valued at $100, $50 & $25. BestBullySticks will also reward one essay with the Grand Prize of Free Bully Sticks for a Year. This prize will be determined by a panel of BBS Judges. Grand Prize also includes a donation to the Animal Organization of the winner’s choice. All winning essays will appear on the BestBullySticks Healthy Dog Blog.

Quick Rules & Regulations:

• Must be a fan of Best Bully Sticks to enter or vote
• One submission per rescue
• Entires must be turned in by 5pm est, May 17th, 2013
• Entries must address the topic outlined.
• No Voting Exchange Votes
• No Votes from Duplicate, International, Children or Pet Facebook Profiles
• BestBullySticks does us an application that requires “granting access.” We do this to monitor any cheating or foul play during the contest.
• It is up to each person to remind those voting for them about these rules and regulations. We do not wish to dock a for an entry because someone voting for them isn’t playing by the rules.

How To Stand Out In A Crowd: Essay Writing Tips

Stick to the theme of the contest. You may have an amazing essay in the bottom drawer of your desk, but if it doesn’t cover the contest theme, it’s not going to win.

Don’t feel the need to parrot back the exact wording of the contest theme in your essay. For example, if the theme is “What was the most important day in your life?” try not to begin the piece with “The most important day of my life was…”

Check your spelling and grammar. It may sound silly, but PLEASE read your entry multiple times before you submit it. As many as one in five entries has multiple misspellings.

Avoid clichés.

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BBS Rescue Spotlight: Big Fluffy Dog Rescue

All dogs need a helping hand; whether it’s as a small puppy in a new home or as a rescue dog in need of medical treatment or socialization. When we look at the heart wrenching videos and photos on the web, many times we see small creatures that are weak and helpless, but one rescue shows that big dogs need love, too. Big Fluffy Dog Rescue’s mission is pretty self-explanatory—help big, fluffy dogs in need. Find out more about this Nashville-based rescue in the BestBullySticks Rescue Spotlight!

When & Why did you start?

Big Fluffy Dog Rescue is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping giant breed mixed breed dogs in need. We value dogs of all breeds, but we specialize in what the name says: big, fluffy dogs. We have volunteers in several states in the South and New England who work to help homeless big fluffy dogs find a home to call their own. Big Fluffy Dog Rescue works to save Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands and their mixes from euthanasia.

Our dogs come in to rescue for many different reasons. Many were abandoned at high kill shelters in the South, some were turned in by owners who could not properly care for them, and still others are failed livestock guardian dogs. Regardless of their origins, our goal for every dog we have is the same: a safe, happy home where each dog is a well-loved member of the family. Big Fluffy Dog Rescue has its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. We have volunteers in several states in the South and across New England.

What's different about your rescue?

Big Fluffy Dog Rescue has a “No Dog Left Behind” Policy. That means if we take a big fluffy from a kennel at the shelter, we take any dog that is in there with him or her. We always take Momma’s with their babies. No Dog Left Behind! Read more

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Dog Care 101 Tip #214: Caring for Senior Dogs

As we near the end of “Be Kind to Animals Month,” we at BestBullySticks thought we should set aside some time for a very special group of dogs — seniors. For aging canines, there are special considerations that need to be kept in mind. Keeping a keen eye on behavior and general health in addition to some fine tuning in diet is all that’s needed to maintain healthy living into the senior years. Old age comes at different times for different breeds, though. That’s why we've put together a guide to not only identify aging, but also how to properly care for your dog as a senior.

Expectations

Knowing what to look out for is half the battle. If you’re able to spot signs of health complications early, there’s a good chance the damage can be minimized. Here are some common health issues to watch out for:

Graying: Of course, there’s nothing dangerous about going gray, but it is a good indicator of middle-age and early seniority. It should be noted, some dogs go gray early despite still being quite young.

Vision & Hearing: Inevitably, vision and hearing deteriorate with old age. For vision, some signs to watch out for are increased clumsiness and cloudy eyes. Cloudy eyes, which are often harmless and a normal process of aging, are the product of lenticular sclerosis. This is sometimes confused with cataracts — a clouding of the lens inside the eye — which is very detrimental to sight. If a clouding of the eyes occurs, make sure you promptly pay a visit to the vet. Read more

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BBS Product Spotlight: All-Natural Lamb Weasand

Looking for something different this spring? Why not try one of BestBullySticks’ newest products, All-Natural Lamb Weasands! Sold individually and in packs, these all-natural, single ingredient chews are made from healthy free-range lamb. Packed with tons of flavor and nutrients like glucosamine, these treats are great for joint health and mobility.

Sourced from free-range lamb, these delicious chews are Made in the USA and like all of BestBullySticks’ products. they’re free of preservatives and chemical additives.

BestBullySticks Lamb Weasands are even USDA approved ensuring the highest quality ingredients and safety for your pooch. These great treats are made from the esophagus of the lamb. Simply dried and twisted, these chews are minimally processed to ensure maximum nutritional value and potential health benefits.

Perfect for medium sized dogs, Lamb Weasands have minimal odor and are super soft on the stomach. Dogs with digestive issues, such as senior dogs or puppies will go crazy for these great chews. Similar in thickness to our bully sticks, All-Natural Lamb Weasands have a jerky-like consistency making them great for less aggressive chewers of any size.

BestBullysticks.com is dedicated to bringing our customers safe all-natural dog chews and treats. Offering one of the largest and most unique online collections of dog treats and chews, we’re sure we’ve got exactly what your pup is looking for!

Don’t forget to follow BestBullySticks on Facebook & Twitter to catch the latest news, product giveaways and specials!

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BBS Training Tip #3: Training Methods Part 1

This week’s installment of BestBullySticks’ Training Tips is the first half of a two part series on Training Methods. As pet lovers, it’s our hope that this information will help owners make more informed decisions about how to train their pets. Let’s get to it!

Selecting a Method

Unfortunately, there is no universal “one size fits all” training system for dogs. Choosing the best training method for you and your dog takes a bit of research. Don’t sweat it, though. We’ve cut through the thick of it to bring you the skinny on what’s what in the world of dog training.

If you haven’t already, BestBullySticks recommends reading our previous post on How Dogs Learn to ensure you get the most from our explanation of these training methods and their key concepts. At the end of the day, the most important factor to consider when selecting a training method is how comfortable both dog and owner are using a system.

Despite the large number of training systems out there, in one way or another many utilize the same three key concepts.

“Marker Training”

Built on the ideas of classical and operant conditioning, Marker Training is a way to build association between a command (marker) and a desired result by immediately offering reinforcement the moment a desired action is completed. For example — if you’re teaching a dog to lay down on command, use the marker (in this case the words “lay down”) when the dog lays down on its own, then offer positive reinforcement such as a treat. Read more

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