Archive for May 2009

Golden Retriever

Height: 22-24 inches (male); 20-22 inches (female)

Weight: 65-75 lbs (male); 60-70 lbs (female)

Coat: straight or wavy

Color: reddish; can range from nearly white to dark mahogany

Appearance

Golden Retrievers are shorter than Labradors, with deep chests and a dense coat of waterproof hair that can be either straight or wavy. Coloring ranges from nearly white to a dark red mahogany color, though the extremes of both ranges aren't typically acceptable in competitions.

Temperament

Often referred to as friendly, kindly, and confident, Golden Retrievers make excellent family dogs. Great around groups of people they know as well as strangers, their trusting nature makes them poor guard dogs. They are eager to please, are usually calm, and are very intelligent.

As they grow older, Golden Retrievers will become more active and fun-loving. They love to work, but will work to collapse, so they must be monitored to ensure they don't overwork themselves. Golden Retrievers make excellent service dogs, as well as Search & Rescue, hunting dogs, and illegal drug detection dogs.

Health

The average lifespan of a Golden Retriever is 10 to 12 years. They do well in small areas as they don't require as much exercise as one would expect for a dog their size. Due to careless breeding, they are prone to certain disorders. These include: hip dysplasia, cancer, cataracts, glaucoma, heart problems, allergies, general joint problems.

Famous Golden Retrievers

Buddy - Air Bud movie series

Comet - family dog in Full House

Duke - from the Bush's Baked Beans commercials

Liberty - dog of former President Gerald Ford

Luke, Layla, and Gracie - Oprah Winfrey's dogs

Speedy - from The Drew Carey Show

If you would like to recommend a dog breed for our next Best Bully Sticks spotlight on a breed please send us an email!

Smooth Coat Jack Russell Terrier

Height: 10" - 15"

Weight: 14 - 18 lbs

Coat: Smooth, Broken, Rough

Color: Predominately white with black or tan markings

Appearance: Jack Russell Terriers (or JRT) are short, with either smooth, broken, or rough double coats of predominately white hair. JRT's have a moderately sized head with a moderate muzzle and black nose. Their eyes are almond shape and darkly colored. Small ears in a v-shape sit on the forward part of the head. The tail of a JRT is set high on their body and is typically docked approximately five inches.

Temperament: Jack Russell Terriers are high energy dogs that are very well suited to being sport dogs. Obedience classes are recommended as JRTs can be stubborn at times and aggressive towards other animals or humans if not properly socialized. Despite their small size, JRTs are not recommended for small apartments or condominiums as they can be hyper and require a large amount of stimulation. While not overly destructive, chew treats such as bully sticks are recommended to keep their attention. JRTs are very much a large dog in a small body, a trait that can lead to trouble with larger dogs. Owners should be aware of this and watch them carefully around larger animals.

Health: Jack Russell Terriers typically live for between 12 and 19 years. Health concerns for the breed include: hereditary cataracts, general joint problems, cerebellar ataxia, primary lens luxation, and congenital deafness, amongst other diseases.

Famous Dogs and Owners

Eddie - played by Moose and Enzo on the show Frazier

Skip - focus of both book and movie My Dog Skip

Milo - Jim Carrey's dog in The Mask

Best Bully Sticks Launches Dr. Harveys Dog Food Companions and Pre-Mixes

We are excited to bring you a two revolutionary dog/cat food pre-mixes. These freeze dried veggies and veggie/grain mixes are a fantastic way to provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your pooch. By adding the mixes to your pooches diet, you will give your dog the key to proper nutrition and a happier, healthier life. You can add the mix to your pooches current food or you can also add it to your pooches raw food diet (it works great with the Oma's Pride freeze-dried food).

Many of the dog foods out there are packed with preservatives and additives to make the food last a long time. In fact, no meat can stay at room temperature for more than a few hours. This is why commercial dog foods use so many preservatives to keep the meat they use from spoiling. They also use dyes and artificial flavors to enhance the way the food looks and tastes. Dr. Harvey's contains no preservatives, no coloring agents, and no artificial flavors.

Dr. Harvey has two formulas; Veg-to-Bowl which contains only veggies and Canine Health which contains 6 certified organic grains, 9 vegetables, and 13 herbs. When these meals are combined with fresh protein and oils, the result is the healthiest meal available for your pooch. Go to each individual listing to see how it works. We have started our dogs on the Veg-to-Bowl and Oma's Pride food and not only are they getting the healthiest food out there, but they go bonkers for breakfast and dinner!

To us the coolest part of Dr. Harvey's products are that they make any and every food out there BETTER, so if you are feeding raw, dry kibble, wet food, etc... you can enhance it!  Make sure to give Dr. Harveys a try we are sure that you won't be disappointed!

Spot Light On a Breed: English Bulldog

Weight: 45- 55 lbs
Height: 12 -15 in
Coat: short and smooth
Color: White, Fawn, Red, Red Brindle, and any of the mentioned with white markings

Appearance
The perfect Bulldog must be of medium size and smooth coat; with heavy, thick-set, low-swung body, massive short-faced head, wide shoulders and sturdy limbs. The general appearance and attitude should suggest great stability, vigor and strength. The bulldog is solid, sensible, and patient.

Temperament
Bulldogs are affectionate, docile, and reliable. They can be stubborn at times, but are very friendly and loving. They have mellow personalities, and can be quite comical. They are husky, gentle and good-natured. They are jovial, amiable, and willing to please. Courageous and capable of powerful strength, they are sometimes cantankerous with other dogs.  They are also very good as companion dogs or as family dogs.

Health
The Bulldog structure causes some health problems such as difficulty in whelping puppies, respiratory troubles, and skin irritations in the creases around the face and tail. They are also susceptible to eyelid abnormalities, hip dysplasia, congenital heart disease, heart attacks, and skin conditions, and he snores, snorts, dribbles water after drinking, and passes gas.  Because of the shortened muzzle, Bulldogs often have difficulty breathing in hot humid weather, after exertion, and in stuffy rooms. Good ventilation and air conditioning are almost essential with this breed.

Famous Bull Dogs and Owners

Official logo for Mack Truck
Bud and Lou, owned by George Clooney
MatzaBall, owned by Adam Sandler
Handsome Dan, mascot for Yale University
Chesty, the symbol of the US Marine Corps

Please make sure to check out our growing selection of dog treats, dog chews, and of course our Bully Sticks!

Best Bully Sticks Launches Omas Pride Raw Dog Food and Treats

We are happy to announce the arrival of some just plain amazing dog food. We have been feeding this to our dogs for the last month and have already noticed a difference in their skin, coat, and energy level. The combination of fresh raw ingredients provides a healthy alternative to dry and canned pet foods, with the same convenience.

Many dry pet foods contain high levels of sugar, salt, and preservatives. In addition, the cooking process that dry food undergos rids the food of many of the important nutrients that our pets need. Questionable chemicals are also added to dry food to make the product a "balanced diet".

Dogs are carnivores (meat eaters) yet most dry dog foods contain at least 60% grain. Although this is needed to bind the kibble together, there are no benefits to feeding this much grain to our pets. It is simply filler!

Oma's Pride is; 100% USDA inspected and approved, contains no by-products, and contains no grains, wheat, corn, or soy. In addition, they offer a variety of proteins that ensure that your pet will receive a full spectrum of nutrients he/she needs to achieve vibrant health.

This is perfect for the following people:

• People that want to try raw feeding for the first time
• Raw feeders that want a more convenient way to feed raw
• Raw feeders that are going on vacation

Oma's Pride recommends rotating the protein source and oil weekly. We mix the raw food with either salmon oil, flax seed oil, olive oil, or canola oil and mix in some fresh veggies.

I have never seen our dogs so excited to get their food, so make sure to give it a try!