Archive for July 2011

Help my dog is afraid of car rides! is the public out cry of so many pet owners. For some dogs car rides equal dooms day. Not all dogs are thrilled at car rides and often will throw temper tantrums, whining and crying non-stop until you escort them back inside the house. Unfortunately not all the places you need to take your dog is in walking distance, so car time is a must. But don't lose hope, you are not alone, in fact this is more common then you think.

While some dogs will leap in the back seat at the drop of hat excited to embark on a road adventure as your furry co-pilot. This fearless pack would agree that from a dogs eye view, no road trip is complete without window gazing, barking at passing cars and pedestrians, sniffing the air and taking a relaxing nap. But there are those who can not stomach the thought of a car ride, fearfully sitting in the driveway shaking in their boots trying to figure out an escape route. Here are a few tips on acclimating or reconditioning your anxious dog to overcome a fear of car rides. Once a dog is comfortable with a particular step, owners can progress to the next step. Don't worry this will be painless!

1. Open the car door and stand beside the car with the dog. Offer praise, give dog treats and play. Feeding the dog his meals beside the car can work as well.

2. Sit inside the car with the dog (with the engine off). Again, offer praise, dog treats and play; the pet must associate sitting inside the car with a positive experience. Once the dog's initial fear of sitting inside the car dissipates, feeding the dog his dinner inside the car can be a good way to reinforce the idea that the car is not a frightening location.

3. Sit inside the car with the dog with the engine running. Continue to offer praise and dog treats and play with the dog to reinforce the idea that car rides are fun!

4. Take the dog on a short car ride; it should be no longer than 1 minute. A friend should be on-hand to provide treats and praise during the car ride. Once the dog returns home, engage in a fun activity, like a game of fetch.

5. Take the dog on short trips around town to fun locations like the park. Bring a second person who can offer praise and dog treats. (Remember, never leave a dog unattended inside a car, especially during hot weather!)

6. Gradually increase the length of the car rides as the pet becomes increasingly comfortable on the drives.

When helping a dog overcome a fear of the car, it's important to avoid unpleasant destinations. If the dog rides in the car once a year in order to go to the veterinary clinic, he will associate the car ride with that negative experience. It's important to drive the dog to fun and pleasant locations like the park or the beach!

Is the car ride making your dog feel like he or she is on a non stop roller coaster ride with its twist and turns? Well,  we have just what the the doctor ordered!. Some anxious dogs can benefit from medication and anxiety remedies. There are an array of over-the-counter anxiety medications for dogs, including Bach Rescue Remedy.

So paw pal stop shedding those tears and enjoy the ride!

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Please make sure to check out our growing selection of dog treats & chews, and of course our bully sticks. Try our odor free bully sticks!

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But what do you do for the pampered pup or feline that has everything? Hmmm..For the pet that has everything give a Best Bully’s Gift Certificate and take the guessing out of gift giving! This is a great way for you to give that furry special someone in your life or loving pet owner a special gift by allowing them to select the exact products their furry companion are looking for.

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Summer time means the open road, national historic landmarks and loads of fun! Some dogs really enjoy car rides and can't contain their excitement. Our dogs Sushi and Espy do just that, their tails wag every time we jingle the car keys. One of the simple pleasures of being a dog, besides chasing squirrels and sniffing butts, is sticking your head out the car window with the wind in his fur and tongue flapping in the breeze. Dogs love watching the world whiz by in their house on wheels (a home away from home)!

While other dog's detest car rides, even the mention of a car ride makes them ill. Forcing you to drag them in the car just to make their annual vet checkup or appointment at the groomers, outings they don't look forward to. Getting your dog to the final destination is definitely no walk in the dog park. The entire ride is miserable for you both, as your car sick pooch looks at you with those big, sad puppy eyes curled in the back seat, anxious, fearful, shivering and about to cough up his biscuits.

But there is hope! Here are a few facts about car sickness and ways you can help your dog overcome  motion sickness, anxiety and fear associated with car rides.

Causes:

Car sickness in dogs is caused by their inner ears being over-stimulated, which creates motion sickness. Puppies and younger dogs are susceptible to car sickness because their ears have not fully developed. The part of their inner ear that is used for balance is still growing. Stress can also cause our canine friends to get sick in the car. They might think they are going to their least favorite place: the vet.

Symptoms:

For humans, it's easy to know when someone is nauseated. They turn pale. But dogs, unfortunately, don't give us that tell-tale sign. So look out for a few of these symptoms: dry heaving, rapid panting, inactivity, listlessness, vomiting, whining, excessive drooling, excessive licking or excessive chewing.

Simple Solutions:

Before you head out on the road its crucial you get your dog use to car rides. If your dog associates a car ride with a trip to the vet, then take him on short drives and allow him to get out and run. It might also be helpful to change cars so he doesn't associate one car with previous bad experiences. Also, get him use to the car by sitting in it with him for brief periods of time. Another way of conditioning him for the car is to get him a special toy that he can play with only on car rides.

If you know he's having trouble keeping his food down on car rides, one of the simplest ways of preventing a vomiting disaster is to reduce the amount of food he will consume prior to the drive---or don't feed at all beforehand. Snacking on Ginger prior to the car ride and during long trips helps to calm a dogs anxious stomach.

During the ride it is important to make his commute as comfortable as possible. Placing a pillow in the back seat for him to lay on could help ease his stress level. Don't allow him to peer out the back glass; have him face forward instead. Additionally, get some air flow in the car. Roll down the window an inch or two.

**Protect your dogs eyes from bugs and grit by purchasing doggles for your nomadic pup!

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You and your dog are heading on a road trip, when you hear your dog dry heaving & whining in the back seat. Suddenly you look in your mirror to see he’s not looking so good. You quickly rush to pull to side of the road. But before you know it, he's thrown up his morning biscuits all over your leather interior. If you haven't guessed it yet, the diagnosis is motion sickness.

Motion sickness is the result of over stimulation of the inner ear, and--just as in humans--it can make a dog miserable. Nausea can also be due to stress and anxiety since some dogs relate car ride with a vet visit. So if you are traveling with a car sick dog this summer pack some ginger dog treats. Why you ask? Well, ginger helps prevent and relieve motion sickness not only in humans but dogs too. This homemade dog treat recipe will make the trip across country a bit more bearable and less queasy for Fido.

Ingredients: (Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies)

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup molasses
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine.
2. Roll out dough on floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut into desired shapes. Combine dough scraps and continue to roll out and cut into shapes until all dough has been used.
3. Place cookies on ungreased foil-lined baking sheets and bake in preheated 325º oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Fido dig in!

**  If your dog is on a special diet always check with your vet about which foods are appropriate & safe.

Courtesy of Bark Magazine

Stay tuned for delicious dog recipes every Wednesday in our Weekly Drool Recipes blog series. Check out our other drool-worthy recipes! Also, remember food is meant to be shared! So be a pal and submit your favorite dog recipes to be featured in this delicious blog series by emailing us at bestbullysticks@gmail.com.

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When we reach 10,000 fan “Likes” all of our Facebook fans will be eligible to enter a giveaway to win a grand prize. We can’t spill the beans yet! The quicker we get to 10,000 “Likes” the sooner you can learn what that grand prize is. Thanks for “Liking” our page.

Best Bully Sticks introduces to you, the Closed Beef Jerky, so good even you could eat them! With this product cleaning teeth and providing nutrients, give your dog something to smile about.

They are made from the esophagus, or the food pipes, of cows. This part of the cow is known to be high in a supplement known as Chondroitin. This has many features which allows it to improve the health of your pet. Firstly, it is brilliant for improving the health of your dog’s joints and bones. It is important for bone integrity and has an anti-inflammatory effect and therefore reduces pain. It also prevents biological catalysts called enzymes from breaking down the tissue in joints, reducing them from being weakened by these enzymes. In older dogs Chondroitin can reduce the chance of arthritis and osteoarthritis. Secondly, Chondroitin reduces clumping and clotting in the arteries by negatively charging blood platelets, which particularly helps those dogs that are under a great deal of stress. Finally, research shows that Chondroitin can also stimulate growth and therefore improve the movement of white blood cells. White blood cells are those that fight viral and bacterial infections, therefore Chondroitin can increase resistance to such infections.

Closed Beef Jerky also has other factors which allow them to have a very positive impact on the health of your pet. They are good for helping to clean your dog’s teeth and reducing tartar build up. Also, while they are cleaning your dog’s teeth, they are also easy to digest to reduce the chance of blockages and choking. Compared to rawhide, Closed Beef Jerky win every time because they are naturally lower in fat and easier to digest.

The cattle used in the production of these Closed Beef Jerky are all free-ranging and natural.  The grass-fed cows used in this product are from Brazil and known as the best quality cattle in the world, it’s even good enough for humans. There are no nasty hidden or unnecessary substances in Closed Beef Jerky, such as preservatives, growth hormones, antibiotics or chemicals that can be found in the product. In actual fact, Best Bully Sticks adds nothing at all to their products.

Closed Beef Jerky stands out from other dog treats because of their outstandingly long lasting chew. They also have a particularly delicious flavor, which luckily for your pets is also very strong. However, this potent flavor unfortunately means that there is a distinct odor to the Closed Beef Jerky. The odor is present because, unlike other dog treat products, Closed Beef Jerky do not contain bleach, peroxide or smoking agents to mask the smell because they believe you pets should not be exposed to these substances.

Best Bully Sticks supply two sizes of these Closed Beef Jerky. There is a 6 inch Closed Beef Jerky or double the size with 12 inch Closed Beef Jerky, so you can give your dog an appropriate size for them. They are also for sale as an individual product or they are sold in packs of 10.

Closed Beef Jerky improve the health of your dog as well as treating them to provide you with a healthy, happy dog.

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