Archive for June 2012

It’s cool. It’s sweet. It’s refreshing. And: it’s sticky. Yep, that’s right. Best Bully Sticks is talking about watermelon! Watermelon season is almost upon us, so why not share the most famous berry of summertime with your dog! (Yes, that’s right. A watermelon is actually a berry!) And this is one berry that your dog is sure to love! Slicing open your first watermelon of the season almost makes the transition between spring and summer official.  Best Bully Sticks wants to help you and your pup usher in the summer festivities by sharing Two Little Cavalier's recipe for Watermelon Salad! 

Ingredients

1 baby watermelon
3 -4 tbsp. crumbled feta
½ tbsp. chopped herbs (like basil, tarragon, parsley, or mint)
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Salt

Directions

1. Cut watermelon into bite-sized chunks or use a melon baller.

2. In a small bowl whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar and herbs together. Toss watermelon pieces in mixture to coat.

3. Sprinkle feta chunks over salad along with a pinch of salt.

4. Enjoy a scrumptious and refreshing summer salad with your pup!

(Recipe & Photo courtesy of Two Little Cavaliers)

Make sure to check out all of BBS’s Weekly Drool Recipes! Bone Appétit

Last week, Best Bully Sticks had the chance to talk with Maria Dales, Director & Founder of German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County. This completely volunteer run breed rescue in Southern California has a lot of fire in their bellies and networking abilities to make a difference in many doggy lives. Read more about GSROC in the BBS Rescue Spotlight below. (We think you’ll especially enjoy Maria’s rescue success stories.)

When & Why did you start?
In 1998, we began as a small offshoot chapter of a larger LA-based German Shepherd Rescue group.  We began by transporting one dog at a time from LA to market that dog in Orange County because at that time there were no German Shepherd Rescue groups in OC.  Thanks to the dedication and compassion of our great volunteers, we quickly grew and realized that we needed to form our own organization.  We incorporated German Shepherd Rescue OC in 2005 and have consistently rescued and re-homed more dogs each year.

I personally feel that shepherds are misunderstood and largely underappreciated.  The thought of these incredibly intelligent, loving and loyal dogs languishing in animal shelters is overwhelming. I know that we can't stop or slow down when so many beautiful shepherds need our help.  Every single dog that comes to us was once a beautiful little puppy full of hope and promise--probably someone's pride and joy, at least for a while.  We owe it to these dogs to do everything we can to turn their lives around and put them back on the road to happiness.

What's different about your rescue?
Our volunteers embrace their rescue responsibilities as they would a "paying" job.  We try to set an example for other rescues to follow.  We have high standards for our adopters as well as for our volunteers.  I'm continually amazed by the level of commitment and dedication that our team members demonstrate.  Even as I write this at 9:30 PM, ten volunteers are out searching with flashlights for a missing dog.  A key differentiator for GSROC is that we focus on quality placements, not volume placements.  It is important to us that we choose solid, stable, loving homes for our dogs, and that we take the time and care to make prudent decisions to ensure the wellbeing of the dogs depending on us. Read more

It’s the time of year when veggies and flowers are growing and blooming! Best Bully Sticks knows that this vegetation will not only provide healthy food during the summer months, but creates a colorful array of nature’s beauty. There are many who love their gardens and tend them carefully as if it were a child or masterfully as if it were a piece of art. Many of those same people are just as passionate about dogs; yet canine friends and gardens don’t always mesh well. That’s why this week Best Bully Sticks is going to dole out some fertilizer to the garden patch and pooch relationship with tips and tricks for gardening with your dog.

Garden Needs
Some life stages of your garden are more fragile than others, particularly the beginning stages when sprouts need to be coddled a bit. However, your pooch is 100% indifferent to protecting those plants. Here are a few tips to protect the needs of your garden.

Knowing your dog is the first step in knowing how to address the issues of garden protection. Some dogs may not have any interest in romping in a garden bed, while others may feel a bit more mischievous. Knowing your dog’s behavior and attitudes will give you the first clues in how to pooch-proof your garden.

Training your dog to keep out of the garden can be done by simply utilizing commands he already knows such as out, sit, no, and stay. However you’ll want to start with these commands as soon as you start preparing to plant. The sooner your dog knows that a particular patch of dirt is off-limits, the less likely he is to romp through it when veggies or flowers are growing. Repetition of commands, consistency with training and the sooner the better: all good words of wisdom in training your dog to keep out of the garden. Read more

Rottweilers—the protector of humans. Because ultimately, this dog saves lives through its work. And this dog does work; as a police dog, a guard dog, a rescue dog and even as a therapy dog. Read more about the origins of this dog in the Best Bully Sticks Breed Spotlight on the Rottweiler.

History & Background: Rottweiler’s hail from Rottweil, Germany where they were used as herding dogs for sheep and for carrying carts full of goods to market.  In fact, Rottweiler’s are one of the oldest herding breeds. Rottweiler’s were selectively breed for their herding and guarding characteristics but as the need for these skills diminished over the years, breeding slowed down. At one point in the early 1900s there was only one living female Rottweiler in Rottweil, Germany. Not too long after this, Rottweiler clubs were started to preserve the breed and since, the breed hasn’t changed much at all.

During and since WWI & WWII the Rottweiler has been used a police dog, messenger, ambulance and guard dogs. The AKC recognized this breed in 1931

Height: 24"-27" for males; 22"-25" for females

Weight: 110-132 lbs for males; 77-105 lbs for females

Coat: Rottweiler’s coats are simply designed: a medium-length, dense and flat outer coat and an undercoat, which is mostly present on neck and thighs. The amount of undercoat will depend on the climate the dog is in, but should never show through the outer coat. This breed only sheds seasonally. Read more

Since the heat and humidity has ramped up recently, Best Bully Sticks has been sharing lots of great “Beat The Heat” recipes on Wednesday’s Weekly Drool Recipe blog. This week we wanted to still give our readers a recipe to chill out to, but as a main dish, not a treat. Hearty & cool, Rachael Ray’s “Cool-as-a-Cucumber Gazpacho” is guaranteed to please! (“Please give me more,” that is!)

Ingredients

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 small tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper (for people portions)

Directions

1. Using a blender or food processor, pulse all of the ingredients together.

2. Thin with 1/2 cup to 1 cup water as desired.

3. For people portions, season with salt and pepper.

Recipe Notes:
Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy & Bone-Appétit!

(Recipe & photo courtesy of Rachael Ray)

Remember to check out more of our recent recipes in the Weekly Drool Recipe Archive!