Archive for August 2012

Did you miss any of our FANTASTIC blogs this week?  If you did miss any of the Home Remedy/Helping Animals/Fishy Food/Bird Dog fun catch up before Monday with all of this week's great BBS Blogs!

So snuggle up to your favorite pooch (or pooches) and read the BBS Blog! Happy Weekend Reading! Click the links below to find out more about:

Home Remedies • International Homeless Animal's Day • Salmon Cakes • Pointer

Also in your free time this weekend, check out our fun Pinterest Page! We've got TONS of great dog videos, adorable dog photos, funny dog photos, DIY dog project and more!

The Pointer: as straightforward of a dog if there were one. An active dog by nature, loyal to its family and very affectionate, this dog is an all-star. Sometimes called the English Pointer, many breed clubs simply call this dog a Pointer. Find out more about the athleticism, background and beauty of the Pointer in the Best Bully Sticks Breed Spotlight on the Pointer.

History & Background: Most sources state 1650 was approximately the time Pointers were bred in England. These dogs were first used as hunting and retrieving dogs for hare. This dog’s lineage isn’t known exactly, but it’s thought they came from breeds such as the Foxhound, Greyhound, Bloodhound and some undetermined “setting” spaniel breed. Pointers were brought to the United States in the late 1800s and thrived in the new and open lands of North America. At this time Setters were the breed most commonly used for bird hunting during field trial sports. It wasn’t too long into the 1900s that the Pointer began showing the Setters up, and still do.

Field Trials are a sport in which a dog is expected to point, honor and retrieve a bird. Pointing means find the bird’s location, honoring is stopping immediately in a pointing stance and then find the dead or wounded bird as retrieval. Usually bobwhite quails, pheasants or grouse are used. This sport is very prominent in the Southern states and Pointers are the most commonly used dog.

The dog on Westminster Kennel Club’s logo is a Pointer, named Sensation. Pointers have won Best in Show at Westminster three times, most recently in 1986. The AKC recognized this dog in 1884.

Height: Males, 25-28 inches; Females, 23-26 inches

Weight: Males, 55-75 pounds; Females, 45-65 pounds

Coat: A Pointer’s coat is short, tight and soft with a slight sheen.

Color: Pointers have black, lemon, liver or orange colorings. These can appear in combination with white, and usually are, or as solid colors. Facial markings and nose colors depends on the color the dog. A darker dog has dark markings and a dark nose, usually black or brown. A lighter colored dog sport a flesh-colored or lighter nose and markings. Read more

Good. This is just all around good!  What do we mean? Well, today’s Best Bully Sticks Weekly Drool Recipe comes from Dog Pack Snacks, a treat maker who donates 20% of their profit to a Have A Heart, Inc. Dog Rescue in South Florida. That’s pretty darn good.  But wait, there’s more! Dog Pack is dedicated to all around good, human-grade snacks for dogs. Also very good! Now you can spread the goodwill to your dog with their Salmon Cake Dog Treats. Very simple and very healthy for your dog, these treats include Salmon Oil, which boosts your dog’s immune system, coat and skin health and more!

Ingredients:
1 -1/2 cups quick oatmeal
1/2 cup oat flour (or flour of your choice)
1/2 cup cooked ground chicken (or other ground meat of your choice)
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 Egg
3 tbl Salmon Oil* like Alaksa Naturals or Plato Wild Alaskan Salmon Oils
1/4 cup water

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Mix all the ingredients together to form a heavy sticky dough.  Use a medium scoop to divide the dough onto your baking dish.

3. Press the middle of the ball down with your thumb so that it cooks evenly.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown at the edges.  Let treats sit in the oven for an hour or two to dry out.  Cool and serve as a treat or crumble over your dog’s food.

This recipe makes 14-16 medium/large salmon cakes.

 *Best Bully Sticks carries great all-natural supplements for dogs that can help improve their health. Salmon oil in particular is a great daily addition to your dog’s food. Check out all our health supplements and salmon oils for your dog!

Enjoy & Bone Appétit!

Yesterday was International Homeless Animal's Day, but it's an important message for every day. We want to talk to  you about this day not because Best Bully Sticks thinks you don’t care, or that you won’t remember. Being a broken record about events like International Homeless Animal’s Day is about state of mind—active change; and state of heart—compassion. This day of observance is very much like other awareness or recognition days, but the importance of the message shouldn’t be discounted or lessened with each repetition.

Pet overpopulation is a serious problem in the United States. “Serious” is a passive word by itself, so to make that more tangible: 10,000 pets are euthanized every day. Only about 20% of shelter animals are spayed or neutered. The International Society of Animal Rights began raising awareness for this particular issue in 1992 with events like candlelight vigils, adoption events, rallies and more.

Pet overpopulation and euthanization are going to be problems until enough concerned citizens get involved and raise awareness to a greater population. Here are a few ways you can get involved and start making a change.

Participate in a Candlelight Vigil
Vigils are held on different days throughout the country and are meant as quiet moments to reflect on the scores of animals who have been euthanized in the past. Check here to see if an event is being held in your area. If not, you can also participate in the virtual candlelight vigil.

Volunteer at an Animal Rescue
Many rescues are understaffed and always in need of help. It’s very likely you’ll never be turned down at a rescue as a volunteer. They’ll put you to work bathing, walking, feeding or even answering phones all for the sake of the animals in that rescue.

Foster a Shelter Pet
Fostering can be a big commitment, and isn’t right for every one. However, temporarily providing a loving home for a pet is a great way to help out not only the pet, but the shelter responsible for the pet’s care. If you already have one easy-going pet, it may be very easy for you to add one more into the mix. Talk about this option with those in your home and, of course, with your local rescue.

Call, Write & Talk
Call your senator. Write your congressman. Talk to your neighbor. Or, any combination of these! Talking about spaying and neutering animals and why that’s important is the first step in awareness. It may seem like a no-brainer, but if no one else is talking about this subject, it’s up to you to start the conversation.

Donate
We’ve already talked about donating your time as a volunteer for your local shelter, but donating pet food and supplies could relive a great burden off of your favored organization. If you have the means, talk to your local shelter to see what items they need.

Best Bully Sticks hopes you are the spark of change in your community this year to support the well-being of homeless animals in your area, in your state and the world. 

It's that time again! TODAY ONLY Best Bully Sticks is holding a 1-Day Animal Shelter / Rescue Giveaway! These giveaways are open to those shelters that haven't won a donation from BBS in the last six months, and have actively participated in giveaways. Visit the OfferPop App on our Facebook Page to find out if your shelter made this list! The rescue with the most votes by 5pm est on August 21st (today) will win $500 of BBS product! 

If your rescue doesn't appear on the list, please leave a comment below nominating your favorite Animal Rescue or Shelter. We will add your favored organization in our next giveaway. 

Simply put, Best Bully Sticks loves dogs. That is why BBS hold fun and engaging giveaways not only to giveaway our products to needy animals but to educate our fans on local shelters and their missions.