Archive for August 2012

We've had a great week on the Blog! But, if you've missed the Veggie/Book/Chilly Bone/Mastiff fun catch up before Monday with all the great BBS Blogs!

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

Veggies To Share With Your Dog • Books For Dog Lovers • Chicken Carrot Chilly Bones • Tibetan Mastiff

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!

What’s a dog’s favorite thing to do other than eating and sleeping? (And maybe belly rubs?...) PLAYING! Your dog’s energy level and tenacity while playing can be quite amazing. Best Bully Sticks knows nothing gets between your dog and his toys, but sometimes that means destruction. Dog playtime can get a little messy and sometimes dangerous with stuffing and bits of plastic.

Best Bully Sticks has a ton of great environmentally friendly dog toys to share with dogs everywhere. We don’t just carry any willy-nilly toy on our site and our most recent addition to the toy line is definitely Grade A! Check out Ruff Dawg Rubber Dog Toys! Whether you have a sheltie or a shepherd, a boxer or a bichon-frise, Ruff Dawg has the right toy for your dog. These 100% superior-grade, rubber-retrieving toys are made in the USA and are great for any size pooch. Founded in 1999 by dog enthusiasts, Ruff Dawg is your source for premium dog toys.

BBS carries a Ruff Dawg becaue we know you want to give your dog a great playtime, while still being economical and environmentally friendly. We take all the guess work out finding that perfect toy by offering Ruff Dawg.

Ruff Dawg’s Fetch Ball comes in vibrant colors and we offer two sizes for dogs above and below 60 pounds. The regular Fetch Ball measure 2.5” in diameter and the XL Fetch Ball measures 3.5” in diamter.  Both of these great balls float in water, are near indestructible and might just become your dog’s favorite ball!

Ruff Dawg Toy Bones come in three sizes to fit your dog—Mini (3”), Regular (5”) and XL (9”). These bone-shaped rubber toys are great fetch and pull toys that are truly tough! However, these bones are a play toy, not a chew toy.

Flying Fish and Minnows are great water retrieval toys for your dog! The brightly colored, fish-shaped toys are floatable and fun! The Flying Fish is the large version for a bigger pup and the minnow is the small variety. These fish even include a hole to attach a rope for easier retrieval for you!

For the ultimate way to “catch some air” try out Ruff Dawgs line of K-9 Flyers! These flying discs are flexible rubber that come in vivid color combinations and really soar. If your dog is a Frisbee lover, then this toy will easily become his favorite and longest lasting disc ever! K-9 Flyers come in standard sizes as well as a Junior size for smaller pups.

Just to prove how tough these toys are, especially the K-9 Flyer, check out this amazing video! Three dogs taking on 1 K-9 flyer? Does this Ruff Dawg toy have what it takes?

Check out the rest of the Ruff Dawg line including Rocks, Supertugs, Fetch Sticks, Fetch Twigs and more at Best Bully Sticks.com! We even have a complete line of Frisbees for Dogs!

A relatively new breed to the United States, the Tibetan Mastiff has an ancient history in Asia. Marco Polo once described this dog as “tall as a donkey with a voice as powerful as that of a lion.” This large dog has a friendly disposition yet intimidating presence. Find out more about the Tibetan Mastiff in Best Bully Sticks Breed Spotlight on the Tibetan Mastiff!

History & Background: Potentially, Tibetan Mastiffs originated from Molossus breeds, an extinct large breed dog. It is known that Tibetan Mastiffs are an ancient breed that can be traced back to 1100 B.C. China. At a point, these dogs were seemingly isolated in the Himalayan Mountains in Tibet where it developed into the dog recognized as the modern Tibetan Mastiff. 

This dog was used as a guard dog for flocks, homes, tents and more. This breed was sometimes tied up to enhance aggressive tendencies. These dogs are still sometimes used a guard dogs in different parts of the world.

A Tibetan Mastiff was brought to Queen Victoria in the mid 1800s and popularity for these dogs began to rise. More were imported into England and the English began to breed and standardize Tibetan Mastiffs. The breed didn’t gain a lot of popularity in the United States until 1980. The Tibetan Mastiff was recognized by the AKC in 2006 and first shown at Westminster in 2008.

In Asia, the term “mastiff” attached to this dog’s name is somewhat of a misnomer. In many languages, including Nepali, Mongolian and Mandrin Chinese, all translations of this dog’s name simply mean “dog,” “home guard,” or “door guard.” The term “mastiff” was mostly likely used because it meant “large dog” but is suggested that a more correct name for this dog might “Tibetan Mountain Dog.” Read more

It’s the beginning of August, the unofficial halfway mark of summer.  At this point in the season, you and your dog are either reveling in the sunshine and fun summer activities or wishing September 22^nd would hurry up and get here. No matter which one of these categories you and your dog fit into, today Best Bully Sticks gives you a recipe that is full of summer fun for your dog and provides relief from the hot, hot heat.

This week’s drool worthy creation comes from our friend Doggy Dessert Chef and her ingenious yet simple recipes. Her Chicken Carrot Chilly Bones are only 3 ingredients and a few hours away from making your dog a very happy pup!

Ingredients
1/2 cup shredded Chicken
32 ounces Plain Yogurt
2 Carrots, shredded

Directions
Mix all ingredients until well blended. Pour into molds and freeze.

Thank you to Doggy Dessert Chef for her Chicken Carrot Chilly Bones recipe and the use of her photos. 

Check out all the great Weekly Drool Recipes on the BBS Blog! Summer recipes are a-plenty every Wednesday throughout the season! Fresh Watermelon Salad, Bully Stick Popsicles and Blueberry Pie Dog Treats are just a few great summer recipes that are sure to please your pup this summer.

In two days, on Thursday, August 9th, the world will celebrate Book Lovers Day. This day is dedicated to the joys of sitting in a quiet, comfortable chair, hammock or park bench and retreating into a good read. Best Bully Sticks knows that this can be one of the best ways to relax, broaden your world view and have an adventure with well developed characters and plot lines. We also know that many of our readers and customers are complete dog fanatics! Who else would be reading this blog right now? That being said, we want to prep you for Book Lovers Day by providing a great list of dog-centric reads for you to enjoy!

Woof!
By Lee Montgomery
Lee Montgomery brings together a collection of essays by acclaimed writers speaking about their reflections on dogs. Sometimes poignant, often hilarious, these essays are from the likes of American writers Barry Hannah, Victoria Redel and Lydia Millet.

Sophie: The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog
By Emma Pearse
An inspiring story of devotion and hope, Emma Pearse pieces together the story of Sophie, an Australian cattle dog, who was separated from her family and stranded on a dessert island. It seems fictional, but this true-to-life story is a heart wrenching tale of the tight bond between dogs and family.

Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love
By Larry Levin
One look at Oogy and most would have turned away, but the Levin family stuck with him. Oogy, a form of “ugly,” describes the condition of this dog’s face, however Oogy’s face quickly became a beloved one.  This NYTimes bestseller recounts the life of Oogy, a dog once used for bait, and the family that he adopted.

You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness
By Julie Klam
In this story, the author, Julie, tells how her love affair with Boston Terriers changed her outlook on life and how to open her heart to people. This book recounts the great revelations that dogs bring to the humans that care for them.

Through a Dog's Eyes
By Jennifer Arnold
Jennifer Arnold, founder and executive director of Canine Assistants, shares her training methods and experiences with service dogs in her book, Through a Dog’s Eyes. Through her own battle with multiple sclerosis, she strives to understand dogs’ intelligence, sensitivity and language. Since, her goal is to share her knowledge with readers and them in how to properly train a dog.

The Dog Who Couldn't Stop Loving: How Dogs Have Captured Our Hearts for Thousands of Years
By Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
What is so magical about man and his best friend? Why do humans bond so tightly with these four-legged creatures? These are the questions that Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson seeks to answer through scientific research, and his own observations about human-dog relationships. Read more