Archive for October 2012

Did you miss any of BestBullySticks.com BARK-tastic blogs this week?  If you did miss any of the Lure Coursing/Bully Breed/Crockpot Cooking/Newfie 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 Healthy Dog Blog! Happy Weekend Reading! Click the links below to find out more about:

Dog Sports: Lure Coursing • National Pit Bull Awareness Month • Easy Crockpot Chicken & Rice Dog Food Recipe • Breed Spotlight on the Newfoundland

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!

New-fun-land. Newf-in-land. New-found-land. No matter how you say it, the Newfoundland is a sizable sweetie with a penchant for lazing about and loving his family. BestBullySticks.com highlights this beautiful beast of a dog in our Breed Spotlight! Read on to find out some very interesting facts about the Newfoundland!

History & Background: The exact history of this dog is a bit fuzzy and speculation about the pedigree of the Newfoundland is very wide and ranging. Some say the Newfie has ties to Great Pyrenees while others say mastiffs and yet others say the Labrador. The most interesting story says this dog is the descendant of the Viking “bear dogs.”  What is known is that the Newfoundland hails from the island of the same name off the Canadian coast. First called the St. John’s Dog, after the city in Newfoundland where the Newfie was a working dog being used by fishermen. This dog had a heavy coat for icy waters, a large build for hauling carts and large, webbed feet for swimming. This dog also was a savior to many at danger in the water. Accounts of Newfoundlands saving shipwrecked sailors or children in too deep of water are also a part of the legend of this breed. At one point, Newfoundlands were taken to England and widely bred. Most modern Newfies have forebearers born in England.

It can be seen throughout history that Newfoundlands have been noble and loyal companions by the owners who’ve kept them. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Lyndon B. Johnson and Senator Robert F. Kennedy all owned Newfies. Seaman, a Newfoundland, was the companion of Meriwether Lewis on the Lewis and Clark expeditions. Famous Newfoundlands were produced out of imaginations as well and can be seen in literature as Nana, the “nurse” dog of children in Peter Pan as well as many other fictional characters.

Height: Males: 27 - 29 inches; Females: 25 - 27 inches

Weight: Males: 130 – 150 pounds; Females: 100 - 120 pounds Read more

BestBullySticks.com knows that dog lovers have to be the healthy conscience for their dogs.  Making smart feeding choices is a large part of those choices, but it’s not always easy to know what’s best for your dog. Feeding high quality kibble is a great foundation, but each dog has different nutritional needs. Talking to your vet about a good feeding supplements might be best for you four-legged best friend. But, BestBullySticks.com thinks this Easy Crockpot Chicken & Brown Rice recipe is a great start! Packed with great veggies and protein, your pet will love this addition to his food bowl! This hearty addition to your dog’s food is perfect for the cooler months as well.

Ingredients
Base
1 cup brown rice

2 cups water

Vegetables
1/2 lb. green beans, broken into segments

1 medium sweet potato, raw, cut into medium-sized chunks (leave skin on)

3 carrots, sliced into about 1" thick rounds

Protein
2 boneless chicken breasts (with or without skin)

Directions
1. Put all ingredients into the crockpot in the order given (layer, don’t mix).

2. Cook on low for about 8 hours, on high for about 5 hours.

3. When done, stir, breaking up the chicken into small pieces. Everything will be quite soft.

4. Let cool and serve; can be used with a quality kibble or by itself, in a serving size appropriate for your dog’s weight and activity level.

Refrigerate unused portion; keeps up to three days.

Substitutions are allowed! For vegetables, try broccoli florets, zucchini, spinach or any of several types of squash. For the protein source, beef cubes, turkey or lamb also work. Use organic ingredients if possible.

Bone Appétit!

Be sure to check out all of Best Bully Sticks Weekly Drool Recipes to find a great homemade treat for your pooch! We've got great Fall recipes like Gluten-Free Cheddar Pumpkin Treats, 1-Ingredient Sweet Potato Treats, Peanut Butter Pumpkin Biscuits and more for a great festive Autumn treat! 

October is designated Pit Bull Awareness Month with the 27^th being the focal point of the month for Pit Bull Awareness Day. This is the day to celebrate the breed and break down stereotypes of the nature of Pit Bulls. The dog was once called the “Nanny Dog,” so what happened? Why does this breed get such a bad rap? That’s why BestBullySticks.com wants to start the conversation with you. We’re going to talk about 4 myths about Pit Bulls and “Bully” breeds.

#1 Pit Bulls and “Bully” breeds are aggressive.
Some cultural thought suggests that pit bull type dogs are inherently aggressive toward people. The history of these breeds originate in England, where all “bully” breeds have their ancestors. English baiting dogs were bred to grip and hold bulls, bear and large animals. After bull baiting was banned, dog-on-dog fighting began. These owners bred small, agile terriers with large, heavy bulldogs to create fighting breeds. These dogs eventually led to breeds like bulldogs, mastiffs, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Boxers and Bull terriers.  There really is no such dog as  “pit bull,” but simply dogs that have the same general look.

However, the term “bully” doesn’t suggest a temperament problem against people. Unfortunately, these dogs were bred to fight dogs, and still today are more likely to be aggressive toward their fellow dogs and not people. In fact, the American Temperament Test Society found that, on average, most dogs are 77% likely to have a good temperament. Pit types were above average with an 82% or better. So needless to say, pit bulls that exhibit aggressive behavior are atypical.

Temperament depends on many different factors including reproductive status, sex, training, socialization and more. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) found these very interesting facts.

• More than 70 percent of all dog bite cases involve unneutered male dogs.
• An unneutered male dog is 2.6 times more likely to bite than is a neutered dog.
• A chained or tethered dog is 2.8 times more likely to bite than a dog not chained or tethered.
• 97 percent of dogs involved in fatal attacks on people in 2006 (the most recent year statistics are available) were not spayed/neutered. Read more

If you don’t use it, you lose it. That’s the case with today’s Dog Care 101’s featured Dog Sport, Lure Coursing. This fast-paced, high-energy event was created to keep dogs on their toes and off the couch. This sport shows off the sheer speed and athleticism dogs are born with and BestBullySticks.com wants to share it with you. Read on to learn more about Lure Coursing!

What is Lure Coursing?
This Dog Sport consists of sighthounds chasing or coursing an artificial lure around an open field. If you’re unsure what qualifies as a sighthound, think Whippets, Greyhounds, or Rhodesian Ridgebcks (full list later in post). This purpose of this sport is to preserve the abilites and skills of sighthounds.

History
The inception of Lure Coursing is in ancient times. Sighthounds have been hunting live prey as far back as ancient Egypt.  People have used sighthounds for hunting throughout history to catch game because they hunt by sight, not smell, thus their name. Not only do they have sharp eyes but sighthounds are known for their sleek forms and extremely fast legs. However, the athleticism shown by these amazing dogs wasn’t always good for the dogs. Many fanciers of these hounds risked their dog’s safety because of barbed wire fencing and running in harsh elements. A better way was needed. Read more