Archive for January 2013

Independent, a little rugged yet very beautiful, the Lhasa Apso shares these characteristics with its native home of Tibet. This little dog was thought to bring luck in ancient times and now graces many home with its joyful disposition and mischievous personality.  Learn more about the Lhasa Apso in the BestBullySticks.com Breed Spotlight!

History & Background: The Lhasa Apso, or Apso Seng Kyi meaning “Bearded Lion Dog” hails from Tibet. This rugged country produced a rugged little dog that was kept in the home to as a special guard to the family. It’s said Lhasa’s hearing was so acute that the dog could distinguish a friend from a stranger. These dogs were mainly kept by nobility and Buddhist monks in the holy city that shares its name, Lhasa. It was even believed that the dogs themselves were sacred. The thought was when a Lhasa Apso’s master died, their soul entered the body of the dog.

In 1933, the first pair of Lhasa Apso’s came to America as a gift from the 13^th Dalai Lama to C. Suydam Cutting. At the time, the only other Lhasa outside of Tibet was registered in England. First called the Lhasa Apso Terrier, this breed started in the Terrier group and was moved to the Non-Sporting Group. Through DNA testing, it’s thought that the Lhasa is one of the 14 most ancient dog breeds. Read more

ATTN ANIMAL RESCUES & SHELTERS! Upload a photo of a dog who is the "Best Sport" of your animal organization and you could win a $1.7K donation!

Round 1 has begun and is the only time you can upload your photo! Rounds 2, 3 & the Super Howl Final will strictly be voting! Rescues will win monetary donations in each round!!

For more details and full rules, check out the photo charity contest! In each round rescues will win! 

In the New Year, we made our resolutions. BestBullySticks.com says, “Good Job” if you’re still on track! If you made a healthy eating or weight loss goal, we’re sure you’re looking for alternatives to what now are labeled “off limits food.” The same might be true for your dog. If you made a New Year’s resolution for your dog as well, here is a great snacking alternative to keep your dog’s snacking habits healthy! Fresh from My Dog’s Breakfast, Jen and her dogs Miko and Hank shared their great PuppyPoppers healthy dog treat recipe for today’s Weekly Drool Recipe!

Naked PuppyPoppers

Ingredients

• 2 cups buckwheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
• 1/3 cup olive or canola oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 eggs
• tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Simply mix together the flours and salt. Then add the molasses and get your stand or hand mixer going.

3. Next, crack in your eggs and oil. Mix again. (I added the half cup of water last and then give it a final mix until it looks like cookie dough.)

4. Sprinkle some flour on your non-stick baking sheet or parchment lined tray. Use a spatula to scoop this brown goop out. Sprinkle more flour on top so you can flatten it out. Press it down to your desired thickness, cut into long strips, then chop bite sized pieces from the strips.

5. Roll into balls and place on tray. Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes to half an hour. Roll halfway through.

Frosted PuppyPoppers
Jen used Fido’s Frosting, a dog-friendly frosting mix to which she added dog-safe food coloring. You simply follow the directions on the frosting box and add the food coloring. You can also try this easy way to make Doggy Frosting with yogurt chips! 

Ingredients
1 cup yogurt chips (found at most pet stores!)
1 tsp vegetable oil
Dog-friendly food coloring.

1. Microwave in microwavable bowl uncovered on High about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth.

2. Add dog-safe food coloring and dip. Let them dry on the rack for 24 hours.

Thanks to Jen at My Dog’s Breakfast for sharing her great PuppyPoppers recipe with us! 

For more healthy and fun dog treats check out all of Best Bully Sticks Weekly Drool Recipes! 

It’s a lot to take in. But they do it every day. Fresno Bully Rescue dedicates themselves to rescuing, rehabilitating and homing dogs but that’s only a part of their operation. As one of two bully-breed specific rescues in the state, FBR works to demystify this misunderstood breed. Fresno Bully Rescue has had successes and not just every time they find a bully breed a new, loving home, but each time they change someone’s mind about this great breed. BestBullySticks.com had the chance to talk to Bridgette Boothe, the director of FBR about the rescue, their stories and how you can help.

When & Why did you start?
Since it’s founding in May 1, 2008, FBR has rescued over 500 dogs. At our shelter, we house over 40 resident dogs at all times. Some rescued from the community, from abusive homes, and county shelters where they were designated to be euthanized. Because of foreclosures in California, an overwhelming amount of dogs are being surrendered to shelters. Bully breeds are the first to be euthanized if no one adopts or rescues them. The service provided by FBR is critical for the Central Valley, which has one of the highest rates of euthanization in the whole of California.

What's different about your rescue?
FBR is one of the only breed-specific rescues with an actual shelter facility in California. We take in dogs from all over the state and also adopt out to the entire state of CA. Besides rescuing and adopting, FBR is also committed to providing educational services in the community, micro-chipping, and promoting spaying and neutering and responsible ownership of the bully breeds. In addition, FBR is committed to advocating for the bully breeds by doing educational outreach to the high-risk communities about the illegal practice of dog fighting, as well as providing mental & physical rehabilitation and training to our bully residents while in our care.

What is the greatest success story or "win" that your rescue has had?
We've had some pretty amazing rescues come through our shelter. There are too many to count! Just seeing a dog go from being on the brink of death and despair to seeing it happy, healthy and in a loving family is the greatest reward. Bully breeds are the most abused and neglected breed out there so we have seen some pretty sad cases. It makes it all worth it when you reach the final goal of seeing that dog sleeping on the foot of a bed with its new owner.

What's the most rewarding thing about working at your rescue?
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a part of FBR is being able to go out into the community and help change the negative perception of the breed. We go to schools, businesses and community events where we get to educate and advocate. We are changing minds and hearts and we can really see a difference.

What can people do to help your rescue?
We are 100% run by community support and donations. We have many donation and sponsorship programs and volunteer opportunities!

Thanks to Bridgette Boothe and all the hard working volunteers of Fresno Bully Rescue who help save the lives of bully breeds and find them in loving homes! Find out more about Fresno Bully Rescue on FBR’s Facebook or FBR’s website. 

January is National Train Your Dog Month and one way to have the best-behaved dog on the block is to find a great dog trainer! BestBullySticks.com is here to give you some tips and tricks to find the best trainer out there.  

Referrals
Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of dog trainers you find in the phone book or online. Go to happy customers that you know will give you an honest opinion: your friends and family. Even ask your favorite animal shelter or vet whom they would recommend.

Qualifications & References
It’s obviously important that your dog trainer be experienced and competent. Most likely a trainer will have multiple sets of initials after their name. But what do they even mean? A quick check on Association of Pet Dog Trainers can tell you the trainer’s qualifications by the initials after their name. Since there is no required certification or licensing for a dog trainer, it’s even more important to know what formal knowledge a dog trainer possesses. Also directly ask the trainer how long they’ve been training and ask for references. Any legitimate dog trainer will have no issue putting you in touch with their past clients. You can also double check if a trainer is truly a part of a professional organization by checking the entity’s website.

Methods
Not all trainers will use the same methods to train your four-legged best friend. Research Dominance, Positive, Balanced and Specialized training methods and know which method your trainer could use. If you’re ever uncomfortable with a trainer’s method, find another trainer. Every trainer is different and so is every dog. Read more