Archive for January 2013

If you’ve ever packed your grocery cart full of tasteless rice cakes in an effort to eat healthily, you may not realize how delicious all-natural eating can be. Many of us are trying to eat healthier these days, and that includes our four-legged family members. At BestBullySticks.com, we’re dedicated to bringing you and your pets the most delicious all natural dog treats and chews available. 

We’ve scoured the market to find the tastiest and healthiest all-natural dog treats around. These chews and treats are so tasty you dog will drool his approval. The Grass Fed Angus Power Bars for Dogs is a woof-worthy snack your pooch will love. Made from 100% all-natural Angus beef, these dog treats are completely free of hormones, antibiotics and steroids. Grass fed beef is naturally low in fat and contains high amounts of essential nutrients like Beta Carotene and Omega 3 fatty acids. Buy these protein-rich dog treats in packs of 2 or 10.

Jerky has long been a favorite dog treat, and our Pork Jerky Strips are all natural and made in the USA. Like all our dog chews and treats, these scrumptious dog treats contain absolutely no additives, preservatives or hormones. Available in a 16 oz. bag, larger pieces can easily be broken into smaller pieces to be used for smaller dogs or as training aids. Read more

IT'S FRIDAY! Let the weekend begin! Did you miss any of BestBullySticks.com BARK-tastic blogs this week?  If you did miss any of the Dog Training/Dog Rescuing/Food Making/Hungarian Dog Royalty  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:

Tip #197: How To Leash Train Your Dog • Rescue Spotlight: Compassionate Pug Rescue •  Beggin' For Bacon Dog Biscuits via FoodBaby Blog • Breed Spotlight on the Kuvasz

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!

If you want a dog that will form a fierce bond with you or your family, the Kuvasz is the dog for you. Even to the point of self-sacrifice, this dog loves its family above all else. Read more about this beautiful dog on the BestBullySticks.com Breed Spotlight on the Kuvasz.

History & Background: Throughout history, the Kuvasz (pronounced KOO-vahz) has played a part in both the lives of European kings and shepherds. Though Tibet is claimed as this dog’s original home, the even larger predecessor of the modern Kuvasz is thought to have accompanied Turkish refugees fleeing the Mongols into Hungary. The Turkish word “kawasz” means “armed guard of the nobility” or “protector.” These dogs were the trusted friend of King Matyas I, the ruler of Hungary and many other nobles. Eventually, Kuvaszok became working dogs for shepherds.

By the end of WWII, numbers of Kuvaszok had greatly diminished. During the war German and Soviet soldiers would kill the dogs because they so loyally defended their families. Of the approximately 30 dogs that remained after the war, other breeds were interbred to repopulate the Kuvaszok such as Great Pyrenees. The result is the modern Kuvasz, which is smaller than its ancestors.

Height: 26 to 30 inches

Weight: 70 to 115 pounds

Coat: The Kuvasz sports a thick double coat of medium length that ranges from straight to wavy and is odorless. This dog also has a mane, starting at the neck and covering the chest. On the lower forelegs and hind legs short, smooth hair appears. An abundance of hair is found on the back of the thighs and under the tail, usually 4 to 6 inches long. During warmer months, the Kuvasz sheds most of its dense coat. Read more

Belly rubs. Your pillow. Every tennis ball. Every stick. Long naps. Car rides. The list of things dogs love goes on and on. BestBullySticks.com knows one of the most endearing things about dogs is the equal level of contentment or excitement dogs exhibit about each of these. But there might be one thing your dog gets more excited about than anything else: Bacon. It’s odd just how connected the two seem, but really, what’s not to love? Kara at Food Baby Blog shared her bacon biscuit recipe she whipped up for her picky eater, Rocky, that your dog is sure to love as well! Read on for Beggin’ For Bacon Dog Biscuits recipe!

Ingredients

• ½ c rolled oats
• ½ c crumbled cooked bacon (~5 slices)
• 1 T bacon fat
• ¾ c hot water
• 1 egg
• 1/3 c cornmeal
• ~1 1/2 c (whole wheat) flour 

Directions
1. Mix the oats, bacon, and fat in a large bowl and then pour on the hot water. Stir the mixture until most of the water is absorbed and the fat is evenly distributed.

2. Next, whisk in the egg and cornmeal. Then begin adding the flour, about a half cup at a time, until a firm dough forms.

3. Scoop the dough into balls with a large tablespoon* and place each ball on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Using your fingers, flatten each ball into a biscuit shape. The biscuits won’t spread or rise in the baking, so whatever shape you press them into is the shape you’ll get.

4. Bake the biscuits in a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the biscuits are firm, but with a bit of give in the center. When they are completely cool, serve.

Recipe Notes
The size varies depending on the size of your dog’s mouth. These biscuits can get stuck to the roof of a dog’s mouth, so either make the biscuit size accordingly or break them up before giving them to your dog.

These biscuits are designed to be softer than typical dog treats so that older dogs, with their more sensitive teeth, can fully enjoy them. But that doesn’t mean this is old people dog food.

On the contrary. With big chunks of real bacon and enough bacon fat to flavor the whole thing, this will be a biscuit that any pooch will love. (They’ll also love you if you put the leftover bacon fat on their kibble, which is what I did.) And, you can feel good because unlike store-bought dog treats — which are often made with byproducts, “artificial flavors,” and pig skin — these are made with real, whole foods.

Because if your dog is as much a part of your family as mine is, then you know they deserve healthy food, too.

Thanks to Kara at Food Baby Blog for sharing her wonderful recipe and photos!

For more dog treat recipes browse all of Best Bully Sticks Weekly Drool Recipes!

Best Bully Sticks loves pugs. We started our company because of two very special pugs, Sushi & Espy. Since we love giving back to rescues, we’re always excited when we can help out a pug rescue. Compassionate Pug Rescue based out of Miami, Florida is committed to one mission: helping pugs in need and finding them the homes they deserve. We talked to Tracey Carr, a dedicated volunteer at CPR, about the history, experiences and success of this South Florida rescue.

When & Why did you start?
We started volunteering for Compassionate Pug Rescue in 2006. The rescue itself was started in 2000. We decided to volunteer because we owned three pugs and loved the breed. It was hard to believe so many needed rescuing and we wanted to help.

What's different about your rescue?
We are a 100% volunteer run rescue; we get no government funding. All the money we raise goes back into the rescue to care for our rescues. We take all pugs regardless of their age or condition, and we also take pug mixes. On occasion, we also have pulled other breeds who were in jeopardy of being put to sleep.

What is the greatest success story or "win" that your rescue has had?  
We have been very fortunate and winners in numerous ways. Not by winning contests but by winning the support of so many great people. We have some amazing veterinarians who are truly miracle workers and have saved pugs who no one thought would make it.  We have wonderful volunteers that help us in so many ways from fostering to working events to raise money for the pugs. And we have the most generous supporters and donors who always seem to appear and donate what is needed just when we start to worry. Read more