Author: Best Bully Sticks

Cow Ears or Pig Ears

We get a lot of questions about both of these chews and wanted to clarify some information on them.  First off, they are both from South American free-ranging animals (this means that they are not kept in feedlots, given hormones, and are free-grazing eating mostly grasses).   They are also both great chews for dogs and last a considerable amount of time.  The sizing of them is about the same with the cow ears being a little bigger.  They are both all natural and not smoked and as such offer a pretty clean treat for your dog.  These are also both single ingredient items (no preservatives, chemicals, etc...)

Now for the differences...

Cow Ears are typically an off-white color and have a faint beef smell to them.  They are not greasy at all and have a little less fat than a pig ear.  They are a great option for dogs that are sensitive to pork products or may need to diet a bit.  The nutritional data for cow ears is as follows:

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein    (Min.) 83.00%
Crude Fat          (Min.) 4.00%
Crude Fiber      (Max.) 8.00%
Moisture           (Max.) 5.00%

Pig Ears are a pink/brown/hazel color and are also a great dog chew.  These have been around forever and are a little higher in fat than Cow Ears.  Just like the Cow Ears the Pig Ears will have a faint pork smell that is all natural.  The following is the nutritional data on Pig Ears:

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein    (Min.) 66.00%
Crude Fat          (Min.) 20.00%
Crude Fiber      (Max.) 4.00%
Moisture           (Max.) 10.00%Please also consider some of our other unique natural items like beef monster bones, trachea chips, or pig ear strips!

Leona Helmsley, real estate magnate, has left 8 billion US dollars to Dog Care.  I couldn't believe it myself when I saw it on the news...but at this point it appears to be true.  Helmsley has directed that most of her entire fortune be left for the care and well being of dogs, even though this is pretty wide open I am sure that they will find plenty of worthy causes.  I think that this type of philanthropy will do wonders for dog care and rescue groups all over the US and in fact several hundred have already applied to the foundation for funding.  I am curious to see what the outcome of all this will be.

In case you are worried about Helmsley's own dog....don't!  In her will she left the dog 12 million for dog treats, food, and care, but a judge has recently awarded 10 million of that amount to be split between two of her grandchildren.  I thought that this actual data was also pretty interesting, the court has decided the following:

$190,000 (per year for ten years for Trouble), which includes his $60,000 guardian fee, $100,000 for ’round-the-clock security, $8,000 for grooming, $3,000 for miscellaneous expenses, $1,200 for food and anywhere from $2,500 to $18,000 for medical care.

Based on this data I would have to say that Trouble is living better than most of us are!

Plato Dog Treats

Plato makes some of the finest dog treats on the market today. All of their treats are made in the US and the chicken dog treats are certified organic. Finding dog treats that are made in the US is becoming an increasing rarity and it is always nice to offer something that is made under the scrutiny of the US government.

Plato dog treats currently come in four varieties, however, they are planning on bringing out some new products out soon! The dog treats that are currently available are Kangaroo, Duck, Chicken, and Salmon; all of which have over 90% of the meat ingredient in them. The chicken, duck, and salmon varieties come in 2 sizes with the Kangaroo only coming in one.

The duck and salmon treats are particularly good for dogs with allergies as they are both considered hypo-allergenic meats. Kangaroo is widely considered the most hypo-allergenic meat for dogs, so if you have a dog with a sensitive stomach please consider these. Also, don't worry about the source of the kangaroo as it is from free range kangaroos that are naturally culled from the population; without culling the population kangaroo's would become too populous!

Plato is also introducing an excellent salmon oil for dogs and cats which we will be carrying on the site within the next few weeks. This oil is a 100% natural product and is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals particularly the Omega 3's and 6's. We are sure that this will make a great addition to an already high quality assortment of products from Plato.

As always, make sure to check out our other selection of all natural dog chews and treats, and of course bully sticks....

You Me and the Dog Days of Summer

Yes it's that time of the year again, Summer. When things slow down, the weather gets warmer and our thoughts seem to drift away like a puffy cloud across the sky.

Here in Richmond Va, those summer days eventually turn into heat index, hazy, lazy days when being outside is a chore in itself. Therefore the time I can spend outside with my two pugs, Sushi and Espy are always precious.  We attempt to go down to Maymont park when the weather and heat permits, and walk around the lake and just enjoy summer breeze and outside atmosphere.

The pugs love it when we break for lunch because they know they will get an extra special dog treat. Lately they have had the benefit of one of our new products the Himalayan Dog Chews.  They truly love these treats but I can't decide if they enjoy the bully sticks more. Knowing these two pugs, they are just trying to play me to get more treats and chews.  But I love them and spoil them, and who am I to deny them of a special healthy dog treat.

As it continues to get hotter and hotter outdoors make sure that when your dog is outside that they have plenty of water, are only outdoors for a limited amount of time, and have ample shade to retreat from the sun. 

We would recommend making your dog(s) healthy summertime cool snacks like homemade ice cream or yogurt.  Make this even more fun by stuffing that ice cream into your dog's beef trachea, hollow shin bones, or toys with treat holes in them.  We are sure that your dog will appreciate this cool summertime snack. 

Trachea Chips

We are introducing a new dog chew called the "Trachea Chip"! These are flattened out pieces of our beef trachea's that are baked into a chip. The trachea chips are approximately a 4" by 4" square piece of beef trachea. This unique size and shape make them last quite a while. We would say that these last about the same amount of time as a pig or cow's ear for comparisons sake.

Remember that Beef Trachea are an excellent source of both glucosamine and chondroitin for your dog's joint health. We are positive that these new trachea chips are sure to be a winner in the dog chew market! Please also keep our other trachea dog treats in mind as well (Hollow Trachea-great for stuffing with ice cream or peanut butter, Stuffed Trachea-stuffed with brown rice and bully stick bits, and now the Trachea Chip).