Author: Best Bully Sticks

Dog Treats For Raw Food Diets

Raw feeding is becoming more and more popular as dog owners try to get their dogs back to their natural diet, and I wanted to point out some treats and chews that I think compliment raw feeding well.

Baa-Baa Q's

Baa-Baa-Q's are dried lamb lungs and are a great treat for dogs on a raw food diet because they are 100% natural and they are organ meat. Baa-Baa Q's are especially great for older dogs as they break down quickly as saliva is introduced to them. I give these routinely as supplemental treats to my own raw feeding program.

All Natural Dog Chews

All of the natural chews that we offer on best bully sticks like beef trachea, tendons, and bully sticks. All of these treats are all natural, high in protein, and some like the trachea have the added health benefit of naturally occurring glucosamine for joint health. All of the chews will also naturally help in keeping a dogs teeth and gums healthy!

Healthy Dog Treats

Lastly, we highly recommend all of the natural dog treats provided by Plato Dog Treats. These are the healthiest dog treats that we have been able to find and they are made in the US (something that is becoming a sad rarity these days in the pet treat business!).

Antlerz and Bones - Will They Splinter ?

This is my second post for the weekly question and answer series.

 We are commonly asked this question and wanted to share our answer in the blog.  Starting with bones; bones are a common dog chew and can vary from femur bones, shin bones, knuckle bones, etc.....they are safe to eat as a dog chew as long as they are not cooked.  Once a bone is cooked (like in soup) its likelihood of splintering and becoming dangerous is magnified greatly.  However, as long as the bone is a "raw" bone it is safe to chew.  I do recommend watching how your dog chews on the bone to make sure that they are gnawing as opposed to biting on it. 

Antlerz are totally different from bones as they are grown naturally on deer.  They are comprised of many different rings of mineral deposits.  The cross section of the Antlerz looks kind of like a tree trunk with many rings around its end.  The antler wears down gradually over time from saliva and gnawing.  An Antlerz chew should last any dog between 4-12 weeks.  They are an awesome chew and totally healthy and safe for your dogs! 

About the Author

Avrum Elmakis is the owner of Best Bully Sticks, a leading provider of dog treats, bully sticks, antlerz, and other dog chews and treats. They can be found online at: http://www.bestbullysticks.com .

With wedding season getting into full swing, many dog owners are agonizing over whether or not to include their beloved pets in their special day. While it can certainly be fun, entertaining, and adorable to have your four-legged friend included and all dressed up, there are a couple of things to take into consideration before sending them down the aisle.

Make Sure Everybody is OK with it

Check with everybody involved with the wedding before committing to having your dog a part of it. Some of your attendants may have allergies, the officiant may not approve, and the location may have rules against pets (many churches only allow dogs that are with a blind person to enter). Make sure to get the go ahead before you plan your entire ceremony around your dog being there to save yourself the headache later.

Ensure Your Dog is up to the Task

If your dog has problems accepting simple commands like "sit" and "stay", then including them in the wedding may be a mistake. If your dog is easily distracted, they could wander away during the ceremony, something especially problematic if your wedding is being held outdoors. Having your dog in the roll of flower dog or ring bearer is a great idea right up until they go chasing birds with your rings in tow. Make sure they'll actually make it down the aisle before you commit to having them come down the aisle.

Can Your Reception Accommodate Your Dog?

Just because your location is willing to have your dog there doesn't mean that they're capable of taking care of your dog. Make sure that they can provide food for your dog or that you provide them with the appropriate food if they can't.

Make Sure Your Pet Will Be Entertained

You will have many responsibilities during the ceremony and reception, make sure that your dog can either entertain itself, or will be entertained by friends and family that are willing to play with them. Having a supply of dog treats and other chews like bully sticks and anterlz is a good way to keep them occupied and happy without having to worry about somebody devoting time to them.

Have a Great Time

The key to your wedding is that you have a great time, and if you can incorporate your dog while doing so, even better. Be sure to keep these things in mind and you're sure to have a great wedding day with or without your dog.

There are any number of famous dogs in entertainment: Lassie, Eddie (of Frasier fame), Benji, Hooch, and Rin Tin Tin, but there is a certain breed of dog that has risen to a celebrity all their own. The animated dog. Here are my top ten animated dogs.

10. – Ren Hoeck – The Ren & Stimpy Show

A staple of Nickelodeon for many years, Ren was the often abrasive, usually neurotic companion of the slightly effeminate, hair-ball producing Stimpy. A take on a Chihuahua, Ren could go from screaming and calling Stimpy an idiot, to shivering in a corner much like a real Chihuahua. An icon for an entire generation of teenagers, Ren leads off our list at number ten.

9. – Blue – Blue's Clues

Children around the world are familiar with Blue for his educational messages and great source of early childhood development skills. The recipient of nine Emmy awards, Blue's Clues was inspired by Sesame Street, and appealed to the same crowd of pre-schoolers. Incorporating sign language, creative thinking, riddles, and both verbal and non-verbal skills, Blue's Clues remains a great source for children of all ages.

8. – Santa's Little Helper – The Simpsons

Often neglected, the Simpson's dog, Santa's Little Helper, is a charming, but poorly trained Greyhound. Having survived where the family's cat has not (currently on Snowball V), this retired racing Greyhound has been a staple of the Simpson household for years. Having saved members of the family on numerous occasions, it's often surprising that Bart was so quick to replace him with the more well trained Laddie (a joke on Lassie). Eventually Bart came to his senses, and Santa's Little Helper has stayed with the Simpsons ever since.

7. – Brian Griffin – Family Guy

The Griffin's dog is noticeable for his wit, intelligence, love of martinis, and ability to speak. While only 7 years old, Brian is only a few credits short of a degree from Brown University, owns a car, votes, and maintains a credit card. While displaying some of the typical canine behaviors (fear of vacuums), Brian's anthropomorphic qualities are what have made him one of the more memorable animated dogs in recent history, catapulting him from tertiary character to one of the most popular characters in the series.

6. – Odie – Garfield

While certainly not the main star of the series, Odie has been a participant (sometimes willing, sometimes not), in many of Garfield's hi-jinks. Though Garfield has usually gotten the better of Odie's good nature and admitted simple nature, Odie has shown surprising ingenuity in getting revenge on Garfield on a number of occasions.

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Every year around the time of the Westminster Dog Show, the debate of adopting dogs from shelters versus purchasing one through a breeder is brought up.  Each side has their argument, but for somebody looking to bring a dog into their life for the first time, it's a question that needs answering.  Which way of finding a dog is better?  Rescue adoptions or breeders?

The first question that you have to ask yourself before even considering to adopt a dog using either method is what kind of dog do you want?  This doesn't always mean which breed to you want (though that can certainly help), but what kind of temperament are you looking for in your dog.  Are you looking for a guard dog or one that will cuddle up next to you in bed at night?  Do you want a dog you can carry around in a bag or one that small children can ride?  With these things in mind, here are the arguments for both the breeder and the rescue adoption.

Breeders tend to get a bad reputation because of puppy mills that have gained notoriety for turning out puppies en masse that are often less than healthy.  While a certified breeder is very different from a puppy mill, looking into a breeder's credentials is a crucial first step when looking to get a dog from a breeder.

One advantage to going to a breeder is that they can give you the dog that you're looking for, usually with documentation to prove the health of the dog.  If you're looking for a Boston Terrier or a Poodle, you can find them at breeders that specialize in these particular breeds, and you can even find breeders that specialize in mixed breed dogs such as Labradoodles (Labrador and Poodle) or Puggles (Pug and Beagle).  The dogs purchased through a breeder tend to have fewer surprises for the new owner, and often come with guarantees to their health and temperament. 

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