Dog Care 101

A handmade gift is from the heart. So, this Christmas make a personalized gift for a dog you love or a fellow dog-lover. It will leave an impression this season and for many more to come. BestBullySticks.com gives you three easy DIY Christmas Gifts for Dogs and Dog-Lovers.

Holly Ascot
“Deck the dogs with boughs of holly?” This adorable, seasonal dog accessory is sure to get your dog lots of doting looks.

You’ll Need
Tape measure
Felt
Fusible webbing
Iron
Disappearing-ink pen
Fabric glue (optional)
Decorative cord (optional)
Velcro dots
Needle and thread
Jingle bells
Felt Holly Ascot template

How-To
1. Measure your dog's neck.

2. Print Felt Holly Ascot template. To get the right fit for your dog, divide measurement from step 1 in half, and add the resulting measurement to the length of template, extending the straight end accordingly.

3. Fold felt in half, and place template on top, with the straight end of template near the fold. Cut around template without cutting through fold, creating a long, thin rectangle that's roughly twice as long as template. Repeat, cutting another rectangle of felt, and then one from fusible webbing.

4. Lay a piece of felt over webbing, and iron to fuse them. Remove backing from webbing, and sandwich with a second piece of felt. Iron to fuse them.

5. Fold fused fabric in half, and place template so the straight end is on the fold. Trace template onto felt with a disappearing-ink pen, cut out the shape, and unfold.

6. Fold 1 holly leaf in half lengthwise, and press with steam to give leaf dimension. Repeat with remaining leaf.

7. If desired, use fabric glue to attach decorative cord from leaf tip to leaf tip, along center of collar.

8. Stitch on Velcro dots where the leaves will cross each other when collar is worn. Sew on 3 bells. Read more

BestBullySticks.com knows decking your halls should help make your season jolly! However, decorating for the Holidays and keeping your dog out of it may not always be the easiest of tasks. This season, BBS can give you some simple and quick ways to have a beautiful home for the Holiday Season while keeping Fido safe.

Choose Decorations Carefully – It shouldn’t be a surprise that some decorations are less potentially harmful than others. Here are a few that could cause your dog harm.

Tree – If you choose a live tree, make sure you don’t allow your dog to chew on the branches. If your dog chews on them too much, it can lead to excess drooling or vomiting. Many trees are also treated with chemicals, which help preserve the tree. These chemicals can seep into the water at the base of your tree, making it toxic to dogs. Make sure you cover the base of your tree with a skirt, aluminum foil or plastic wrap to deter your dog’s curiousness.

Lights & Glass Ornaments – If your dog has a penchant for chewing, think about making the switch to plastic lights and ornaments. Non-breakable ornaments will help keep any rowdy dog from knocking over glass bobbles, or cutting his mouth on broken glass.

Garlands – Strings of popcorn and cranberries, tinsel or flocking (a imitation snow decoration) are all great ways to make sure your tree dazzles. However, if your dog were to ingest any of these, it could be a major problem. Upset stomachs, intestinal blockages and more can be caused from these garlands.   Read more

When your dog wags his tail, you know that he is excited, but is he content? BestBullySticks.com knows that you try to provide your dog with the absolute best, but your dog’s happiness is more than just two meals a day and a belly rub. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a way to look at human motivation by piecing out essential physical, emotional and mental needs. With dogs being highly social creatures, many of these principles can be applied to develop a more complete four-legged best friend. Read on to find out how you really can have a happier dog.

Physiological (Pyhsical Needs)
Fresh Clean Water – Your dog’s water should be refreshed daily and free of debris. If a water bowl is kept outside, make sure it’s not stagnant (this can breed disease), frozen in winter or overheated in summer.

Good Nutrition – Every dog owner will have a different recipe for success with their dog’s food. There is no one right answer, but feeding your dog healthy and nutritious meals is important. Talk to your vet about good feeding options for your dog. Make sure your dog is in a healthy weight range as well; overweight dogs are very unhappy. Treating your dog is something that shouldn’t be hard either. A good bully stick or all-natural chew from BBS will guarantee your dog is getting a healthy, nutritious treat.

Exercise – Is your dog getting enough exercise? For the best health, your dog needs to expend their energy (which they always have plenty of). Exercise will make your dog’s life longer and fuller and prevent compulsive disorders or unwanted behavior. Breeds are different in their exercise needs, but all dogs do need it.

Hygiene – As much as possible, your dog needs to stay clean so they are comfortable in their own body and skin. Little things like dirty ears, long nails or tartar on teeth can lead to very serious and painful problems. Keeping a clean, brushed coat, trimmed nails, clean ears and teeth are one less potential discomfort your dog has to feel.

Chewing – Unlike humans, dogs have a need to chew. Providing the proper toys and chews will help them meet this desire without taking it out on your belongings.

A Place to “Go” – It’s very important for dogs to have a consistent place to use the bathroom away from their “den.” A highly normal dog will eliminate away from where they eat and sleep. Doing otherwise means they feel as if they aren’t given proper time or a place to do so. Read more

BestBullySticks.com knows that all dogs are different, with their own unique quirks and characteristics. But did you know that much of what makes up your dog’s temperament is determined by genetic influencers and instinctive behaviors passed down from their parents? Understanding your dog’s personality can help you understand the way they act, view the world and can help in training your dog. BBS thinks these methods developed by Jack and Wendy Volhard will not only help you understand your dog more completely, but grow your relationship. Read on to take the Dog Personality Test!

Your dog’s behaviors can be lumped together into three broad motivations, called drives.

Prey: Is your dog easily excited by motion, sounds or smells? Or does your dog live for chasing small animals or destroying their toys? These are examples of prey drive.

Pack: This motivator relates back to when wild dogs were a part of larger groups of dogs. Dogs with a high pack drive will long to be a part of a social hierarchy; meaning they love working on a team, physical contact and playing. They show reproductive behaviors like mounting and cleaning behaviors, like licking ears. Petting, grooming and close companionship is desired by this dog and being left alone is not.

Defense: Fight and flight behaviors are found in defense drives, which makes this motivator more complex. A very territorial, protective dog that doesn’t like grooming or petting exhibits fight behaviors. Flight behaviors are shown by a dog who is unsure in any situation, hides and runs away and simply lacks confidence. This is seen more in young dogs. Read more

Chances are, you know your dog pretty well. You know when he’s not feeling well, when he needs to go out or even when he needs a cuddle. However, your dog’s body won’t always be on the same schedule as your yearly checkup. That’s why BestBullySticks.com is outlining easy ways to perform a physical exam on your dog from home. These simple steps will keep your dog’s wellbeing in check as well as make you aware of any problems that arise.

Starting at the nose and working to the tip of the tail, follow these simple ways to make sure your pup is in good shape.

Nose: Is your dog’s nose wet or dry? A normal nose will be moist and clean. Your dog’s nose can vary in wetness throughout the day depending on their activity level. An abnormal nose will be dry, cracked, bleeding or have a nasal discharge.

Eyes: Bright, clear and clean eyes are healthy eyes. When looking at the whites of the eye, make sure no red or yellow tint is present. Bloodshot eyes, unresponsive pupils or abnormal discharge should all be checked into further.

Ears: Clean, dry and pain and odor free ears are healthy. Watch for buildup in your dog’s ears as well as sores, bumps, smell or swelling. Some ear problems manifest themselves through irregular ear carriage, such as droopy ears when they should be erect. Cleaning out ears is as simple as a using a cotton ball with a little hydrogen peroxide and sweeping out the inside of the ear. Read more