Dog Care 101

It’s time again to delve into the great world of Dog Sports with BestBullySticks.com! We won’t go too heavy on the sports commentary here, but we will let you in on one of the most exciting canine competitions out there: Flyball!

What it is Flyball?
Fast paced, “Edge of your seat,” nail-biting excitement. If you’ve never heard of Flyball, you’re in for a great time. This sport might be a new favorite!

More specifically, Flyball is a two-team dog sport where teams compete in a hurdle jumping & ball fetching relay race. A dog must run and jump quickly over a series of low hurdles in a line, step on a spring-loaded pedestal releasing a tennis ball, catch the ball, then return back over the hurdles to the starting line with the ball in tow. We’ll talk more about the specifics later, so let’s talk about how this crazy dog sport got started!

History
Flyball was started in Southern California in the late 1960s, early 1970s, and since then the sport hasn’t really divulged from its origins. The architects of the sport combined scent-based hurdle racing with a retrieval of a tennis ball, which was carried back to the starting line. The actual box apparatus that releases tennis balls wasn’t added until later.

The first Flyball tournaments were held in the U.S. in 1983, but since this sport has spread to the UK, Germany, Australia, Canada and South Africa. These European countries have especially jumped on Flyball and hold an International European Flyball Championship each year.  

Field & Play
Now let’s talk about specifics!

Is Your Dog Right for Flyball?
The all-important question. The “players” of this dog sport tend to be Border Collies, but one of the beauties of this sport is that any dog can play. Mixed breeds are common because there are the most commonly owned dog. Labs and Australian Shepherds are also great at this sport. Whippets and Miniature Poodles have even been known to compete in Flyball. As long as your dog has lots of energy to burn, is willing to be trained and you are happy to teach, Flyball is an extremely rewarding and fun way to bond with your dog! Read more

Bikejoring: it’s a funny word, but it’s an exciting and fun way for you and your dog to exercise and enjoy the outdoors together. If you don’t know anything about bikejoring, the first part of the word should clue you in to this great dog sport. Best Bully Sticks actually stumped Google when searching for a better understanding of “joring” but from what we can understand you can “jor” with pretty much any combination of “leading” animal and across-land vehicle. You can skijor, which is a dog or horse pulling a person on ski’s or even scooterjor, which is another dog-mushing sport with a non-motorized scooter. Just like the word, these sports may seem weird, but they are becoming increasingly popular across the U.S. and not to forget, dogs love it! Let’s talk more about Bikejoring!

Bikerjoring is similar to dog sled mushing, but instead of a sled, a singular dog or team of 2 to 3 dogs is helping propel a person on a bike. This sport is sometimes used to train sled dogs out of season. The dog/dogs are attached to the front of the bike by a length of leash and a then a harness on the dog. As the dogs run in front of the bike, the cyclist pedals. Bikejoring is best for Fall and Winter seasons because dogs run best during the cool weather months. Bikejoring takes place on soft, dirt trails. Generally, dogs used for this sport are American Pit Bulls, Huskies, Malamutes and Pointers, but really any dog over 30-35 pounds can be a good fit. But is Bikejoring right for you and your dog? Consider:

Equipment:
A Bike – Nothing too special, but your bike does need good brakes and good tires.

A Harness – Most Bikejorers suggest an x-back harness. Never use a standard collar for this sport. Comfort and safety is key.

Bike Attachment – If your dog is going to pull you and your bike, you’ve got find a safe way to attach your dog to your bike. A length of climbing rope about 5 feet long is a good place to start. A swivel snap is needed where the rope attaches to your dog’s harness. This allows the rope move unhindered at the dog’s end of the leash.

Another important thing to consider is the way the rope will interact with the front of your bike; namely, making sure the line doesn’t get caught in the gears or wheel. Many bikejorers have different ways to control this by using plastic piping, antennas or bayonet-type fixtures, which help suspend the rope at a safe distance outside the wheel or gears. Read more

Does your dog like to romp and play? Is your dog a bundle of raw energy? Do you like spending time with your dog and teaching him new tricks? Does your dog love training? If you answered yes to all of those questions, then you and your dog have met the requirements for Dog Sports! If you aren’t familiar with Dog Sports, Best Bully Sticks would love to educate you on the fun world of “professional” play! Today Best Bully Sticks talking about Agility!

What is Agility?
A doggy obstacle course! Agility exercises and trials consist of a series of impediments a dog must navigate around, through, or over. Dogs are judged for both time and accuracy throughout the entire course.  A dog’s owner or handler helps a dog navigate though the course by a series of verbal commands and hand or arm cues. The success of a dog’s run through the course depends on the communication skills between dog and handler as well as training before hand.

Sport Training
Training for this sport usually begins for dogs between the ages of 1 to 2. Basic puppy training is the obvious place to start. Building confidence with positive reinforcement will start your dog off in the right direction for mastering more complicated commands.

Training your dog for the particular obstacles in agility trials can be taken up by you or by a professional trainer. Classes with a trainer allow your dog access to the trial obstacles without you having to buy or build them yourself.

Obstacles
There are 3 basic types of obstacles—jumps, tunnels and contact—and a few individual obstacles such as weave poles and pause boxes.

Jumps
Hopefully, this one is pretty self-explanatory, however jumps range in complexity. Here are a few of the basic jumps. Read more

Do you take a multi-vitamin every morning? Many take these simple, one-step, pills every day to make up for any deficiency in nutrition they’re not getting through diet. Best Bully Sticks knows that ideally diet would provide everything we need to stay healthy, but sometimes our bodies are deficient and need a little help. Supplements, like multi-vitamins or more specific mixtures for joint health, energy or even life-stage, are readily available. We even have whole stores dedicated to supplements!

So, what about your dog? Again, ideally your dog is getting all he needs from his diet, however, dogs like humans sometimes need a little help. Best Bully Sticks knows supplementing nutritional needs can come in healthy, all natural forms. Dog Supplements can ensure that your dog is living the healthiest and best life possible. We’re here to help you sort through a few concerns and questions. 

First Things First
Your vet is going to be able to give you the best insight into your dog’s health. Always check with your vet about the idea of supplementing your dog’s diet with specific supplements. If your vet gives you the go ahead, talk with your vet about the specific ways your dog could benefit from supplements. Is your dog achy? He might need a joint supplement. Itchy skin? Maybe a skin and coat supplement.

Choices, Choices.
Picking the perfect supplement for your dog might seem overwhelming at first, but if your reading this blog, BBS is assuming you’d like to stick to a completely all-natural option.

A word on the term “all-natural”: Best Bully Sticks strives to provide our customers with the healthiest, all-natural, dog-friendly products on the market. The key word we stress is dog friendly. After all, chocolate is all natural, and so are onions and grapes, but we would never suggest these for a dog, because, as you know, they’re not good for a dog. That being said, just because it’s “all-natural” doesn’t mean a particular choice is good for your dog. Read more

Herbs make your best recipes burst with flavor and flowers and plants help spruce up our yards each spring. But these plants have hidden health benefits as well. Naturally occurring plants and herbs have been aids to good health for hundreds of years. Best Bully Sticks compiled a list of great herbs and plants that you can use to boost your pet’s health and can help with ailments from itchy skin, cuts, digestive problems and more!

Aloe Vera
This soothing plant has great health benefits for humans and dogs alike. Break off an Aloe plant’s spiky tendril and use the “juice” on minor cuts, scrapes and even sunburns.

Calendula Flowers
A pretty flowers, with powerful health benefits, the Calendula is a handy plant to have in your yard. This flower has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities that you can use in a few different ways. The petals can be directly applied to a wound dressing or even brewed into a tea for an antiseptic wash. You can also add the Calendula flower’s petal tea to Shea Butter or Vitamin E lotion to make an ointment. These mixtures are great for cuts, scrapes, burns and even minor ear infections. 

Ginger
This knotted root is a great way to solve your dog’s tummy issues. Whether it’s motion sickness or nausea, ginger tea and dog biscuits are great ways to give your dog ginger. To make ginger tea, simply peel and slice ginger into roughly one-inch x 1/4-inch x 1/8-inch slices. Put 5-8 slices into a pot with ¼ cup water, bring to boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Let this mixture cool and add to your dog’s food. You can even feed your dog ginger slices by wrapping them in a slice or lean meat. If you’re on a trip, pack ginger snaps for your dog. 

Goldenseal
Despite its lofty name, Goldenseal is a fairly ambiguous looking plant with a small red, berry that blooms on top. This plant inhibits bacteria from latching on to cell walls and is particularly good for body parts with mucus membranes, such as the respiratory system and mouth. Mostly just the root is used in treatments and can be used to make poultices, teas and tinctures.

Chamomile
Hyper dog? The flowers of the chamomile plant work to soothe and calm your dog’s hyperactivity, upset stomach or even nervousness. This mild and gentle plant can be used in a tincture, water or oil infusion, salve or ointment. You can grow Chamomile yourself or purchase it in any health food store.

Echinacea
This handy plant can boost your dog’s immune system when he’s feeling a little under the weather. The root of this plant is what is used most often, but the leaves, stems and flowers can be used as well. Although Echinacea is most beneficial for the immune system, it can also be of help for urinary tracts and lymph systems. But no matter how it’s given to your dog, it give your dog the boost he needs!

Herbal Remedies are wonderful tools, but you should always contact your vet before starting any herbal treatment. These remedies can be toxic if not given the correct way or can cause allergic reactions. Every dog is different, so use talk to your vet prior to any herbal treatment.

Visit back next week when we talk about Supplements For Your Dog and be sure to read our simply Home Remedies For Dogs!