Best Bully News

Best Bully Sticks loves dogs. It's undeniable. In fact, we love them so much we talk about them all day. Our weekly breed spotlights are especially made for that.  Last week we talked about the Cesky Terrier as a part of the new batch of AKC registered dogs.  This week we continue our New AKC Breeds Series by talking about the American English Coonhound.

Height: 24-27 inches (male), 23-25 inches (female)

Weight: 50-75 pounds

Coat: This coonhound has medium-length coarse, hard hair.

Color: The American English Coonhound's coloring has several color and ticking combinations.  Ticking refers a pattern of small spots found in the white part of a dog's coat.  Color and ticking combinations include red and white ticked, blue and white ticked, tri-colored with ticking, red and white and white and black.

Appearance: This hound has a strong and lean body with a deep chest. Other features include a strong back, well-defined muscles, a broad head and low-set soft ears.  All these features make for a graceful and athletic dog.

Temperament: Pleasant, alert and sociable are all strong behaviors for this hound breed.  Although this breed can be somewhat meek at times, they are avid hunters.  They are known for being great companions and are fiercely loyal to their owners as well as easily trainable. They aren't quiet dogs and tend to bark or "bawl" at people or prey.

Health: The American English Coonhound needs lots of exercise because of their working dog background.  There are some cases of hip dysplasia, but this breed usually lives 12-15 years.

History & Background: This specific breed of coonhound evolved from English Foxhounds, which were brought to the New World and called Virginia Hounds.  As a hunting dog, this breed was used to hunt fox during the day and raccoons at night.

Product Suggestions: This Coonhound is strong and loves a work out. We would give this breed something tough to tackle, like our 12 inch Monster Bully Stick.  This stick truly is a monster and will keep this hound, and hounds like him, occupied.  For a toy, this breed would enjoy the Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Glow for Good Ball.  This ball not only is extremely durable, but allows playtime to last all night and day.

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Would your dog like to be in the spotlight?

If you would like your dog spotlighted or want to recommend a dog breed you love for our next Best Bully Sticks Spotlight on a Breed entry please send us an email with the subject “Spotlight My Dog”. If you are submitting your very own dog don’t forget to send over a photogenic pic and a short 2-3 sentence bio about your canine buddy.

Best Bully Sticks knows that sometimes the best recipes are the easiest ones. So, this week is a no-brainer recipe that takes 15 minutes or less, has only 3 ingredients, and you don't have to bake them!  It's also a no-brainer that your dog will love them.  Not to mention, they're healthy too!

No-Bake Puppy Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 cup low fat milk

1 cup peanut butter

3 cups rolled oats

Directions:

1. Combine milk and peanut butter in a mixer until a paste forms.

2. Add oats 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time. This helps the oats distribute evenly through the mixture. The mixture will be dense.

3. Spoon out and roll into bite-sized balls.

4. Place on a lined cookie sheet (wax or parchment paper.)

5. Let sit in fridge for one hour.

Recipe Tips:

-The mixture can be sticky, so use a gentle pressure when rolling into balls.  If you use too much pressure, the mixture can crumble.

-For dogs with allergies, milk can be substituted with other dairy free products.

This tasty and healthy recipe yields 25-30 treats and can last up to two weeks stored in the fridge.  We know your dog will love these!! (recipe courtesy of prettyfluffy.com)

Check back next Wednesday for our Valentine's Day themed doggie-licious recipe!!

It's easy to see that Best Bully Sticks has a dedicated following. Without them we wouldn't have had such a great turnout for our latest giveaway.  HUGE thanks to the 574 Facebook voters! But more to the point--Our winners for our $2K Animal Rescue/Shelter Winners are:

1st Place ($1000 Prize) - Puppy Rescue Mission, Celina, TX

The primary mission of Puppy Rescue Mission is to fundraise and assist various organizations which help soldiers bring their furry friends home from war. Anna Cannan, president of Puppy Rescue Mission, originally created PRM to fundraise to help rescue"THE LUCKY SEVEN" out of Afghanistan where her fiance was deployed. Due to Anna's amazing fundraising success, several of "THE LUCKY SEVEN" are now living stateside along with their respective soldiers. While PRM's primary mission is to assist soldiers and their furry friends, PRM will also, from time to time, assist an organization in rehoming a stray animal.

2nd Place ($500 Prize) - At Risk Intervention, Knoxville, TN

At Risk Intervention seems to be everywhere at once.  As the "Force Multiplier in Rescue" they are simultaneously helping many different animal rescues.  While they are on the front end of some animal rescues themselves, they raise money for chain link fencing, emergency transports and vet expenses for rescues and shelters nation-wide.

"We're the partner you need to go to the next level without interfering with your frontline and internal operations. We can provide a 501(c) umbrella for your fundraising activities as well as help with the 501(c) applications. If you're like most rescues, two of your biggest problems are transport and home visits. We can help with that, too, with a national network of experienced home visitors and (soon) low cost transportation resources." (From www.atriskintervention.org)

3rd Place ($500 Prize) - Guardian Pit Bull Rescue, Woodlands, TX

Guardian Pit Bull Rescue is an organization dedicated to saving the lives of "Pit Bulls". Our goal is to educate people by providing accurate information about this amazing and misunderstood group of breeds and find good homes for these great dogs.

"Our first priority is to educate the public about the breed and promote responsible pit bull ownership. We strive to advocate for a breed who otherwise has no voice and falls victim to breed specific legislation, discrimination and cruelty due to an undeserved reputation. We work directly with local animal shelters to rescue the breed from euthanasia and aid in rehabilitation for permanent home placement as a beloved family pet. It is our goal to dispel the myth, fight ignorance and allow the public to know this breed for their loyalty, compassion and unconditional love that truly defines them." (From www.guardianpitbullrescue.com)

Congratulations to these winners!! We are so thankful for the work they do!

At Best Bully Sticks, we love all breeds of dogs--pure bred to mutt and everything in between.  That being said, dog lovers should note six new AKC registered dogs on the books. These breeds include the Cesky Terrier, the American English Coonhound, the Xoloitzcuintli, the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, the Norwegian Lundehund and the Finnish Lapphund.  All of these dogs will be added into the competition at the Westminster Dog Show which will be televised February 13th-14th.  In honor of this exciting news, BBS will be highlighting each of these breeds over the next six weeks in our Breed Spotlight. This week we look at the Cesky Terrier.

Height: 10 to 13 inches

Weight: 16-22 pounds

Coat: Ceskys usually sport long hair with a fine texture, which is wavy and glossy.  If this terrier's hair is shorter, it curls.

Color: Cesky puppies are born black, or black and tan.  Mature dogs (3 years and up) show shades of gray from charcoal to platinum gray.  Black colors usually show up around the head, ears, feet and tail.  White, brown and yellow colorings are usually seen on the head, beard, cheeks, neck, chest, limbs and around the vent.

Appearance: The overall appearance of the Cesky Terrier is a short-legged, long-bodied terrier which looks similar to the Scottish Terrier.  This terrier has a long head, bushy beard, mustache and eyebrows.  Their bodies are solid, but not heavy.   The blue-gray varieties have brown eyes and black noses and lips. Brown varieties have yellow eyes and liver-colored noses and lips.

Temperament: This breed of terrier is calmer than most but can still be playful, especially loving to dig. They can be reserved around strangers but are loyal to their owners.

Health: The Cesky sometimes suffers from the Scotty Cramp, which is a minor problem causing awkward movement but isn't painful or life threatening.

History & Background: The Cesky Terrier was created by a Czech breeder in 1948 and is a cross between Sealyham and Scottish Terriers.  This breed was created to be suitable hunter in the forests of Bohemia.

Product Suggestions: At BBS, we have lots of great treats and toys for dogs. For the Cesky Terrier, we would recommend a 4, 5, or 6 inch bully stick, which are great for smaller dogs. Because of the reserved nature of this breed, the Cesky might like Simply Fido Dog Toys, which come in a range of animals and sizes.

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Would your dog like to be in the spotlight?

If you would like your dog spotlighted or want to recommend a dog breed you love for our next Best Bully Sticks Spotlight on a Breed entry please send us an email with the subject “Spotlight My Dog”. If you are submitting your very own dog don’t forget to send over a photogenic pic and a short 2-3 sentence bio about your canine buddy.