Breed Spotlight

A majestic presence and a rich Italian history are wrapped up into the beautiful form of the Cane Corso. BestBullySticks.com highlights this impressive and distinctive dog in our weekly Breed Spotlight. Read on to learn more about the Cane Corso!

History & Background: The Cane Corso’s name is derived from the Latin “Cohors” meaning “Guardian” and “Protector.” This dog’s direct ancestor is the Canis Pugnax, which was a war dog used by the Romans. Corsos were also used as a “catch dog” to hunt and pin large animals such as cattle and pigs and also as a herder and watchdog. In Italy, this dog can be seen in history living along side farmers and rural families for hundreds of years. In the 1970s this dog almost faced extinction but was saved by a dedicated few. The Corso still has a large presence in Italy, today. The modern Cane Corso looks slightly different than it’s pre-70s relatives because of selective breeding used to grow numbers of this breed. In 1987 the Cane Corso made its way to the United States and has been popular ever since. In fact, celebrities such as Tracy Morgan, Patti LeBelle and Lebron James own Cane Corsos.

Height: Males: 25 to 27.5 inches; Females: 23.5 to 26 inches

Weight: 88 to 170 pounds

Coat: Corsos sport a short, hard coat that should have a healthy sheen. The close fitting coat has a light undercoat that gets thicker in cooler weather. The Cane Corso has a perfectly waterproof coat.

Color: This dog’s coloring can range from black, grey, red and fawn. Any of these colors can appear in brindle. The solid colored fawn and red dogs usually have a black or grey mask. White patches appear on the chest, throat, chin and toes. Eye color is related to muzzle color. Dogs with black muzzles have dark brown eyes and gray muzzles have lighter colored eyes. Nose color matches the pigment of dog; black pigment matches a black nose and grey pigment matches a grey nose. Read more

Have you ever heard the phrase “German engineered”? This phrase is a great selling feature because most know that German designed products are very good products. That means dogs, too. The Germans wanted an all-around amazing dog, so they bred the German Wirehaired Pointer, the dog who can do it all. Find out more about this well-designed dog on the BestBullySticks.com Breed Spotlight on the German Wirehaired Pointer.

History & Background: Around the mid-1800s, improvements to the shotgun spurred many in the public to become hunters. In fact, the number of hunters doubled, but this quick growth left a need for a well-rounded, all-purpose hunting dog. And like many other dog breeds, necessity is the mother of all invention, and for the Germans this dog was the German Wirehaired Pointe. GWP’s were bred to be a medium-sized pointer, easily trainable dog that could search, locate and point game. Because of the varied terrain, from mountains to dense forest, and inclement weather this Pointer was bred to have a very particular coat.  In Germanay, this wirehaired dog was first known as the Deutsch-Drahthaar, which was a combination of Griffon, Pudelpointer (Poodle & Pointer) and German Shorthair.  In the early 1920s the GWP was imported to America and was recognized by the AKC 1959.

Height: Males: 24 to 26 inches; Females: 22 to 24 inches

Weight: 60 to 70 pounds

Coat: The wire coat of this German breed is its most distinctive feature.  A GWP’s coat is weather resistant and mostly water resistant. The undercoat is dense to protect in cold weather and in summer is almost invisible. The outer, wiry coat is straight, harsh, flat and 1 to 2 inches long. This dog sports a well-covered tail, bushy eyebrows, beard and whiskers. Read more

Referred to as the “barkless” dog, BestBullySticks.com thinks the Basenji doesn’t need a bark to get someone’s attention. The Basenji is a stealthy creature that could sneak right up to you, both on the hunt and into your heart. Read more about this beautiful dog’s ancient past and interesting characteristics in the BBS Breed Spotlight on the Basenji.

History & Background: The Basenji is one of the most ancient dog breeds and can be seen in Egyptian tombs and wall drawings dating back 5,000 years. Another ancestor of the modern Basenji originated in Central Africa and this “type” dog has been living with humans for thousands of years. Mostly confined to the Congo, this dog was known as the “dogs of the savages,” “dogs of the villagers,” and “dog of the bush.” This breed was once prized for its intelligence, speed and silent hunting ability in many African villages. In the late 1800s Basenjis were taken to England in an effort to build up the breed, but many of these dogs died from distemper. After many attempts, Basenjis were being bred successfully in America by 1941 and soon after this breed was recognized by the AKC in 1944.

Height: 16 to 17 inches

Weight: 22 to 24 pounds

Coat & Color: The coat on a Basenji is very short and fine with elastic skin. Coloring can be chestnut red, pure black, tricolor (black or red) or brindle. White feet, legs, chest or blaze, collar and tail tip are common.

Appearance: Basenjis exude alertness. With their small frame, tight but smooth muscles and balanced frame, this dog is the portrait of agility and readiness. This dog has a wrinkled around the forehead and a short muzzle. Facial features include small, almond shaped eyes, and small, erect ears. The back is short in length, but level. Basenjis have straight legs and a tightly curled tail that sits on top of the back. Read more

It’s here! No, not Thanksgiving. The National Dog Show! This Turkey Day event is just about as traditional as the turkey itself. Ongoing since 1842, the National Dog Show put on by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and is one of three major national dog shows. BestBullySticks.com is providing you with some National Dog Show Trivia that will make today’s viewing that much more interesting and special.

10 Past Winners

2002: Standard Poodle
2003: Doberman
2004: Terrier
2005: Colored Bull Terrier (Rocky Top's Sundance Kid)
2006: Toy Poodle
2007: Australian Shepherd (Buff Cap Creslane Arctic Mist)
2008: Pointer
2009: Scottish Terrier (Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot a/k/a "Sadie")
2010: Irish Setter (Windntide Mr. Sandman)
2011: Wire Fox Terrier (GCH Steele Your Heart)

Group Descriptions

Terrier: Most of these dogs evolved from the British isles and each had very specialized duties depending on what geographic location the were in. Most of these jobs included hunting small critters like badgers and otters. Tenacious in personality, these dogs have great confidence and courage.

Toy: Dogs in this group have been around for centuries to serve one purpose: companionship. To this day, their small size makes them perfect for any household and living situation.

Working: Breeds from the Working group have a wide range of shapes, sizes and looks, but they have been all been used as aids in their human’s work. Their intelligence and build have made these dogs excellent guards and herders and today still work as these as well as police, military, security, service and hunting dogs.

Sporting: These dogs were developed to help hunters, usually bird hunters using guns. The duties of these dogs can range from pointing and marking, flushing or recovery.

Hound: This group was once classified as sporting because they also can help with hunting, but usually hunt somewhat independently from their humans. Made up of scent hounds and sight hounds, this group has a lot of variety in size, shape and look.

Non-Sporting: At the inception of the AKC, there were only two group, Sporting and Non-Sporting. Many splits and reclassifications later, the Non-Sporting group consists of all the dogs that remain and contains the most variety in one group.

Herding: Characterized by the natural ability performed by these dogs, the Herding group is dogs that have been used on farms to gather and move other animals about.

There are 173 registered breeds; which dog will you root for?

Happy Thanksgiving! Have fun watching the National Dog Show! 

The Bouiver des Flandres is a very misleading dog. With a very up class name, the Bouvier des Flandres has very humble beginnings on Belgian farms. (One Bouvier, Lucky, even made it to the White Hosue as Ronald Reagan’s dog.) A formidable looking dog, the Bouvier is a gentle and sweet soul. Find out more about this dog by reading the BestBullySticks.com Breed Spotlight on the Bouvier des Flandres.

History & Background: Bouviers were first bred by monks in Flanders, which is an area of Belgium. These dogs were first bred by monks and other farmers for cattle droving, sheep herding and cart pulling. Watchdog duties were given to the Bouvier as well. Throughout the years, this dog has had many names. The French name of Bouvier des Flandres literally translates “Cow Herder of Flanders” but also called “koehond" (meaning cow dog), "Vuilbaard" (meaning dirty beard) and "toucheur de boeuf" (meaning cattle driver). It’s thought Bouviers get their look from the breeding of Irish wolfhounds and Scottish deerhounds with local farm dogs.

Since this dog was always meant to fulfill the function of a working dog, no breed standard was ever readily sought after. However, in the early 20^th century fanciers began noticing this dog and soon after the Bouvier appeared at the International Dog Show in Brussels. After this, Bouviers saw an uptick in popularity. It wasn’t long after WWI began and even though this dog was used a messenger, the breed almost died out. The same was true for WWII, yet by that time the AKC had recognized the breed and Bouviers had been shipped to America from Europe. By the 1960s Bouviers were thriving once more and the American Bouvier des Flandres Club was founded in 1963.

Height: Males 23 to 28 inches; Females 22–27 inches

Weight: Males 80 to 120 pounds; Females 60 to 80 pounds

Coat: Bouviers sport a weather fast coat made up of a hard and course outer coat and a soft and dense undercoat. This dog's coat was made to withstand just about anything. The coat should have a disheveled look without being curly.  Hair on the ears is rough and Bouviers should have a thick mustache and beard. Read more