Bully Sticks

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.

This is the start of a weekly question and answer section where we hope to expand on typical questions that we get on a daily and weekly basis.  We hope that this information will be found informative and urge you to still contact us if you have any additional questions!

Are all bully sticks created equal?  What are the differences?

The first thing that one should consider when purchasing bully sticks or any other all natural dog treats is the country of origin.  Most of the bully sticks found in major pet stores are from India or other parts of the world outside of South America.  The living conditions of people and livestock in these countries is less than appealing and as such we only sell product from free-ranging South American cattle.  This cattle is considered "green cattle" as it is not given hormones or fed feed.  This cattle typically grazes freely on open grass fields and grows naturally.  Many people ask why not make bully sticks from North American cattle?  The reason for this is that it is expensive, and also most of the cattle in the US is kept in feedlots and encouraged to grow at a much faster rate (growth hormones) than free-ranging cattle.

Another difference between bully sticks on the marketplace is whether or not they are vertically drained and then baked.  It is much cheaper to sun dry bully sticks and other natural treats, but it is much riskier as potential diseases and bugs can enter the product much more easily.  All of our treats and chews are all-natural and oven finished, which is more expensive but keeps the quality of the product high.

We are also routinely asked about "odor-free" bully sticks.  Quite simply put there is no such thing.  Bully Sticks are an all-natural beef product and as such should have some odor to them.  If you ate a banana or even a steak your expectation is that it would smell like a banana or a steak..and if it did not you would be concerned.  Many manufacturers currently selling bully sticks wash their products in peroxide (bleach) and other chemicals which are not healthy but cause the product to have no smell at all.  Again, we prefer to offer products which are truly all-natural and as such they may have a slight odor.

Lastly, we recommend asking the store where you purchase treats and chews like bully sticks from if their products are irradiated.  A lot (most) of the bully sticks on the market today are irradiated (treated by radiation to reduce the chance of infectious diseases) ours are not.  All of our products are lab tested in country and in the US by both the FDA and USDA and are approved without problem or disease.  We don't know about you but we would not want our dogs treats or food undergoing radiation therapy to make sure that it is safe to eat.  As long as the correct manufacturing processes are in place a bully stick or any other dog treat should never be irradiated.  It is common for manufacturers to hide whether or not their products are irradiated so make sure to ask!

We hope that this clears up any confusion and answers some of the common questions regarding bully sticks that we get on a regular basis.

About the Author

Best Bully Sticks is a leading provider of dog treats, bully sticks, antlerz, Sam's Yams, and other dog chews and treats. They can be found online at: http://www.bestbullysticks.com .

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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There's nothing cuter than a dog doing tricks.  While some dogs are easier to train than others (depending on breed and simple intelligence), here are a handful of tricks that you can teach your dog with a little patience but little effort.

Sit/Lay Down

Arguably the basis for any other trick you'll ask your dog to learn, teaching your dog to sit and lay down is probably one of the easier tricks to teach as it is something they'll do on their own without a command.  While there are numerous ways to teach your dog to do either, the two easier ways are to reward them when they perform the action you desire (saying "sit" or "lay down" as they do it on their own and rewarding them with a dog treat), or to use a dog treat as a focus point to maneuver them to the position you want.

To teach your dog to sit in this manner, simply hold a dog treat in your hand and very gently offer it to them while moving your hand towards them, applying pressure to their hindquarters, and saying "sit."  With a little patience, and some treats, your dog should quickly learn to sit on command.  From there, to teach them to lie down, simply have them sit, and use a treat to lure them to the ground while saying "lay down."  With these two commands learned, you have the basis for every other trick you'll want to teach your dog.

Shake Hands

Courtesy is key to dogs as well as humans, and having a dog that can shake hands is a great way to present your dog as a refined dog, just like their owner.  Start by having your dog sit.  Say "shake" or "shake hands" (whichever command you prefer), and take hold of his paw with your hand.  While holding your dog's paw, praise them both verbally and with a dog treat before releasing their paw.  Do this a few times a day and before long they will raise their paw at the command without you having to take their paw.

Roll Over

Start by giving your dog the "lay down" command.  Either standing over your dog or kneeling beside him, hold a dog treat by their nose and slowly move it around and behind him so that he follows it by rolling over, all while giving the command to "roll over."  This trick may take some time as some dogs are less eager to expose their bellies than others, but keep at it and always practice on a soft surface to make it easier on their back.

Play Dead

Nearly every TV or cartoon dog plays dead and the consensus is that it's adorable.  To teach your dog this trick, have them lie down on their belly, then gently roll them onto their back while giving the command to "Play Dead."  Have them keep this position until you give the release command, something like "wake up!" and then give them a dog treat to reward them and encourage the behavior.  Much like the "roll over" command, this trick may take some time as some dogs are hesitant to expose their bellies.

Give Kisses

This trick is easy.  Every time your dog licks your face say "Give Me a Kiss."  If your dog isn't a licker, put a little peanut butter on your cheek and give the command as he licks it off and then again after he has done so.  This trick almost doesn't require a treat since the peanut butter will be treat enough for most dogs.

Think Up Your Own

This is by no means a comprehensive list of tricks to teach your dog.  There are many other tricks, such as "high five," "fetch," and "stay" that you can teach your dog, not to mention something quirky that your dog may do on their own that you find adorable.  Remember to be patient and keep in mind that not all dogs are willing to learn all tricks.  Find ones that your dog is eager to perform and get those down before trying new ones that they are less willing to perform.

About the Author

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