Dog Breeds

With its cheerful demeanor, curly coat and dedication to the job at hand, the Pumi has undoubtedly earned its reputation as a hardworking and loving companion. Whimsical and outspoken, this breed originated in the late 17th or early 18th century though a combination of Eastern and Western European crossbre
eding. BestBullySticks is excited to share the history of the Pumi on this week’s Breed Spotlight.

Hailing from the vast rolling farmlands of the Puszta — an area in east Hungary known for its expansive grasslands — the Pumi arose from a regional need for a better shepherd’s companion. The Pumi primarily owes its lineage to a breed that was, already common in Hungary — the Puli. However, unlike the Pumi’s “dreadlocked” ancestor, it’s hair does not grow into long hanging curls. Cross-breeding with newly introduced breeds of the late 17th century helped to eliminate the coat’s length yet retained the curls. 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 “Grey Ghost” is visiting this week’s Best Bully Sticks Breed Spotlight! No, we’re not talking about some ghastly ghoul, but the friendly, alert and beautiful Weimaraner! Read about this sporty dog—its interesting history and great disposition in our look at the Weimaraner.

History & Background: The Weimaraner was originally bred for hunting in the early 19^th Century and was the hunting companion of choice for royalty. In fact, this breed gains its name from one of these royal courts, the Weimar Republic in Germany. Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Karl August first had these dogs, then called “Weimar Pointers,” used as large game hunters for boar, bear and deer.  Even after a loss in popularity, the dog was still used for hunting small game such as fowl, rabbits and foxes. However, this breed was also a great all-purpose family dog. Weimaraners could guard the home, go hunting with the family and love on the kids.

In past decades this breed has gained a pop-culture status for being the subjects of William Wegman’s photography.

Height: 25 to 27 inches (males); 23 to 25 inches (females)

Weight: 71–82 pounds (males); 55–71 pounds (females)

Coat: The Weimaraner’s coat is sleek, smooth and short. This dog has no undercoat and does not shed. This makes for an extremely low-maintenance dog. Where the coat is thin, the skin usually shows pink. Long-haired Weimaraners are rare, but are recognized by the UKC (United Kennel Club) but not the AKC (American Kennel Club.) Long-haired breeds can show up in a short-haired litter, but only if the parents both have the recessive gene.  This breed type has a long, silky coat with a feathered, un-docked tail. Read more

This week, Best Bully Sticks celebrates a dog that was a European celebrity as far back as the 16^th century. Its history can be traced through the painted depictions of wealthy families and royalty in Italy, France, Belgium and England. We’re talking about the Papillion of course, a vibrant little dog that has been capturing hearts for hundreds of years.

History & Background: The Papillon’s name is derived from the French word for “butterfly” because this dog’s erect and feathered ears resemble the winged insect. However, the dog’s ancestors had drooping ears and sometimes called “Dwarf Spaniels.” It wasn’t until the 16^th and 17^th centuries that the Papillon began “perking up” and the erect ears became more common. This is known because Papillons were often seen in European paintings as the dogs of the wealthy and ruling class.  It has even been said that Marie Antoinette highly favored the dog and was holding it under her arm when she went to the guillotine.

This breed was recognized in by the AKC in 1935 when the Papillon Club of America was formed.

Height: 8-11 inches

Weight: 5-10 pounds

Coat: The Papillon has a great amount of hair that is flowing and long. The fine and silky fur lays flat on back and sides. Shorter hair appears on the face, around the head and muzzle and on the front of legs. The most distinguishing feature of the Papillon is the feathering of fur, especially around the ears, which gives this breed its name. Feathering also occurs at the back of the fore and hind legs as well as sprouts from the chest. This dog’s tail is plumed as well. Read more

Today, you’ll learn about a dog that has an ancient history, fierce love for family and is also probably one of the cutest puppies. Best Bully Sticks brings you the Shar Pei. Read about this historic Chinese breed! We think you’ll be surprised! 

History & Background: Considered one of the oldest breeds on earth, the Shar Pei hails from the Guangdong province of China where it was originally bred to be a farm dog, and served many roles. The earliest Shar Pei’s were guard dogs, hunters, trackers and herders.  The Shar Pei’s unique physical characteristics, the black tongue and intimidating “scowl,” were prized qualities to this breed’s early Chinese owners because they believed these traits would ward off evil spirits.

One of the earliest records of the Shar Pei’s existence is seen from pictures on pottery from the Han Dynasty circa 206 B.C. It’s thought this dog has a common ancestry with the Chow Chow, especially as they share the same distinct blue-black tongue.

During the Communist Revolution in China, this breed’s numbers dwindled dramatically. A Chinese business man, Matgo Law, appealed to Americas in 1973 by way of a magazine article.  That same year, 200 Shar Pei’s were smuggled into America.  Most American Shar Pei’s can be traced to back to these 200.

The English form of this dog’s name “Shar Pei” probably came from the British spelling of the Cantonese equivalent, “sā pèih.” This translates to “sand skin” or “sand coat.” This breed was recognized by the AKC in 1991. Read more