Dog Treats

In light of the election being less than a month away, I thought it prudent to look at the history of some of the most beloved inhabitants of the White House – the Presidential Dogs. While living the life of luxury in DC has its perks (lots of space to run around in and dog treats that are checked by the Secret Service), there is a certain dignity and air of sophistication that a Presidential Pooch must project. Here's a look back at the First Dogs since our country began.

George Washington

As our first President, George Washington was also the first to have a First Pet. While his dogs didn't get to live in the White House, one can assume they had plenty of time to run around. George Washington had seven dogs – three Staghounds (Sweet Lips, Scentwell, and Vulcan), and four Black and Tan Coonhounds (Taster, Tipler, Tipsy, and Drunkard). It's safe to assume that his Coonhounds liked to get into the Presidential liquor.

John Adams

Continuing the tradition of the First Dog, John Adams only had two dogs while President, though they were the first to stay in the White House. While the breeds have been lost to time, we're sure that he loved his two dogs (Juno and Satan) despite their naming.

Thomas Jefferson

We know that Thomas Jefferson had two Briards, and while one's name has been lost to time, the other, Buzzy, probably got to enjoy his time at Monticello.

James Monroe

Picking up where Thomas Jefferson left off, James Monroe Read more

Recent Feedback from our customers.  Thank you Trish P and Marjory for taking the time out to write these are your gracious testimony and compliments.  We love the opportunity to share the best all natural dog chews and treats with all of you!

Wow! Best bully sticks is by far the best thing I have found for my puppy! I have a VERY energetic 13 week old brittany who has the attention span of a knat, except when it comes to best bully sticks! So far she has tried the beef tracheas and the 6 inch bully sticks and she loves them! They keep her busy when I don't have time to keep an eye on her. No tummy upsets from either of these products, fast shipping, and GREAT prices! You have a lifelong customer!

-Trish P

WOW!  My order arrived so quickly and my 2 Giant Schnauzers are just loving the tracheas.  No more supplements for them, now they get their glucosamine in the best way possible and the joy they show when I give them one is my feedback from my best friends.
We're planning our next order now.

-Marjory 

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The growing trend in dog ownership is the purchase or adoption of designer dogs – those dogs that have been deliberately bred from two purebred dogs with an expected result.  While I would never discourage the adoption of any dog, designer or otherwise, there are certain pros and cons that come with giving a home to a Designer Dog.

Pros

The pros to giving a home to a Designer Dog (besides the obvious good karma of giving a home to a dog in need) typically relate to the health of the dog in question.  While many purebred dogs are prone to health problems related to the lack of genetic difference between one generation and the next, Designer Dogs, much like mutts, bypass many of the health problems that purebreds are known for.  The difference between the Designer Dog and the mutt is that while a mutts heritage isn't know, Designer Dogs often have papers stating what their heritage is, including the breeds and history of both parents.

Along with avoiding many of the health issues associated with purebred dogs, Designer Dogs are often bred to combine favored traits of two breeds, such as a lack of shedding and the size of one dog with the playful nature and affection of another.  The hope with Designer Dogs is that the penchant that one of the breeds may have for chewing on your shoes will be countered by the penchant the other breed has for eating dog treats from your hands.

Cons

The cons to bringing home any dog of mixed parentage is that you never really know what to expect.  You can breed two of the most affectionate, loving dogs, and at the end of the day you might still get a Designer Dog that sees your slippers and thinks chew toy.  Temperament and size are very hard to judge with Designer Dogs, especially those that come from two dogs of largely varying sizes (you might end up with a Labrador/Dachshund mix that is either the size of the Dachshund, the Labrador, or somewhere in the middle).  Poodle Designer Dogs are known to exhibit many of the Poodle's often aggressive nature, in spite of being bred with a more docile breed.  While giving you hope having a Boxer mixed with a Chihuahua will curb its need to chew on things better than giving it bully sticks, at the end of the day, you can't know what you will get from the dog until you've spent time with it and tried to train it.

Don't Go in With Any Expectations

When bringing home your Designer Dog, remember not to have any expectations.  You may bring home the most perfect puppy that will be easy to train, have all the best traits of both their breeds, and be a ray of sunshine in you and your family's lives.  Or you may bring home a little terror that will drive you all insane…just like any other puppy.  Don't assume that the new trend in Designer Dogs means that you don't have to put in the time to properly train your dog.  Good genes are no replacement for proper training and love.

About the Author

Avrum Elmakis is the owner of Best Bully Sticks, a leading provider of dog treats, bully sticks, and lamb treats for dogs.  They can be found online at:  http://www.bestbullysticks.com .

 There's a certain satisfaction in eating at a nice dining room table. It makes you feel sophisticated, cultured, and human. My dog eats out of a simple plastic bowl I picked up at the local pet store for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that he's a dog. I can understand having a dog bowl that's raised a bit for taller dogs that have a hard time really leaning down as they get older, but spending $129 on said dog bowl seems a bit…excessive.  Your dog certainly isn't going to notice the difference, and when it really comes down to it, it's not like you're placing filet mignon in there for them either.  I know we like to personify our pets, but having their eating arrangements outstrip our own seems more like putting them in the Trump Towers while we're scraping by in a studio apartment.

Your Dog Travels Better Than You Do

Not that I've ever flown first class, but even when I'm flying in the back of the plane, I expect a certain level of service (at least I used to).  With that in mind, it confuses me that some people would spend more on a carrier for their dog than most of us spend on plane tickets…to Europe.  $690 might seem a bit excessive for a dog carrier to you, but you have to remember that this particular one is made from leather, has numerous flaps for their dog treats, and is stylish beyond measure.  This bag screams "my dog lives better than I do" to anybody that sees the two of you together.  Sure you're driving around in a minivan that's older than your kids, but as far as your dog is concerned, he's in a Bentley the entire time.

Your Dog Dresses Better Than You Do

I want my dog to look good.  This usually means regular grooming, getting his nails clipped, and brushing him.  This does not include buying my dog a mink coat.  Yes…you read that correctly.  People have been known to buy their dogs mink coats.  I don't own a mink coat.  I don't even own anything approaching a mink coat in my closet.  The idea of a mink coat for dogs is strange since dogs are, at least typically, covered in fur.  And yet, for only $70, you too can get your dog a pink mink coat that will confirm that you love your dog more than you love yourself.

Like I've said, we all love to pamper our dogs, but there comes a certain point when all of us have to be careful about crossing over into excess.  Dogs don't care about mink coats and $300 beds.They want bully sticks, lamb treats for dogs, and somebody to scratch their bellies.  Keep that in mind the next time you see that diamond encrusted dog collar that you've been wanting to buy your dog.

Cow Ears or Pig Ears

We get a lot of questions about both of these chews and wanted to clarify some information on them.  First off, they are both from South American free-ranging animals (this means that they are not kept in feedlots, given hormones, and are free-grazing eating mostly grasses).   They are also both great chews for dogs and last a considerable amount of time.  The sizing of them is about the same with the cow ears being a little bigger.  They are both all natural and not smoked and as such offer a pretty clean treat for your dog.  These are also both single ingredient items (no preservatives, chemicals, etc...)

Now for the differences...

Cow Ears are typically an off-white color and have a faint beef smell to them.  They are not greasy at all and have a little less fat than a pig ear.  They are a great option for dogs that are sensitive to pork products or may need to diet a bit.  The nutritional data for cow ears is as follows:

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein    (Min.) 83.00%
Crude Fat          (Min.) 4.00%
Crude Fiber      (Max.) 8.00%
Moisture           (Max.) 5.00%

Pig Ears are a pink/brown/hazel color and are also a great dog chew.  These have been around forever and are a little higher in fat than Cow Ears.  Just like the Cow Ears the Pig Ears will have a faint pork smell that is all natural.  The following is the nutritional data on Pig Ears:

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein    (Min.) 66.00%
Crude Fat          (Min.) 20.00%
Crude Fiber      (Max.) 4.00%
Moisture           (Max.) 10.00%Please also consider some of our other unique natural items like beef monster bones, trachea chips, or pig ear strips!