Breed Spotlight

Old England: a green, luscious and pastoral place that reckons back to the family farms and quaint homesteads. The dog that fits into this scene is one that is old, English and friendly to boot. BestBullySticks.com spotlights the Old English Sheepdog, a dog with lots of fur and lots of happiness to share with his family.

History & Background: First simply called “The Shepherd’s Dog,” Old English Sheepdogs originated as working dogs in pastoral England. Most speculate this dog was developed from the Bearded Collie and Russian Owtchar.  Farmers quickly learned these dogs were highly intelligent and used the dogs as drovers and herders. Farmers began to dock these dog’s tails as a symbol the dogs were used for working purposes, which earned them a tax exemption. Just as the farmers would shear the sheep, the dogs were shorn as well and their coats make into warm blankets and clothing.

In the late 19^th century, this dog was first shown in Birmingham, England and gained popularity throughout England shortly after. This dog has changed very little since then. Exported to the U.S. in the 1880s, the breed quickly became a household pet in 5 of the 10 wealthiest American families.  To this day, Old English Sheepdogs are commonly seen as family pets and in the show ring.

Height: Males: 22-24 inches; Females: 20-22 inches

Weight: Males: 65+ pounds; Females: 60+ pounds

Coat: An Old English Sheepdog has a lot of hair, which covers the whole body, but not so much hair as to make this dog look overly fluffy or even appear fat. The texture of the coat is shaggy and coarse, not straight or soft. The undercoat is waterproof but is sometimes removed in grooming or nonexistent during warmer seasons. The coat is also a good guard against cold, heat and moisture. The body of the OES is well coated including the skull. The ears have medium-length hair. In confirmation showings, only the feet and rear are trimmed, otherwise this breed is show in its natural state.  Read more

Chinook is an Inuit word meaning “warm winter winds.” BestBullySticks.com sees how the dog that shares this name lives up to the meaning. With a warm colored and thick coat made for winter, a warm disposition and incredible speed and agility; the Chinook is truly a beautiful dog. Chinooks were companions of great adventurers and today they serve as the state dog of New Hampshire. Read more about the Chinook in BBS’s Breed Spotlight.

History & Background: The first descendant of the Chinook passed on many things to the progeny of the breed, including its name. The father of the breed was named Chinook and was the result of breeding one of the dogs from the first North Pole expedition team and a husky breed. Chinook’s owner, Arthur Treadwell Walden, was amazed at this non-breed dog’s sledding ability and disposition. It’s thought that Walden, also the lead driver and trainer on the 1929 first Antarctic expedition, took Chinook to work with him but died while there. Chinook’s offspring and generations after were bred with Belgian and German Shepherds to create the modern Chinook.

Over the years, only a handful of breeders and fanciers were in charge of advancing this breed. Today about 800 Chinooks are in existence and are listed on the Foundation Stock Services and Miscellaneous class of the AKC. This breed isn’t used as a sled dog by many owners, but mostly serves as a wonderful companion dog for families.

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

Weight: 55 to 90 pounds Read more

Straight out of folklore or a country song, the Bluetick Coonhound is somewhat of an American legend. This dog’s resolute look and temperament along with it’s “go-get-‘em” work ethic make the Bluetick a true specimen of a dog and hound. As much as this dog is hardworking, he is loyal and gentle as well. Read more about the Bluetick Coonhound in BestBullySticks.com Breed Spotlight. 

History & Background: Originating in Louisiana, this dog is a result of breeding the French Bleu de Gascogne, English Foxhound, American Foxhound, Cur and Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound. Before they were called Blueticks, this breed was called the English Foxhound in America. In 1945, American breeders broke off from English breeders because they didn’t want to pursue a “hot-nosed” breed but wanted to keep their “cold-nosed” breed with their own distinct hunting style.  This breed was officially recognized by the AKC in 2009.

Famous Blueticks are found in literature but even more so in songwriting. Artists such as Neil Young, Charlie Daniels, Blake Shelton and Emmylou Harris all sing about these Coonhounds. The University of Tennessee’s mascot is a Bluetick named Smokey.

Height: 22-27, Males; 21-25 inches, Females

Weight: 55-80 pounds, Males; 45-65 pounds, Females

Coat: This coonhound’s fur is coarse, short and lies close to the body. A healthy coat is soft and shiny.

Color: Just as it’s name suggests, the Bluetick Coonhound’s color is made up of dark blue and white ticking, creating a navy-like color. More blue than white is preferred in the breed standard.  This hound also has large black spots on its back, ears and sides and its ears and head are mostly black. Some red ticking can be present as well and usually is seen on the feet or lower legs. Blueticks can also have tan points, which appear as dots above the eyes, on cheeks, on the tail and below the tail. Read more

Sturdy. Steady. Spirited. The Giant Schnauzer isn’t really a “giant” but this large breed Schnauzer that is the largest of the three types: Miniature, Standard and Giant. This dog is a loyal, intelligent and affectionate dog to his family and loves running and romping. Powerful, get gentle, a Giant Schnauzer is a delightful dog all around. Read more about this dog in the Best Bully Sticks Breed Spotlight on the Giant Schnauzer.

History & Background: The Giant Schnauzer is a native of Germany, in particular the Wurttenberg and Bavaria. These were large farming areas and were in need of farm help. This large breed Schnauzer is the result of breeding Standard Schnauzers with Great Danes and Bouvier des Flandres. Farmers used Giant Schnauzers as drovers, which helped them drive or herd their cattle or pigs into market. These dogs were also used as guard dogs for breweries and butchers. During WWI, Giant Schnauzers were trained as police dogs.

The word “Schnauzer” is from the German word “Schnauze” which means “muzzle.” Germans call this dog “Riesenschnauzer” which literally translates to “The Giant.”

Height: 23 ½ to 27 ½ inches

Weight: 70 to 100 pounds

Coat: This Schnauzer has a dense, wiry and harsh outer coat with a soft undercoat. Hair on the head is harsh as are the Schnauzer’s most distinctive features, the beard and eyebrows.

Color: Giant Schnauzer’s only come in two colors: black and “Salt & Pepper.” Read more

The Australian Shepherd is a hardworking breed, yet a breed that doesn’t have to work hard to win an owner’s love or affection. Best Bully Sticks highlights this breed because they have a great history, temperament and not to forget, they’re beautiful. Read more about the Australian Shepherd below!

History & Background: The obvious guess as to where this breed originates would most likely be a wrong guess. It’s thought Australian Shepherds originated in the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France; yet earn their name because of the Basque shepherds who lived in Australia before coming to America in the 1800s. In practice, this dog is an American breed.

When new cattle species were introduced to the American West, so was a new breed of dog that worked well with the herds. Even in the dangerous altitudes of the Rocky Mountains, this breed was mostly unaffected. Ranchers all over the West were buying up these dogs for their own herds and began further developing the breed. The end result of this breeding gives us the Australian Shepherd that we know and love today; a dog that is adaptable, intelligent, has strong herding instincts and has a beautiful all-around look.

Today, there are still plenty of Australian Shepherds used as working dogs. However, this dog also excels at agility trials, flyball and Frisbee tournaments.

The Australian Shepherd was once called many different names like Spanish Shepherd, Pastor Dog, Bob-Tail, Blue Heeler, New Mexican Shepherd and California Shepherd.

Height: Males: 20 to 23 inches, Females: 18 to 21 inches

Weight: Males: 50 to 65 pounds, Females: 40 to 55 pounds

Coat: Aussies have a medium length coat, with a profuse amount of hair. The hair itself is soft, but not silky; coarse, but not hard. The AKC describes their coat as having a “medium texture.” An Australian Shepherd’s hair ranges from straight to wavy and is very abundant! This dog’s undercoat varies with climate. The hair on the head, ears and front of legs and below hock. Everywhere else on this dog is frill, mane and fur. Feathering appears on the back of the legs and the chest has a very thick layer of fur. Read more