Breed Spotlight

We always love getting emails from our customers & readers asking us to feature their dog or favorite breed for our Best Bully Sticks Spotlight on a Breed blog series every Thursday. As always we are honored to oblige. We are excited to spotlight the Finnish Spitz.

Height: Male 17½ - 20 inches, Female 15½ - 18 inches

Weight: Male 47-53 lb, Females 40-47 lb

Coat: The Finnish Spitz has a typical double coat, which consists of a soft, dense undercoat and long, harsh guard hairs that can measure one to two inches long. The coat should be stiffer, denser, and longer on the neck, back, back of thighs, and plume of the tail, whilst shorter on the head and legs. Dogs should sport a slightly longer and coarser coat than the females, who are slightly more refined. However the plume of the tail is important to the overall look of the dog but should not be too long. Feathered long tail hairs without sustenance can give the dog an unkempt look. Additionally the tailset is important and the Finnish Spitz should be able to move its tail from one side to the other. Most Finnish Spitz have a preferred side and this is not incorrect.

Proper care of the coat is most important. The Finnish Spitz blows coat or loses its undercoat twice a year. It is imperative that owners brush out the old undercoat so the new coat can grow properly. Excessive undercoat can cause skin problems and although a dog may look fluffy and full, the undercoat may be causing serious skin problems.

Color: They are golden-red in color, and the hues range in shade from a pale honey to a deep auburn. The undercoat is always more pale than the outer coat, giving the dog a “glowing” appearance. Finish Spitz are solid in color with white markings at the toes and the chest.

Appearance: The Finnish Spitz is a medium size dog with a square build, meaning that the length of the body is the same, or slightly shorter than the height of the withers to the ground. It should look like a fox with a fluffier coat. The length of the body is measured from the point of the shoulder or forechest in front of the withers to the rump, giving a truly square dogs a short back. Females are usually a little longer in the back. Both dogs and females should appear slightly longer in the leg.

They have pointed muzzles, prick ears and come in bright colors ranging from pale honey to vibrant golden-red. The nose, lips and rims of the eyes are black in color. The ears sit high atop the head, are erect, pointed and open towards the front of the dog. Their feet are round, like the feet of a cat and the tail is plumed and curls over the back and down the side of the dog

The Finnish Spitz is a double coated breed but the outer coat should not exceed 2½ inches at the ruff. The undercoat is soft and lighter in color than the red/gold outer coat. The undercoat will shed twice a year, and if a Finnish Spitz is to be kept healthy, a good shedding of the undercoat when the dog is ready to "blow coat" is needed.

Temperament: This breed is active, alert and lively. They need one or two long walks each day and they will be fairly inactive indoors. This breed will not adapt well to a strictly kenneled living situation; they need a balance of outdoor exercise and indoor time with the family. Finnish Spitz are considered to interact well with people and they are especially good with children. They are always ready to play with children but if ignored, they will usually walk away. As with all dogs, young children and dogs should always be supervised when together. It is an independent breed and will attach to the family while remaining aloof with strangers. The Finnish Spitz is a protective breed, with males tending to have more domineering traits than females. Most Finnish Spitz get along well with other dogs in the home. They are bred as a hunting dog and thus are unreliable around small animals, but may do alright with cats.

Health: The life expectancy for Finnish Spitz is 12  to 15 years. The Finnish Spitz is typically a very healthy breed, and health concerns are rare. Here is a short list of health problems that may occur: Hip dysplasia, Patellar luxation Elbow dysplasia and Epilepsy.

Is your dog barking for his or her time in the spotlight?

If you would like your dog spotlighted or want to recommend a dog breed you love for our next Best Bully Sticks Spotlight on a Breed entry please send us an email with the subject "Spotlight My Dog" or tweet @bestbullysticks. If you are submitting your very own dog don't forget to send over a photogenic pic  and a short 2-3 sentence bio about your canine buddy.

We always love getting emails from our customers & readers asking us to feature their dog or favorite breed for our Best Bully Sticks Spotlight on a Breed blog series every Thursday. As always we are honored to oblige. We are excited to spotlight the Kai (aka Tiger Dog).

Height: (M): 45 - 60 lb, (F): 35 - 50 lb

Weight: (M): 21 - 23.5", (F): 20 - 22"

Coat: Huskies have a double coat that features medium-length hair. The top coat is straight and the undercoat feels soft and dense.

Color: Huskies come in a variety of colors and markings, from black to pure white, gray and white with colored markings on the body that include reds and coppers. Their eyes can be brown, blue, or a combination. Their faces sport masks that add to their eye appeal.

Appearance: Siberian Huskies are medium-sized, graceful members of the Working Group with a distinct wolf-like appearance. Siberians have a double-layered, medium length coat which acts as insulation against both cold and heat. The dog's fur is usually black and white, gray and white, copper-red and white, or pure white. The breed often has white paws and legs in addition to unique markings on the face. The brush tail is covered by thick fur and is sometimes carried in a sickle-shaped curve over the dog's back. The Siberian Husky has triangular, erect ears and beautiful eyes that can be brown, hazel, blue, or a combination of these colors. Siberian Huskies have strong chests and backs, well-muscled upper thighs, and are known for being athletic, elegant dogs.

Temperament: Siberian Huskies are typically friendly, calm, attentive, and sociable. Like many other Working Dogs, though, they can be very independent and hard to manage. An experienced owner capable of firm training is a must. Siberian Huskies are very intelligent and respond well to training, which should begin at a young age. Although Huskies do not bark much, they are prone to whining and vocalizing a “yowl” sound – this can be stamped out through good training. Because of their friendly and inquisitive nature and their reluctance to bark, Siberian Huskies make poor watchdogs. They tend to be very gentle with small children.

Health: The average lifespan of this breed is between 11-13 years. Huskies are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they're prone to certain health conditions. Not all Huskies will get any or all of these diseases, but it's important to be aware of them if you're considering this breed. Huskies are prone to hip dysplasia , elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and von Willebrand's disease.

Is your dog barking for his or her time in the spotlight?

If you would like your dog spotlighted or want to recommend a dog breed you love for our next Best Bully Sticks Spotlight on a Breed entry please send us an email with the subject “Spotlight My Dog” or tweet @bestbullysticks. If you are submitting your very own dog don’t forget to send over a photogenic pic  and a short 2-3 sentence bio about your canine buddy.

We always love getting emails from our customers & readers asking us to feature their dog or favorite breed for our Best Bully Sticks Spotlight on a Breed blog series every Thursday. As always we are honored to oblige. We are excited to spotlight the Kai (aka Tiger Dog).

Height: Male: 18-22; Female: 17-20 inches

Weight: 25-55 lbs

Coat: The Kai is a double coat breed. The outer coat is medium to long in length, straight, and harsh. The under coat is dense, thick, and soft. The fur is shorter on the ears, head, and legs. It is longer on the body and tail. Puppies are born black with fuzzy coats and the brindle emerges as the adult coat comes in. The brindle markings may not be fully apparent until adulthood.

Color: The brindle pattern of coat color is the Kai's most distinguishing breed characteristic and has given rise to his nickname as the Tora (meaning Tiger) dog. The frequent colors in the Kai Dog are brindled by using black, reddish colored, or any generally bluish brindle, oftentimes with bright markings to the legs.

Appearance: The Kai is a medium-sized, sturdily-built, Spitz-type dog, with a wedge-shaped head, prick ears, and a harsh, straight brindle coat of medium length. The correct relationship of height to length of body is 10:11. The tail may be curled over the back or carried over the back in a sickle position. The appearance of the Kai is similar to the other working Japanese Spitz breeds, smaller than the Akita and larger than the Shiba.

Temperament: The Kai breed is extremely devoted, affectionate, and loyal. The Kai is reserved with strangers and is a trustworthy guardian. They do well with children and dogs they have been raised with. While Kais may be somewhat reserved with strangers, they are very friendly with people and are not aggressive with other dogs. The Kai makes an excellent watch dog or home protector. Kai have been known to climb trees and swim in pursuit of their prey. Due to their high prey drive they are not recommended for homes with non-canine pets. They typically form a close attachment to one family member. They are naturally calm, quiet, and clean indoors. The Kai is a sturdy, muscular dog of exceptional courage and agility.

Health: The life expectancy for a Kai is about 12-15 years. Due to the rarity of this breed there are no known health issues.

Is your dog barking for his or her time in the spotlight?

If you would like your dog spotlighted or want to recommend a dog breed you love for our next Best Bully Sticks Spotlight on a Breed entry please send us an email with the subject “Spotlight My Dog” or tweet @bestbullysticks. If you are submitting your very own dog don’t forget to send over a photogenic pic  and a short 2-3 sentence bio about your canine buddy.

Height: 12–15 inches (30–38 cm)

Weight: 50–65 pounds

Coat: short, sleek, smooth, hard and shiny

Color: Bassets are generally tricolor (black, tan, and white), open red and white (red spots on white fur), closed red and white (a solid red color with white feet and tails), Honey And White (honey colored back, light brown spotty nose and legs, light brown tails with white tip) and lemon and white. Some Bassets are also classified as a rare gray or blue.

Appearance: Basset Hounds have long, low-set ears and powerful necks, with much loose skin around their heads that forms wrinkles. Their tails are long and tapering and stand upright with a curve. The breed is also known for its hanging skin structure, which causes the face to have a permanently sad look; this, for many people, adds to the breed's charm. The loose, elastic skin around the neck and trailing ears are thought to help catch the scent of what they are tracking. Basset Hounds are a "large dog" on short legs, surprisingly they are long and can reach things on table tops that dogs of similar heights cannot.

Temperament: A mild mannered, even tempered, and laid back breed, the Basset Hound is a breed of dog that is ideal for inexperienced dog owners and those with children or other pets, as he is a sociable creature and gets along with other animals as well as kids and adults. This is a breed that is largely very peace-loving and has a very cheerful disposition. Some Basset Hounds love to act the clown and others will carry themselves with dignity and calmness. The breed tends to be calm, polite and amiable around strangers. These dogs have a great sense of humor, and make wonderful companion and family pets

These dogs have a very responsive nature, and fare well with patient training methods. The Basset Hound is an animal that will be quite happy lazing by the fire, but his tendency to put on weight means that he will need to be exercised on a regular basis. The Basset Hound can sometimes be stubborn, and beware of his love of food, as he will be quite happy to steal any food that he finds on his travels. Although training these dogs is moderately easy with the right attitude, they can be very difficult to housebreak.

Health: The Basset Hound has a life expectancy of around 10-12 years. A number of health problems and issues are associated with this breed and this includes luxating patella, PRA, ectropion, entropion, epilepsy, elbow dysplasia, spinal problems, bleeding disorders, glaucoma, vWD, thyroid problems, and ear infections.

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Become a Facebook Fan, “Like” our page & Help us reach 10,000 fans.

When we reach 10,000 fan “Likes” all of our Facebook fans will be eligible to enter a giveaway to win a grand prize. We can’t spill the beans yet! The quicker we get to 10,000 “Likes” the sooner you can learn what that grand prize is. Thanks for “Liking” our page.