101 Dog Care Tips - Selecting the Right Boarding Facility for Your Dog? - Tip 6

Selecting the Right Boarding Facility for Your Dog?

No one likes to have to go away and leave their pooch behind.  There are several things that you should keep in mind when selecting the boarding facility for your pooch.

First contact the facility that you are interested in to make sure that they have availability for the dates that you want.  (during holidays, good facilities book up early)

Make an unannounced stop in to tour the facility.  Mornings are typically clean-up time, so if you visit in the afternoon and things are still out of sorts, that could be a bad sign.  Also, if they are not willing to give you a tour, that is also a reason to move on to a different facility and scratch this on off the list.

Find out how often your pet will be fed.  Also, will they have their own water bowl and how often they are excised during the day? Some dogs do not do well on foreign types of food, so ask if you are able to bring your own food to the boarding facility.  These are all important factors in minimizing the stress of your pooches at these facilities.

Take notice of the employees.  Are they friendly and cooperative?  Are they willing to take the time to answer the questions that you have?  Are they trained and caring?  Take notice of the way that they are interacting with the dogs while you are going on your tour.  Are they treating them gently and are they taking time in handling them?  Also, staff on site 24 hours is a great benefit, just in case something would happen.

Find out about their requirements for proof of immunizations and what immunizations they require.  Although this is a pain, it is for the protection of your pooch.  The more immunizations they require, the less chance there is to contract something.  You may also want to ask about their policies regarding flea and tick control and if they give all leaving pets a flea bath or shower.

Also ask what procedures are taken if a pooch appears to be ill or refuses to eat.  In addition, a veterinarian on staff or on call is very beneficial.

These are just a few of the things that will help in making your pooches stay pleasant.  If you ask the right questions, you will feel more comfortable when the time comes to drop your pooch off and drive away.  Also, make sure to leave your dogs with a bully stick or dog treat so that they are occupied when in their room!

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Best Bully Sticks First Sponsored Dog - Montana

Montana

On April 13, 2008, a star was born.  We would like to introduce Montana, a 9 month old chocolate lab, who is making her start in two organization DockDogs and Ultimate Air Dogs.  Montana showed a love for water early on in her life and mom, Karman and dad, Eric knew she was set for stardom in Ultimate Air Dogs and DockDogs (besides the fact that they say it is an addicting sport anyway).  Since then and after working very hard, Montana has earned an AKC CGC (Canine Good Citizen) and has made several great appearances at Ultimate Air Jumping and DockDogs events.

DockDogs Jumping Pool

Her first official jumping event (they must be over 6 months to qualify), in Novi, Michigan proved to be a great start!  Montana earned 2nd place in the senior jumping division at a UAD event.  But wait…. this is just the first official event.   In her second competition, last weekend, in Louisville, Kentucky @ a DockDogs event, Montana earned 2 First place finishes, 1 Second place finish, and 1 Third place finish!  This has clutched her a spot in the finals for the semi-pro division.

We are very happy to sponsor Montana and excited to watch her progress, she is only 9 months old, and has tons of time to grow.  We would like to think that Montana’s success is due to the great, all natural dog treats that she enjoys, but we don’t think that is the case!  Please follow our blog for updated and exciting information on Montana!

Best Bully Sticks is proud to sponsor its fist canine athlete, please join us in rooting her on and wishing her luck......

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101 Dog Care Tips - Dog Food and Treats - Tip 5

101 Dog Care Tips - Dog Food and Treats - Tip 5

My Parents always used to say “ You either pay at the doctor, or by eating well”.  The same goes for our pooches.  There are so many options out there for things such as food, supplements, and treats.  There are a few key things that you might want to consider before selecting these for your dogs.

•    The more natural the better.  Food and treats that contain all kinds of ingredients that you can’t pronounce, mean more artificial ingredients.

•    Grains like corn and wheat have shown to cause food allergies for our pooches.  Consider grain choices when buying your food.

•    Food sources that contain the meat rather than the by-products mean a higher quality food

We recommend looking into small companies that make pet food in batches in the United States and are preferably all natural with minimal ingredients.  Feeding raw food is also another great option, as you as the owner has total control over what your pups are eating!  There are now even frozen patties or mixes that make this option even easier to do.  Watch your dog when changing diets to make sure that they are not having bathroom issues, excessive itching, or other symptoms, which could potentially signal an allergy to something in the food.

No body likes having to give their pooches pills.  Fish oil is a great supplement which contributes to both skin and cardiovascular system health.  Salmon oil, in the liquid form can be put in their water or over their food.

When buying your dogs treats, make sure that they are a high quality meat or vegetable product, which are fully digestible.  Many treats out there (including raw hide) are not digestible, which can pose problems if your pooch swallows a piece.

Lastly, always do your homework!  There is a wealth of information on food and treats available on the Internet and in print today.  Look into reviews of the food you are feeding and pay close attention to recalls and customer complaints!  We hope that all pups out there stay happy and healthy!

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Wholesale Bags are Back

Wholesale Bags are Back

We wanted to let everyone know that our wholesale bags of bully sticks are back on the site!  We are offering small/medium bully sticks in both 6 inch and 12 inch sizes in quantities of 100.  These are an exceptional value and great to order and save in the freezer or share with friends.  As always, these are limited, so they will not be around long!

We are also launching wholesale quantities of US made pig ears on our site.  We have traveled to the Midwest and secured a great new source of pig ears that are extremely high quality and whole and uncut.  We have found over the last few months that many suppliers have been selling halved or cut ears as regular pig ears and this just isn't really fair, dogs everywhere are outraged and we have stepped in to help them!  We are selling the ears in 25,50, 100, and 200 count units.  These ears are also not "greasy", something which is very common with many of the pig ears we have seen on the market.

We look forward to continuing to bring you the Internet's largest and most unique selection of dog chews and treats in 2009; thank you for your continued business and support!

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101 Dog Care Tips - Skin Care - Tip 4

101 Dog Care Tips - Skin Care - Tip 4

Although all dogs probably don’t care about what there coat looks like, it is very important to keep a shiny, healthy coat!   Besides just looking and feeling better, healthy skin and coat can in most cases indicate the overall health of the pooch.  Sudden changes in coat can indicate underlying medical problems.  Below are several recommendations to ensure healthy, happy skin and coat:

Feed your dog a nutritious diet with the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, including omega fatty acids and Vitamin E. About 20-25 percent of the diet should be protein.

Add one teaspoon of flax seed or fish oil to your dog’s daily food.  This will not only add shine and help to reduce shedding, but also benefits your pooches cardiovascular system.

Brush your dog at least once a week, preferably even more, but we know it can be difficult.  If your dog is a shedder, do it more often. This distributes the natural oils, prevents matting and helps minimize dust and dirt, which can cause irritation.  We recommend the Furminator.   It is not only the best for removing extra hair, but they also love the feel.

Try different dog shampoos. There are moisturizing shampoos for a dry or brittle coat, oatmeal shampoo for itchy, irritated skin and dandruff and botanical or herbal shampoos for an overall healthier coat. Biotin helps with dry skin and panthenol adds shine to the coat.

Make sure to take your dog to a veterinarian for regular checkups, which should include inspection of the entire coat, including the tail and paws.  Sometimes skin problems can be hidden in places that we do not typically see, like between paws or under their belly.

Please let us know what you if there are any suggestions for future Dog Care Tips!

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