Tag: All Natural Dog Food

Emergencies do happen. And sometimes, finding your way to the doctor can be difficult. Becoming familiar with Basic First Aid procedures is a great way to minimize harm and bring stability to emergency situations. The first week of May is National Pet Week, and we at BestBullySticks wanted to get a head start helping raise awareness for animal first aid.

Even if you’re certified to administer first aid on people, don’t go trying to play veterinarian! Advanced veterinary first aid should only be administered by certified individuals or a veterinarian. The American Red Cross is a great resource for education on the subject and even offers courses in Pet First Aid. Let’s look at some basic steps to you can take to ensure both you and your pet prepared for anything.

Identification

While safety starts with proper identification, a collar and tags are only the beginning. Microchipping is now widely available and no longer prohibitively expensive. Pets sometimes get lost. And while collars can come off — or even worse be taken off — microchipping provides a surefire backup plan that will last a lifetime. Costing only $45 on average, microchipping is the first step to safety with your pet.

First Aid Supplies

Keep a list of phone numbers on hand including your veterinarian's number, and others like the Animal Poison Control Center: 888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435) and a local emergency veterinary clinic. In the case something happens to you, keep a friend’s number handy who is capable of caring for your pet in your absence. It’s also a good idea to maintain a history of your pet’s medications and vaccinations for reference. The American Veterinary Medical Association has compiled a comprehensive list of pet first aid supplies that should be in your emergency kit. Read more

With Earth Day rapidly approaching — April 22nd to be exact — we at BestBullySticks thought this would be a great opportunity to share ideas about making the most of this important holiday. After all, a clean and healthy environment will benefit both humans and their pets across the globe. First things first, though. Let’s take a step back take a look at the origins of this great holiday.

Earth Day

Originally conceived by John McConnell, an advocate of peace, religion, science and the common good, the idea of Earth Day was first presented in 1969 at a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) summit in San Francisco.

What was to follow was entirely grassroots in nature. Earth Day began as a peaceful cross-country demonstration celebrated by over twenty million Americans on April 22nd, 1970. With such widespread support, lawmakers were quick to take notice of just how interested people were in environmental awareness, and more importantly, reform.

Following the events of April 22nd, 1970, momentum for the movement steadily grew and by 1990 the initiative was taken internationally. Now organized by the Earth Day Network, Earth Day is celebrated in 141 nations across the globe! Read more

With spring here and loads of outdoor excitement ahead, we at BestBullySticks want to make sure you and your pet enjoy the sunny days ahead to the fullest. While there are some outdoor activities that can pose health risks to your pooch, rest assured— we’re here to make sure you can nip them in the bud! Here are three hazards to watch out for this season:

Lyme Disease

The first step to protecting your dog from Lyme disease is to ensure they’re on the appropriate preventative medications. We strongly suggest an all-natural flea and tick alternative to the toxic ingredients found in many medications. Common spot treatments are chock full of chemicals and have been reported to pose a threat to both pets and their human owners.

Caused by bacteria from the genus Borrelia, Lyme disease is primarily transmitted by deer ticks during the height of tick season (May through August). Borrelia-carrying ticks generally need to be attached for 18 hours to transmit infection. Should you suspect your loved one may have come down with Lyme disease take them to the vet immediately— here are a few early warning symptoms to look out for:

• Lameness accompanied by joint inflammation and stiff walking

• Fever, difficulty breathing and lack of appetite

• Swelling of the lymph nodes close to the tick bite

BestBullySticks.com has a whole host of all-natural flea and tick control products available through our online store. Don’t give Lyme disease the chance to affect your dog’s health this coming season. Read more

The next time you take a stroll down the pet aisle at your local grocery store to pick up dog food take a closer look at your store's offerings. Far too many brands, even the big names touting naturality, are only selling to you and not your dog's dietary needs. Loaded with grain-based fillers, these products are simply ill-suited for your dog. Don't worry, BestBullySticks has you covered!

From a biological standpoint, all dogs are scavenging carnivores. There's no refuting it! From the smallest Yorkie to the biggest Great Dane, your
loved ones need a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Luckily, our friends over at Orijen have come up with a fantastic dry dog food formulated with only the freshest all-natural regional ingredients. Read more

BestBullySticks.com knows that dog lovers have to be the healthy conscience for their dogs.  Making smart feeding choices is a large part of those choices, but it’s not always easy to know what’s best for your dog. Feeding high quality kibble is a great foundation, but each dog has different nutritional needs. Talking to your vet about a good feeding supplements might be best for you four-legged best friend. But, BestBullySticks.com thinks this Easy Crockpot Chicken & Brown Rice recipe is a great start! Packed with great veggies and protein, your pet will love this addition to his food bowl! This hearty addition to your dog’s food is perfect for the cooler months as well.

Ingredients
Base
1 cup brown rice

2 cups water

Vegetables
1/2 lb. green beans, broken into segments

1 medium sweet potato, raw, cut into medium-sized chunks (leave skin on)

3 carrots, sliced into about 1" thick rounds

Protein
2 boneless chicken breasts (with or without skin)

Directions
1. Put all ingredients into the crockpot in the order given (layer, don’t mix).

2. Cook on low for about 8 hours, on high for about 5 hours.

3. When done, stir, breaking up the chicken into small pieces. Everything will be quite soft.

4. Let cool and serve; can be used with a quality kibble or by itself, in a serving size appropriate for your dog’s weight and activity level.

Refrigerate unused portion; keeps up to three days.

Substitutions are allowed! For vegetables, try broccoli florets, zucchini, spinach or any of several types of squash. For the protein source, beef cubes, turkey or lamb also work. Use organic ingredients if possible.

Bone Appétit!

Be sure to check out all of Best Bully Sticks Weekly Drool Recipes to find a great homemade treat for your pooch! We've got great Fall recipes like Gluten-Free Cheddar Pumpkin Treats, 1-Ingredient Sweet Potato Treats, Peanut Butter Pumpkin Biscuits and more for a great festive Autumn treat!