Tag: best bully sticks

A breed with the “look of a lamb and the heart to of a lion,” the Bedlington Terrier is quite a unique dog. Best Bully Sticks is amazed at the distinctive look, attitude and features of this dog that truly puts this dog in a class of its own. BBS thinks you’ll be equally delighted in this friendly but feisty breed.

History & Background: The Bedlington Terrier is named after a mining town, Bedlington, in the county of Northumberland, England where it was first bred. This dog was first called the Rothbury or Rodbery Terrier after an area on the English coast where one of the first ancestors of this breed was kept for studding. This breed was originally used to hunt rodents in the mines and then later for racing. The Bedlington was also used as a hunter for foxes, hares and badgers because of its build for speed. It’s said that the Bedlington could have been the ancestor of the Irish Kerry Blue Terrier. This breed was recognized early on by the AKC in 1886.

Height: Males: average of 16 ½ inches; Females: average of 15 ½ inches

Weight: 17 to 13 pounds

Coat: The Bedlington’s coat is somewhat odd because it is made up of both soft and hard fur. The hair stands away from the body and curls, especially on the head and face. Some say this breed’s coat has a “lint” texture. Even more distinctive is the cut of this terrier. When this dog has been groomed for the show ring, the body coat doesn’t exceed 1 inch, however the face, ears and legs usually have longer hair. Pared with the shape of this terrier’s head, this cut makes the Bedlington look much more like a lamb than a dog. Read more

In 1999, Pet Sitters International figured out a fun way to bring your furry best friend to work, while raising awareness for adoptable dogs across the nation.  Slated for this Friday, June 22nd, Take Your Dog To Work Day has now expanded to the full week leading up to the event (June 18-22).  TYDTWDay has been going strong for over ten years and Best Bully Sticks wants to help you plan a successful dog-friendly day at work. Even if you can’t plan an event for this week, use these tips to plan your own TYDTWDay!

The Checklist of Approval
Before you load up Fido for a full day’s work at the office, you’ll need to go through the proper channels of approval to make sure TYDTWDay is even welcome. You’ll need to ask:

1. Human Resources: Start with HR to see if there is a TYDTWD event being planned already or if there might be restrictions against it. If not, show HR the takeyourdog.com website to see if there might be any objections to this type of event. If not, ask HR the right channels you would have to go through to begin approving this type of event. (Your BOSS!)

2. Your Boss: Each boss is different, but one thing all bosses have in common are the need for contingency plans. You’ll want to be fully prepared when asking your boss about a TYDTWD event. Your boss will be impressed and ready to make a decision. Remember; think about the questions your boss might ask about dogs being in the office. Consider these things:

Plan ahead what you will say. Have you ever had to give a presentation at work? Put TYDTWDay in the same context.

Consider contingency plans. Where will the dogs stay? Where will the dogs eat? Where will the dogs go the bathroom? What if dogs are aggressive? Think of all of these things and have ready answers for your boss.

Suggest having a pet sitter or designated pet handler there for the day. This can be a hired professional, or just a dog-friendly and eager intern! Show your boss this can be a great way to allow work to happen because the dog’s needs are being taken care of. Read more

Last week, Best Bully Sticks had the chance to talk with Maria Dales, Director & Founder of German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County. This completely volunteer run breed rescue in Southern California has a lot of fire in their bellies and networking abilities to make a difference in many doggy lives. Read more about GSROC in the BBS Rescue Spotlight below. (We think you’ll especially enjoy Maria’s rescue success stories.)

When & Why did you start?
In 1998, we began as a small offshoot chapter of a larger LA-based German Shepherd Rescue group.  We began by transporting one dog at a time from LA to market that dog in Orange County because at that time there were no German Shepherd Rescue groups in OC.  Thanks to the dedication and compassion of our great volunteers, we quickly grew and realized that we needed to form our own organization.  We incorporated German Shepherd Rescue OC in 2005 and have consistently rescued and re-homed more dogs each year.

I personally feel that shepherds are misunderstood and largely underappreciated.  The thought of these incredibly intelligent, loving and loyal dogs languishing in animal shelters is overwhelming. I know that we can't stop or slow down when so many beautiful shepherds need our help.  Every single dog that comes to us was once a beautiful little puppy full of hope and promise--probably someone's pride and joy, at least for a while.  We owe it to these dogs to do everything we can to turn their lives around and put them back on the road to happiness.

What's different about your rescue?
Our volunteers embrace their rescue responsibilities as they would a "paying" job.  We try to set an example for other rescues to follow.  We have high standards for our adopters as well as for our volunteers.  I'm continually amazed by the level of commitment and dedication that our team members demonstrate.  Even as I write this at 9:30 PM, ten volunteers are out searching with flashlights for a missing dog.  A key differentiator for GSROC is that we focus on quality placements, not volume placements.  It is important to us that we choose solid, stable, loving homes for our dogs, and that we take the time and care to make prudent decisions to ensure the wellbeing of the dogs depending on us. Read more

It’s the time of year when veggies and flowers are growing and blooming! Best Bully Sticks knows that this vegetation will not only provide healthy food during the summer months, but creates a colorful array of nature’s beauty. There are many who love their gardens and tend them carefully as if it were a child or masterfully as if it were a piece of art. Many of those same people are just as passionate about dogs; yet canine friends and gardens don’t always mesh well. That’s why this week Best Bully Sticks is going to dole out some fertilizer to the garden patch and pooch relationship with tips and tricks for gardening with your dog.

Garden Needs
Some life stages of your garden are more fragile than others, particularly the beginning stages when sprouts need to be coddled a bit. However, your pooch is 100% indifferent to protecting those plants. Here are a few tips to protect the needs of your garden.

Knowing your dog is the first step in knowing how to address the issues of garden protection. Some dogs may not have any interest in romping in a garden bed, while others may feel a bit more mischievous. Knowing your dog’s behavior and attitudes will give you the first clues in how to pooch-proof your garden.

Training your dog to keep out of the garden can be done by simply utilizing commands he already knows such as out, sit, no, and stay. However you’ll want to start with these commands as soon as you start preparing to plant. The sooner your dog knows that a particular patch of dirt is off-limits, the less likely he is to romp through it when veggies or flowers are growing. Repetition of commands, consistency with training and the sooner the better: all good words of wisdom in training your dog to keep out of the garden. Read more

Rottweilers—the protector of humans. Because ultimately, this dog saves lives through its work. And this dog does work; as a police dog, a guard dog, a rescue dog and even as a therapy dog. Read more about the origins of this dog in the Best Bully Sticks Breed Spotlight on the Rottweiler.

History & Background: Rottweiler’s hail from Rottweil, Germany where they were used as herding dogs for sheep and for carrying carts full of goods to market.  In fact, Rottweiler’s are one of the oldest herding breeds. Rottweiler’s were selectively breed for their herding and guarding characteristics but as the need for these skills diminished over the years, breeding slowed down. At one point in the early 1900s there was only one living female Rottweiler in Rottweil, Germany. Not too long after this, Rottweiler clubs were started to preserve the breed and since, the breed hasn’t changed much at all.

During and since WWI & WWII the Rottweiler has been used a police dog, messenger, ambulance and guard dogs. The AKC recognized this breed in 1931

Height: 24"-27" for males; 22"-25" for females

Weight: 110-132 lbs for males; 77-105 lbs for females

Coat: Rottweiler’s coats are simply designed: a medium-length, dense and flat outer coat and an undercoat, which is mostly present on neck and thighs. The amount of undercoat will depend on the climate the dog is in, but should never show through the outer coat. This breed only sheds seasonally. Read more