Tag: Bully Sticks

Are you looking to support your favorite local animal shelter or rescue but aren't ready for the full commitment of pet ownership permanently. Well, not only can you volunteer your money or  time at your local shelter but maybe you want to become a foster parent.

Fostering a needed pet can be richly rewarding & wonderful experience for you and a deserving shelter animal. There are a large number of pets that need fostering. Animal shelters & rescues are in desperate need of people to open their hearts & homes temporarily to a needy animal.

Although you may not be able to keep the pet permanently, you are providing the best possible environment, along with plenty of love until he is placed in a forever home. Plus, you are alleviating some of the burden on overcrowded shelters. Fostering just one pet helps your community and makes a world of difference for that pet.

What is a foster parent? A foster parent takes care of a needy animal in their home for an agreed upon period of time. Foster care can involve administering medications for sick pets, feeding special foods to animals on strict medical diets, helping an animal to be more sociable with other animals or humans or simply giving a homeless pet a break from the cramped cages and excessive barking and smells at animal shelters.  Now that you have decided to take a big & fulfilling heart leap to help out a furry friend by fostering. Here are some ways to get started as a foster pet parent.

1. Temporary Housing. Consider that fostering a pet is temporary and be prepared for the day when a forever home is found. Make sure you discuss it with your kids and other family members so they know what to expect & to make sure your family is ready to be a foster family.  Hey,  with all this bonding time you might even decide to make your furry foster friend a permanent honorary member of the family. As long as you are providing a loving & nurturing home the animal shelter & rescue will happily oblige!

2. Call your local animal shelter or rescue. If you are interested in fostering a shelter animal contact your local animal rescue or shelter. You can also search local pet publications and online for listings of animal rescue organizations and shelters. Most of them will have foster programs.

3. Duration of Pet Stay. Decide how long you will be able to keep the pet. If it’s a puppy or kitten it will probably only be for a few weeks until they are old enough to be adopted. If it's an adult dog from a rescue group it might take several months until a home is found. Please don't overlook adult dogs when considering adopting or fostering because they are just as in need of a loving home.

5. Budget. Figure out your budget and how much you will be able to allot for food, maintenance and medical attention for the pet. And keep in in mind--if you have love to give and it's only your budget that's standing in the way--many rescue organizations and shelters will cover the cost of veterinary services, and in some cases food for the duration of the pet’s stay. It is normally your responsibility to transport the pet to the vet and to any adoption events.

6. Suits your Lifestyle. At a local animal shelter or rescue you will find dogs of all shapes, sizes, breeds, ages & temperaments. So, chose a foster a pet that fits your lifestyle. For instance, if you live in an apartment, you can request an older dog that is low energy or a dog recuperating from an illness or a cat. If you are an active family or have a house with a big yard, you can foster a pooch that needs plenty of exercise.

Don't wait to give back, make a difference and become a foster parent today! Your heart, animals & local shelter will thank you for it.

We would love to hear your foster pet parent story. Leave a comment below!

GIVEAWAY WORTH BARKING, TWEETING & BLOGGING ABOUT!!!!!

Do you have a favorite dog rescue or shelter? Well we want to know about them & reward them. We are giving 5 lucky dog shelters $600 each of our Fish Stix for dogs. Click banner to ENTER!

Thanks for voting! Tell your friends to vote for their favorite rescue & stay tuned for the final voting round!

Please make sure to check out our growing selection of dog treats, dog chews and of course bully sticks. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for Best Bully Stick News, New Products & Discounts!! For daily updates follow us on twitter @bestbullysticks

Bully Stick Alert: Bully Sticks or Buffalo Sticks from India

Please know you sources!  There is now a huge influx of "bully sticks and other natural treats" coming into the US market from India.  Several private labeled brands in the US are advertising these products as free-range, grass fed, and all natural.  The Indian buffalo market (not even beef) is unregulated and has several health concerns that we will discuss below.  Several companies have approached us, from India, offering lower costs of raw material, but we are committed to a high quality natural product; so we have decided to use only free-range beef from Brazil for our chews.

The bully sticks that we sell are only from cattle considered “green cattle” as they are not given hormones or fed corn, which cattle are not accustom to.  Our cattle graze freely on open grass fields and grow naturally. Products from India are almost always sun-dried, not baked and are not regulated like the bully sticks we offer on our site.  Although, it is much cheaper to sun dry bully sticks and other natural treats, the bad outweighs the good.  Our bully sticks are vertically baked to drain any residual liquid from the product.  Sun dried product is many times laid horizontally, out in the sun, so residual liquid remains in the product. This product typically has a high level of odor to it (a urine smell), or a chemical added to it to help with the smell.  There is also higher potential for diseases, such as foot and mouth disease, and the finished product is routinely affected with bacteria because the products temperature during cooking is not well regulated.  Also, because they are exposed to the environment, there is a great chance of bugs.  Although our treats are sometimes more expensive, the quality of the product remains high, and you do not have to worry about any of these issues with our products.

Many people ask why not make bully sticks from North American cattle?  The reason for this is that not only is it expensive, but most of the cattle in the US is kept in feedlots and encouraged to grow at a much faster rate (growth hormones) than is natural.  In addition, the US has very little grazing land, which forces farmers to over populate grazing areas.

Prior to purchasing any bully stick products you should first ask your pet store or online vendors the country of origin for their bully sticks and treats.  Don’t worry; they are legally obligated to inform you. We think your dogs’ health is most important, which is why we pay close attention to these types of details and only offer products that we feel comfortable feeding our own dogs.

Two Best Bully Sticks adoring fans! Italian Greyhounds from Chicago on vacation in Folly Beach, SC. Roscoe chewing on a Bully Stick (Bailey in background drinking water)

Height: Males 28 to 30 in &  females 27 to 28 in

Weight: Males 60 to 88 lbs & females 60 to 75 lbs

Coat: Soft, smooth, fine, short, firm coat that sheds a little.

Color: Vary from white to black, including fawn, gray, red, or brown, and any pattern from solid to pinto to brindle.

Appearance: Built for speed, the greyhound features long, muscular back legs, straight front legs, and a streamlined body. Its back is muscular and strong, featuring a very flexible, arched spine. The feet offer great leverage with their long, narrow shape. Overall, the head is long and narrow, and it features a long, powerful muzzle with strong, even teeth. With a spirited and intelligent expression, the eyes of the greyhound are both dark and bright. The ears are small, generally folded back, and sit on the widest part of the skull. The neck is graceful and blends smoothly into the arched back. The long tail is curved slightly upward and is carried low.

Temperament: Although greyhounds are extremely fast and athletic, and despite their reputation as racing dogs, they are not high-energy dogs. They are sprinters, and although they love running, they do not require extensive exercise. Most are quiet, gentle animals. An adult greyhound will stay healthy and happy with a daily walk of as little as 20 to 30 minutes. Greyhounds have been referred to as "Forty-five mile per hour couch potatoes.Gentle, quiet, and affectionate, the greyhounds make wonderful pets. This breed is loyal, friendly, and sensitive.

Unlike breeds that must be socialized as puppies to temper their dominant tendencies, the Greyhound needs early socialization to give it confidence and build self assurance. A Greyhound puppy that is not accustomed to noise and people at an early age can be excessively fearful of loud or persistent sounds and painfully timid with strangers. The greyhound is good with children but rough-housing with the dog should be discouraged. The greyhound is not prone to excessive barking and is generally easy to housebreak. This breed is even-tempered and graceful – a loyal dog that makes an excellent companion.

Health: The life expectancy for Greyhounds is about 10-13  years. Greyhounds are typically a healthy and long-lived breed, and hereditary illness is rare. Some greyhounds have been known to develop esophageal achalasia, bloat (gastric torsion), andosteosarcoma. Because the greyhound's lean physique makes it ill-suited to sleeping on hard surfaces, owners of companion greyhounds generally provide soft bedding; without bedding, greyhounds are prone to develop painful skin sores.

Due to the unique physiology and anatomy of greyhounds, a veterinarian who understands the issues relevant to the breed is generally needed when the dogs need treatment, particularly whenanaesthesia is required. Greyhounds cannot metabolize barbiturate-based anesthesia as other breeds can because they have lower amounts of oxidative enzymes in their livers. Greyhounds demonstrate unusual blood chemistry, which can be misread by veterinarians not familiar with the breed; this can result in an incorrect diagnosis.

Greyhounds have higher levels of red blood cells than other breeds. Since red blood cells carry oxygen to the muscles, this higher level allows the hound to move larger quantities of oxygen faster from the lungs to the muscles. Greyhounds have lower levels of platelets than other breeds. Veterinary blood services often use greyhounds as universal blood donors.

Famous Greyhounds

Santa's Little Helper- Simpson's Cartoon
Peritas- owned by  Alexander the Great
Byron & Blucher owned by General George Custer

If you would like to recommend a dog breed for our next Best Bully Sticks spotlight on a breed please send us an email or tweet @bestbullysticks

Please make sure to check out our growing selection of dog treats, dog chews, and of course our bully sticks .

Our photo gallery is growing constantly, please submit a photo of your dog enjoying any of our products to enter our twice monthly contest!

We love getting bark-mail from happy customers and love hearing their wonderful stories. As always, we are so lucky to be able to to give deserving dogs some bully stick chew joy! This story was sent over by a dog owner's friend, it was so heartfelt that we wanted to share it with you. This is a story of a proud dog owner and a happy go lucky husky with his Curly bully sticks.  It reads:

Dear Best Bully Stick Team,

I am actually sending in this photo on behalf of my friend, Jennifer, who volunteers at a Husky rescue and adopted a blind miniature husky couple months ago.

His name is Cash and he is a miniature siberian husky.  Both him and his brother were a product of bad breeding and both had distemper as puppies.  Fortunately both him and his brother survived and was pulled out of the shelter by the rescue.  Jennifer fostered both puppies who were visually impaired.  Unfortunately Tango (the brother) started having multiple seizures and his condition got so bad they eventually made the tough decision to put him down.

Cash survived and is doing really well in Jenn's care.  I took these pictures of when Cash visited our office where Jenn and I both work.  That day our package arrived so I divided the bully sticks and put them in a bag.

I wanted to send a few pictures in so you can see how happy Cash is with the bully sticks!  :)

Thanks,
Wendy

Here are some wonderful pics of Cash enjoying his Curly Bully Stick Chews. I guess they are so good he decided he wanted to eat the  entire bag, hey Cash you better save some for later. So, why is Cash going bonkers for these Curly Bully Stick Chews, well let us tell you!

1. They are a fun spiral shape.
2. Great tool to keep his teeth and gums healthy.
3. They are also a great delicious change of pace for his bully stick craving!

Please make sure to check out our growing selection of dog treats, dog chews and of course bully sticks. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for Best Bully Stick News, New Products & Discounts!!

New Discount Auto-Ship Program-Great Prices and Convenience!

We now offer you a truly convenient, money-saving shopping experience! When you complete your order, you have the option of selecting “Auto-Ship” and your dog will receive that same order at the time interval of your choice, from 2 to 6 weeks.

●      Receive a 6% discount when you select auto-ship
●      Lock in our current prices for up to a year

In this busy world, our auto-ship program is a great way to save time-and money!

Missing a Bone? If there is a particular type of dog bone you would like to see offered on bestbullysticks.com , please let us know and we will do out best to make it happen! One of our motto’s is “happy dog, happy owner & happy life”.

Sam's Yam's simply put are awesome! They are a single ingredient dog chew loved by dogs of all shapes and sizes. We carry three different varieties which are: Bichon Fries (For the Little Guys), Veggie Rawhide (For In Between Guys), and Big Boys (Well for the Big Boys). We have some good news for you & your deserving dog. All of our Sam's Yam's chews are on SALE!! Okay,  your dog can start sending us "Thank you" bark-mail.

As with all of the chews we offer, Sam's Yam's are great for your dog's teeth and gums. Although these might not last as long as a bully stick they are a great option to change things up!

Sweet potato is very high in anti-oxidants. We add nothing artificial, no sweeteners, colors, or processed food items. Sam's Yams are made of whole thick slabs of USA grown sweet potatoes, then dehydrated through a unique process. The dehydrated process locks in the sweet potatoes flavor & nutrients.

Made only of human food quality, fresh sweet potato and nothing more. The trick is in the patent pending drying process, where the sweet potato is transformed into a chew that has characteristics similar to rawhide or jerky. Basically, a vegetable rawhide-like chew. Best of all, Dogs Love Them!!! There are three different shapes and sizes available.

Top 10 Reasons Why You & Your Dog Can't Live Out Sam Yams Chews:

1. Dogs (almost) universally love the flavor of sweet potatoes.
2.Hardness and Patent Pending hard, ridged, grooved surface design helps clean teeth and gums. Well suited for senior dogs sensitive gum's &  teeth.
3.Safe to Chew-eliminates fears of Rawhide impaction or throat lodging. Our Sweet Potatoe chews offer the chew-ability that dogs love.
4.High in Fiber. Fiber dramatically improves digestive health.
5. Each chew has the nutritional value of half of a large sweet potato. High in the “Fido-Nutrients” your Dog Needs. Vitamin A, B6, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Iron, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin.
6.Will NOT STAIN carpets- No foul odors. Since these yam treats are vegetable based, there are no off- odors, or greasiness to contend.
7.Helps meet the need for 35% vegetables and fruit in the canine diet.
8. Low in Calories-High in Anti-Oxidants.
9. Sweet Potatoes are the #1 Ranked Vegetable.
10. Hypoallergenic-No Highly processed anything, such as wheat gluten, corn, starch, plastics, polymers, animal by-products, animal digest or rendered animal meat or fat. JUST a PURE FOOD- Sweet Potato.

Please make sure to check out our growing selection of dog treats, dog chews and of course bully sticks. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for Best Bully Stick News, New Products & Discounts!!

New Discount Auto-Ship Program-Great Prices and Convenience!

We now offer you a truly convenient, money-saving shopping experience! When you complete your order, you have the option of selecting “Auto-Ship” and your dog will receive that same order at the time interval of your choice, from 2 to 6 weeks.

●      Receive a 6% discount when you select auto-ship
●      Lock in our current prices for up to a year

In this busy world, our auto-ship program is a great way to save time-and money!

Missing a Bone? If there is a particular type of dog bone you would like to see offered on bestbullysticks.com , please let us know and we will do out best to make it happen! One of our motto’s is “happy dog, happy owner & happy life”.