Dem bones...

I can't begin to tell you the importance of ensuring you pick the right toys and treats for your pets. It's easy to want to pick up that cute, inexpensive squeegee toy at the checkout counter for your pups. But there's usually a reason why it's cheap and is typically found on the impulse buy rack. On a couple of occasions we've experienced a toy that virtually disintegrated within three minutes of being pounced upon by our dog. Shredded material as well as that little plastic noise maker almost became lodged in our dog's mouth. Cheap toys are dangerous.

So, too, are those large dog bones offered in grocery stores. Sure they look meaty and delicious for the dog but those bones are usually quite fragile.  With one bite shards of bone will splinter into several dagger-like pieces that could get lodged in your dog's mouth or throat. 

Consider deer and elk antlers as an alternative to those meat bones. They contain many natural nuitrients and are not prone to shatter. We've been using deer antlers for our dogs for over a year now and they love them. Our dogs will spend hours gnawing away on them yet the antlers have never lost their shape or consistency.

We all love our dogs beyonds words and want to spoil them whenever we can.  Let's make sure we spoil them with healthy AND safe treats and toys.      

To the rescue!

Here at Smartdog Jerky besides providing you with the best quality jerky treats for your dog we are very passionate about animal shelters and rescue centers.  There are so many wonderful pets that were either lost, abandoned or abused and are desperately looking for a loving home.  Unfortunately there are just as many if not more pet stores across the nation that advertise "adoption services" that are in fact just a front for puppy mill organizations that mass bread dogs in horrible, inhumane conditions.  As you know we make it a point NOT to sell our products within such stores and we continually promote the rescue organizations and reputable breeders.

For those of you that have been following us we you know that we like to feature rescued dogs on our web site.  If you haven't visited yet, check out these wonderful rescue stories on our Share page at http://www.smartdogjerky.com/?page_id=51.  We would love to hear from all of you about your rescue dog.  Send us a picture and brief story and you may find yourself on our webpage as well as our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Here are just a few of the organizations that provide rescue/shelter services as well as promoting the health and welfare of animals and pets.  Please visit them and search for similar organizations in your neighborhood and provide support wherever you can.

Lifeline Puppy Rescue

www.lifelinepuppy.org

Humane Society of Dallas County

http://dognkittycity.org

National Mill Dog Rescue

http://www.milldogrescue.org

Rescue Me Ohio

http://www.rescuemeohio.org

Leash Animal Welfare Society

http://www.leashsavinglives.com

Animal Rescue USA

http://animal-rescue.us

When nature calls...

My Golden Lab, Sophie, has a propensity for chasing squirrels in our backyard.  She'll sprint the length of our backyard, chasing after a squirrel from one Evergreen to the next across our rickety old fence in hopes of catching the ever elusive squirrel.  I will say with much relief she's never caught one.  Typically the chases end up in a standoff with the squirrel perched high up in the tree while Sophie stares up in frustration.

It's a funny scene but there is a serious point to consider.  Whether we're in our neighborhood parks or hiking up mountain trails, we need to be conscience of the environment our dogs play.  It may seem kinda cute to see your dog chase after a duck or a prairie dog but the results of a potential confrontation could be devastating to your dog as well as wildlife.  Wild animals have no idea your dog may be playing and will very likely lash out violently if they feel threatened.  Keep in mind, too, that many wild animals carry infectious diseases and one little scratch could make your dog sick or worse.

It's great to go for walks or to hike with your dog off leash but if you're still working on obedience with your dog make sure you keep them on a leash when you're out in nature.  For the most part my Sophie is a very well behaved dog but we've had a couple of incidents where she's bolted after a rabbit and she was not about to listen to our commands to return.  Even the best trained dog will still have the instinct to chase after another animal so always be ready.  Whether you have a puppy or an older dog, training is essential.  Check out your local obedience or puppy training schools.  With good, consistent training your dog will learn to respect their environment and leave other animals alone.

Parks are great places to play for our dogs.  Let's make sure we keep it safe for them and the other animals.

An exercise in futility...

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.  I guess you might call me insane every time I give Sophie a single treat, expecting that to be enough for her and the begging would cease.   Leave it to me to think a dog might have the capacity to reason and exercise restraint.  Why not?  They have the capacity to show affection, compassion and playfulness.  They also have the uncanny ability to sense when we're hurting and will remain by our side until we're better.  Trust me when they stare at you with those big, brown eyes they are TOTALLY playing on your emotions in order to get what they want.  That would account for why Sophie can crawl up on our bed every night without objection from me.  So why shouldn't they have the capacity to think "hey, I don't want any more of those delicious Smartdog Jerky treats, just toss me that old bone."  Perhaps in a perfect world that situation might play out.  In the meantime, I'll continue to succumb to those big, brown eyes and pass the bag of Smartdog Jerky!

http://www.smartdogjerky.com

Happy Monday

Here at Smartdog Jerky we wish you a spectacular week! 

Order Turkey Jerky

Our leanest meat!  This is such a great new product that is low in fat and all natural.  Great for dogs with weight problems or that are non active.  Call and order today! 

Rare dog breeds

We are all used to seeing Golden Retrievers, Poodles and such around, but there are some really unique dog breeds out there.  Check them out by clicking the link below.

24 of the rarest dog breeds

Game meats for dogs

Game meats are becoming more popular as a food and treat choice for dogs.   The benefits of these "free range" meats are great and a smart choice for your dog.  With many dog foods and treats being full of antibiotics, hormones, fillers, wheat products and more, it is no wonder so many dogs have allergies these days.  The best type of meat to give a dog with allergies is game meat.  

Benefits of Game Meats

Antibiotic free

Hormone free

 Free range animal

 Great protein source

Naturally rich in vitamins 

 Low in fat

Grass fed

dogs behaving