Watch Mila during her happiest Bull Terrier Puppy days in this funny photo story
Monthly Archives: September 2014
Petstages ORKA Tennis Ball Dog Toy
Mila really loved this ball for the time it could withstand her.
I have actually discovered the Petstages ORKA Tennis Ball Dog Toy coincidentally on Amazon on my search for durable dog toys and despite being hesitant in the first place decided to give it a try.
As for Mila: She LOVED that ball almost as much as she loves real tennis balls. Sadly it was not able to withstand her for longer than two weeks of daily play.
The ball is made of some rubber like soft plastic. It can be easily compressed and comes with a textured surface, supposed to improve dental health.
Well, actually I am not really sure what to think about that.
Although described as tennis ball size by the manufacturer, it is actually a litte bit larger, which for a Bull Terrier I do not consider negative, because it lowers the risk of swallowing.
The manufacturer also offers other dog toys, some of which I actually may give a chance some day.
It has an amazingly irregular and rapid bounce, which really encourages chasing after it. And it floats. Sadly, the blue color is not as visible in the pool as the signal colors of other balls.
Chuckit Dog Balls
Chuckit! produces a wide range of toys for pets. Among them there are a lot of Chuckit Dog Balls. Due to the large variety even of balls alone, I will only cover the balls here that I have personally tested with Mila so far.
But there will probably be one or the other additional other Chuckit! toy up for testing in the future, because in general this brand seems to stand for durable pieces.
And when you own a Bull Terrier, you know, you need some “stuff” every now and then 🙂
Happy Mother’s Day
To all of you, dear moms: Happy Mother’s Day!
Tennis balls for dogs – such as your Bull Terrier
In general when selecting a Bull Terrier toy, always consider the enormous strength of their jaws and their bias to chewing. They will very likely not only push the ball around, but also chew on it, especially if they have access to it over long periods of time.
This is why tennis balls for dogs are a choice to think about twice.
Real tennis balls
Mila loves tennis balls.
Many just give their dogs the usual tennis ball that is normally used on the court.
A general pro of real tennis balls is, that hey have a pretty good bounce (even “dead” balls) are light and they float.
With 2.5 inch in diameter tennis balls have the ideal size to be carried around in a Bull Terrier snout. This is probably why many dogs love them.
The problem:
Tennis balls – especially the more resistant ones made for professional court use – usually have a felt cover that is designed to wear off slowly even under heavy duty. The used materials for this felt cover can have abrasive effects on a dog’s teeth when chewed. This is not only true for Bull Terriers, but for any dog prone to chewing on tennis balls. Also there can be unhealthy chemicals contained in the felt cover of the ball that do not benefit your dog.
Opinions about the true extend of these potential hazards differ among experts. Continue reading
West Paw Design ball
Left: Regular tennis ball; right: West Paw Design ball 3 1/4 inch size
The ball is available in different colors and it floats.
This solid ball is very durable. Although I would not consider it indestructible, it sure can handle some chewing.
Available sizes are:
2 inch, 2.6 inch and 3 1/4 inch.
I have ordered the 3 1/4 inch size for Mila to make sure she can’t swallow it. This size turned out to be a little large for her, especially because the ball is not squeezable at all. Also it is fairly heavy.
Continue reading
Kong dog balls
Mila loves her Kong dog ball
A good ball for very engaged chewers is a rubber ball, such as the KONG. It can be either solid or hollow inside. Hollow rubber balls will yield a little, when chewed, which puts less impact on the jaws, but eventually it’s up to your dog to choose, what it likes to play with.
Hollow rubber balls, however, should have THICK walls.
There certainly are others existing, but these are the brands I know and have positive experience with:
Available Kong dog balls
These balls are made of durable rubber plastic – which is why they are explicitly labeled for fetching AND chewing by the manufacturer – come in a variety of shapes, sizes and strengths. Red is the normal strength, black is extreme strength.
Although every toy sooner or later will find it’s match and in my opinion NO existing toy can claim the classification “indestructible”, these balls indeed are really durable – which makes them a real good choice as Bull Terrier toys.
There are Kong balls available in different shapes and sizes and of durability.
Continue reading
Homemade dog jerky treats recipe
This is a closeup of what your jerky treats eventually will look like
During the last years there has been a lot of discussion about treats for pets, mainly because imports from Asia are still skyrocking.
A lot of different types of treats have triggered warnings and even recalls.
But not only questionable ingredients in or methods of preserving pet food are reason for concern.
Today all of our food – human food as well as pet food is being processed at a very high level. Competition causes a lot of cost pressure and triggers an ongoing search for more affordable ingredients in our food. Be it artificial cheese that is merely remotely related with real cheese or refined sugar, which basically can be considered THE poison of the 21st century. Flours completely drained void of any vitamins and minerals, gluten, fillers … the list goes on. Continue reading
Dog facts about puppies
Hi all, Mila here.
Today I have some interesting dog facts about puppies. Did you know that puppies are born blind, deaf and without teeth? They are also only able to crawl during their first week. First sight will develop between the age of 2 to 3 weeks. The puppy starts to see.
During the ages of 3 to 7 weeks the first set of teeth – or milk teeth – appears. The adult teeth start to come through between 4 and 8 months. That’s usually when puppies start to chew on everything!
Puppies do and need to sleep for 14 hours every day for a healthy development.
Some puppies reach sexual maturity already at the age of eight months, but later maturing is also not unusual.
At the age of one year puppies are considered adults. Physically this age equals a 15 year-old human.
Puppies need love! Frequently petted puppies are healthier and happier. They are also better behaved.
Puppies should not be separated from their mother and siblings before the age of eight weeks.
That’s it for today!
Cya next time with another interesting dog fact.
Yours
Djamila
How to work out a Bull Terrier
If you have been asking yourself: Do Bull Terriers need a lot of exercise? In a word: YES! They definitely do!
Bull Terriers are jokers who need exercise and mind challenges
Bull Terriers are jokers, embracing life to the fullest. They are like raw diamonds. If you use the wrong polishing tactics you will only get a pile of carbon. If you use the right tactics and commit to LIVING WITH your Bully, instead of just owning A DOG, you will get the most precious and loving pet you can imagine as the reward for your efforts.
Here you find some information on how to work out a Bull Terrier and what else to consider when you acquire a Bull Terrier as your new family member.
The Bull Terrier needs consistency, a lot of attention, education & guidance and he needs exercise as an outlet for his huge amount of energy. You will notice pretty soon that your new companion seeks a lot of interaction. Bull Terriers are not just pets. They really are family members and they act like it.
Continue reading