Lets face it, all dogs love Bully Sticks. For that reason our Bully Stick review will tell you everything that you need to know about this great dog treat/chew. Whether your pup has already enjoyed this deliciously special treat or you have never heard of a Bully Stick before, we've got you covered.
What are Bully Sticks Made From
Before we get to our Bully Stick Dog Treat review, lets start off by discussing the elephant in the room. We aren't going to beat around the bush here, Bully Sticks are indeed a bulls penis. Some people call them Bull Pizzle as a more PC alternative.
Being from a bull means that these treats are made of only one ingredient; beef. This ensures a healthy treat for your pup, unlike many of the chew alternatives. The beef is dehydrated which makes the Bully Stick a great long lasting chew.
Are Bully Sticks Good for Dogs
Bully sticks Dog Chews tend to be one of the healthiest options for natural dog chews! According to the AKC Article on Bully Sticks, they are far more digestible than alternatives like rawhides. Bully Sticks don't splinter like antlers. Quality versions of bully sticks are made from 100% beef, with no additives or preservatives. This makes them great for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
All chews can cause a risk of choking if your dog ingests a large amount of the chew at a single time. This is why we always recommend close supervision while dogs have a desirable chew (dogs consider bully sticks a highly desirable item). Make sure you take away the chew before it is worn down to an appropriate size. See below for the best time to take away a bully stick.
Types of Bully Sticks for Dogs
Original Bully Stick Dog Chew Review
The original Bully Stick is actually our favorite version of the Bully Stick. You don't need anything fancy here. Stick with the original straight bully stick and you will be glad that you did. Alternative shapes and other gimmicks just seem to make so your pup can finish them quicker.
Braided Bully Stick Dog Treat Review
The next most popular version of the Bully Stick that we see are braided. As we mention in the review of the original bully sticks, we think that shaping the bully stick stretches out the material and makes it easier for pups to finish quickly.
We want a bully stick that lasts a long time, so we generally opt for the original. If going with an alternative a thick and long braided would be our next choice. Being braided at least your pup will need to take it apart before finishing it.
Curly Bully Stick Review
Curly Bully Sticks are basically one half of a braided bully stick. While this is a fine treat. We find that the stretched out curls make them more likely for your pup to finish quickly. This means that curly bullies are our least favorite.
Odor Free Bully Stick Review - Dog Treat
If you've been shopping for Bully Sticks, you have probably seen some advertised as odor free. And we already know what you must be thinking. Are these bully sticks really odor free?
We have ordered Odor Free and Natural and we can say that odor free do seem to smell less. We can't quite figure out what they do to make this happen, but it does seem legit. That being said, we don't think they are really odor free. Maybe just a less strong smell than the natural version.
Sizes of Bully Sticks Chews
There are all sorts of bully stick sizes on the market. We are going to focus on some of the most popular sizes that you will see and talk about what dogs would be a good fit for them. Remember that each dog is unique and these bully stick recommendations are generalized. If you have a small dog that loves to chew, going with a larger stick than recommended can make a ton of sense.
4 inch Bully Stick Review
We typically don't recommend Bully Sticks that are under the 4in mark. Anything smaller is less of a chew toy and more of a treat. The problem is that dogs like bully sticks so much that they will try and eat the entire thing at one time. Swallowing instead of chewing. This can cause a choking hazard. We would recommend closer to the 6in for any small size of dog.
6 inch Dog Chew - Bully Stick Review
Bully Sticks in and around the 6 inch range are our go to recommendation for dogs under 30 lbs. These bully sticks offer plenty of surface area for chewing and encourage a small dog to not try and ingest the entire stick without chewing.
8-9 inch Bully Stick Review
8-9 Inch bully sticks would be good for dogs in the 30-50 lb range. However if your dog is this size and really likes to chew, I would step up to the 12in size.
12 inch Bully Stick Review
The 12in Bully Sticks are pretty much the full size version. You aren't going to see many bigger than this. We would recommend this size to pretty much any dog. It offers the most chewing surface and will last the longest.
Bully Stick Bites- as a dog treat
Another popular bully stick option is Bully Stick Bites. These are small pieces of bully bites. They usually fall in the 1-3 inch range. Just like we discussed with the 4in bully sticks, we wouldn't recommend the small bully stick pieces. These pose a potential choking risk, especially in smaller dogs. Our suggestion is to go with a full size stick and not these smaller pieces.
Where to Buy Bully Stick Review
Do Vets Recommend Bully Sticks
Most vets recommend bully sticks as a healthy chew treat for your pup. The main reason includes that they are single ingredient and tend to be highly digestible. Many vets do not recommend chews like marrow bones because they can break a dog's teeth due to their hard nature.
Are Bully Sticks Expensive
The price of bully sticks vary based on size, however they can be a somewhat expensive chew treat. For this reason we recommend using them occasionally and ordering in bulk. If you purchase 1 at a time, you can pay between $10 and $20 per stick. Bulk prices will save you money and keep plenty of bully sticks in stock for when you want to reward your pup.
An affordable alternative is collagen sticks. Just like bully sticks, you can save money if you order these in bulk.
Are Bully Sticks Better Than Chew Toys
Bully sticks are one of our dogs favorite chew toys. It really is dog dependent based on what your dog likes. If your dog likes to play fetch more than chew, the bully sticks might not be their favorite. That being said we have yet to come across a dog that doesn’t like bully sticks. They just might like them less than some other things.
Are Bully Sticks vs Raw Hides
We definitely think bully sticks are better than raw hides. Many people are anti-rawhide because of the amount of chemicals in them. We would much rather give my pup something that just has one ingredient only. Additionally Rawhides can easily cause blockages in dogs stomachs because they are not easily digestible.
How Long Does a Bully Stick Last
Bully sticks last heavily dependent on your dog’s chewing capabilities. For a full size 12 inch long and thick bully stick, we think that letting them chew for around 30 minutes is a pretty good rule of thumb. At 30 minutes you can put it up and if there is plenty left save it for a special treat later or another chew time.
Quality of the bully stick can also have a big impact on how long they last. Some thinner bully sticks can be gone in just minutes. This is why we tend to recommend getting large bully sticks.
When Should You Take Away a Bully Stick
This largely depends on your dog and how motivated they are to try and ingest things. Remember to always pay close attention to your dog when they have a chew. If your dog really likes to try and eat things you should take away the bully stick as soon as it hits a size where they might try and eat it.
For dogs that are more into chewing and less about trying to eat everything, we would recommend taking away the bully stick when it gets under 3 inches. At this size it would be easy to swallow and become lodged in their wind pipe. See below for enrichment tools that can also help safe guard your pup from this choking hazard.
Dog Enrichment Toys to Use with Bully Sticks Reviewed
You want to make sure that you take away your pups bully stick before it gets too small and become easy to swallow. Utilize a bully stick holder. These toys will hold your pups bully stick and can act as a great way to keep them from eating the stick whole.
- Durable chew toy that allows your to insert a Bully Stick Inside.
- Holds the Bully Stick Firmly in place.
- Helps give you an easy to grasp toy so you don't need to grab a sticky bully stick.
- Bright easy to spot colors.
- Non-toxic, recyclable, dishwasher safe and Made in USA.
- MAKES A BULLY STICK MORE FUN – bully sticks are propped at a nice angle for a good chew session.
- Dog can chew on the pawplexer toy itself in addition to the bully stick.
- REAL BACON flavor.
- USA MADE – We make and source everything in the USA
- While we don't generally recommend a curly bully stick, we find they work best with this toy as it makes it harder to pull out.
- Comes in 2 sizes - small (10-30lb) and large (30+ lbs)
- Made from Durable Food Safe Material
- Screw in Bully Stick Holder Grasps Stick Firmly
- We recommend using a thicker bully stick with this toy
