What Are The Best Bully Sticks For Dogs?

Just like you can’t straighten a dog’s tail, you cannot keep them from chewing on things. Putting something in their mouths and biting down on it is how dogs work. It’s their way of interacting with the world. As a pet parent, you’ll know that you can’t stop a dog from chewing. In fact, chewing (to an extent) is healthy for a dog. However, chewing habits can become annoying and frustrating. This is why you ought to know about the best bully sticks for dogs. Let’s break this post down into two parts. First, we’ll understand what bully sticks are and then we’ll figure out how to tell the bad ones apart from the good ones.

What Are Bully Sticks?

There are a ton of toys in the market that are designed specifically to keep a dog’s chewing under check. There are “indestructible” chewable toys, rawhide toys, edible chews and more. All of these are supposed to give your dog something to vent out their chewing urges on. This reduces the chances of your dog chewing on things that it shouldn’t.

Now, Bully Sticks are like these chew toys. They’re made to take a lot of bashing from a dog’s jaws. What sets them apart from other chew toys is that they’re edible. Bully Sticks are made of dried and cooked beef. Their name is misleading, and so is their look. Most people think that Bully Sticks are some form of rawhide chew toys. Their name doesn’t help explain what they are either.

Bully Sticks were originally made from cattle penises. They’re also called pizzle sticks, and they were used for a variety of things at one point. People used them in medicine and even food. Nowadays, Bully Sticks are almost exclusively used for making canine products. Bully Sticks aren’t exclusively made of cattle penises either now. So you don’t have to worry about your dog placing questionable items in its mouth. Modern Bully sticks are made using cattle tendon and even 100% beef. Their quality varies depending on where they are manufactured and from where their raw material is sourced.

The process through which Bully Sticks are made effects their quality as well. To bring beef into Bully Stick form, it needs to be extensively cooked to drive out moisture. Some producers dry beef by smoking it. This leaves a slightly smoky smell in them. Others bake them in ovens to remove moisture. The less moisture a Bully Stick has, the less it will smell. Many people don’t like how Bully Sticks smell. However, dogs ​love Bully Sticks that have a stronger smell to them. It is usually recommended that you go for Bully Sticks that are odorous. Your dog will enjoy them more.

Things to Keep in Mind When Buying Bully Sticks

A Bully Stick is designed to be a kind of edible toy. As your dog bites on it, it will break off in bits and end up in your dog’s stomach. Usually, a toy that ends up in your dog’s stomach is a bad thing. However, since Bully Sticks are essentially dried beef, they’re fully digestible. In fact, they can hold a bit of nutritional value as well. This makes Bully Sticks pretty versatile and safe toys. The latter is determined by how a Bully Stick is made. Some Bully Sticks aren’t made to go through rigorous quality control. Manufacturers may use poor quality beef and questionable preparation techniques. Sometimes, Bully Sticks are chemically treated to remove bad odors. These chemicals can be rather bad for your dog.

This is why it’s important to pick Bully Sticks wisely. To determine the quality of a Bully Stick, you should worry about the kind of beef used. Quality Bully Sticks are made using 100% natural beef. Free-range and organic beef is an additional plus. Bully Stick beef is sourced from Brazil, US, Canada, China, and India.

The second thing that you should worry about is the preparation process. Like we mentioned before, sometimes Bully Sticks are chemically treated to get rid of bad odors. This riddles Bully Sticks with harmful chemicals that your dog will end up ingesting. Mostly, low-quality Bully Sticks are chemically treated. As long as you stick with reputable Bully Sticks, you shouldn’t have to worry about harmful chemicals.

What Makes Bully Sticks So Good?

A dog will always want to chew on something. A Bully Stick acts as that something. It fulfills their natural urges and has a couple of additional benefits to offer as well. A high-quality Bully Stick will include certain nutrients that are good for your dog. For example, Bully Sticks often have Taurine in them, which is great for a dog’s heart. Apart from being nutritionally superior, Bully Sticks are also good for your dog’s teeth. They play the same role as a dental chew toy. They’re effective at removing plaque and keeping your dog’s gums healthy and clean.

The best thing about Bull Sticks is their digestibility. The biggest issue with any dog toy is that your dog will swallow certain amounts of it. Even the most “indestructible” toys sometimes break off into smaller bits. Your dog ends up digesting these bits. Since Bully Sticks are made of beef, swallowing bits of them isn’t a problem. Your dog will be able to digest whatever part of a Bully Stick it will swallow. This is the primary reason that sets Bully Sticks ahead of rawhide toys. Rawhide is natural as well. However it is harder to digest. If a dog swallows rawhide, there’s a higher chance that it won’t be able to digest it properly.

What Are The Best Bully Sticks For Dogs?

An ideal Bully Stick will be safe, nutritious, and keep your dog happy. Let’s take a look at some superb Bully Sticks. Your dog will love all of them, and you won’t have to worry about their quality one bit.

Best Bully Sticks

​Features

• 100% natural and safe for your dog. These sticks are made using free-range beef and are free from additives and fillers.
• They have a high nutrition count as well. This makes them great for your dog’s overall health.

Pros

• Completely natural, they don’t carry any harmful chemicals.
• They’re made using 100% natural beef.
• Are great for your dog’s dental health. They’re also loaded with beneficial nutrients.

Cons

• Their odor might be too strong for some people to handle.
• There have been complaints of people receiving defective sticks.

Nature Gnaws Small Bully Sticks

Features

• Made in a facility that is approved by the USDA. They’re sourced from free-range, grass-fed cattle.
• These sticks have a high amount of protein and a minimal amount of fat in them. They’re also free of any artificial ingredients.
• These bully sticks are durable as well. They’ll keep your pet occupied for a while.

Pros

• Durable and have a milder odor than most counterparts.
• Their high nutritive value makes them great for your dog’s health.
• Made in a USDA certified environment.

Cons

• The size of these Bully Sticks is inconsistent.

Downtown Pet Supply 6" BULLY STICKS

​Features

• The natural and distinctive odor of these Bully Sticks makes them a favorite amongst dogs. Their odor also ensures you that they haven’t been chemically treated.
• These sticks are FDA and USDA approved. They’re as natural as Bully Sticks can get.

Pros

• Approved by the USDA and the FDA.
• Have a natural odor that isn’t too overpowering.
• Come in a variety of thicknesses and package sizes.

Cons

• These sticks aren’t recommended for small dogs since they can become hard to handle.

Top Dog Chews

​Features

• Sourced from free-range cattle in Brazil. They’re free from fillers and additives and entirely natural.
• They double as yummy Bully Sticks and effective dental chews as well.

Pros

• They’re pretty strong. One stick can last for a couple of hours.
• Designed for satisfying medium to large sized dog breeds.
• Free from any artificial ingredients.

Cons

• The size and thickness of these sticks is inconsistent.

Jack&Pup 12-inch Premium Grade Odor Free Bully Sticks

Features

• Manufactured in a human grade, USDA certified production facility. They’re made using beef that has been raised organically and in a free-range environment.
• Have a high amount of protein in them.

Pros

• Perfect for large to medium sized dogs.
• They haven’t been stretched out, this keeps them malleable and prevents them from splintering.
• They’re boiled, roasted, and then smoked to produce a superb texture and odor.

Cons

• There are complaints about their texture and longevity. People complain that they fall apart at times.

Cadet Gourmet Bully Sticks 12 Pack

​Features

• These Bully Sticks come in a re-sealable bag that keeps them fresh. They’re made from beef sourced from North American Cattle.
• They’re free of preservatives and additives.

Pros

• Great for managing plaque build-up and maintaining gum health.
• Are longer lasting since their bag is re-sealable.
• Free of preservatives.

Cons

• These Bully Sticks are only dried, they aren’t cooked. This increases the likelihood of harmful bacteria being present in them.

These are some of the best all-natural Bully Sticks currently available in the market. Each product that we’ve mentioned is 100% beef and devoid of any harmful chemicals. Once you get your dog addicted to Bully Sticks, you’ll find that your dog will become very manageable. A single good quality Bully Stick can keep your dog occupied for at least an hour. And you won’t have to worry about monitoring them constantly since these sticks are perfectly safe.