Author: Haley Gibbs
Bully Sticks are a popular chewing treat for our four-legged friends because of their natural flavor profile and long-lasting ability to provide a positive outlet for chewing.
As delicious and nutritious as they are, it's important to pick the right size chew and know when to take away a bully stick.
What Is A Bully Stick?
First, it's important to understand what a bully stick is. Unlike many other chews, they’re made from a single ingredient, beef pizzle that won’t splinter, making them easily digestible and generally a safer treat. And since beef is a complete source of amino acids, it supports your dog’s muscles, brain, skin, and coat, making it a nutritious chew, too. Since Natural Farm’s bully sticks are free of artificial chemicals, additives, and preservatives, they’re perfect for dogs who have allergies or sensitivities. They even help clean your pup’s teeth by scraping off plaque and scrubbing teeth clean! There’s also a lot of variations when it comes to bully sticks — braided sticks, rings, springs, extra thick, standard, and extra thin, making it the perfect chew for dogs of any size.
How To Choose The Right Bully Stick
One of the most important things to remember with all chews, including bully sticks, is picking the right size bully stick for your pup. Bully sticks can range in size from 2- to 10-inch options depending on your pup’s size and chewing capacity. Generally, chews like a bully stick should be larger than your dog's mouth and if there’s any doubt, go with a larger size. Always remember that you know your dog best! So, make sure to take into consideration your dog’s health, age, diet, and chew capacity before introducing a new treat.
Natural Farm has great bully stick options for dogs of every size. With different styles such as straight, braided, and even rings, you can find the right type for your dog’s chewing capacity and size. For puppies, smaller breeds, and senior dogs, try the Pixie Bully Sticks (made from beef pizzle sheath as opposed to the pizzle itself) or our Thin Bully Sticks. The Extra Thick Bully Sticks are great for large and jumbo breeds, and dogs that have a more aggressive chewing tendency love our Braided Bully Sticks.
When To Take A Bully Stick Away From Your Dog
For dogs that aren’t accustomed to bully sticks, we recommend minimizing chewing time to five to ten minutes at first and increasing exposure gradually over around a week’s time. Beef pizzle is exceptionally rich in protein, and if your dog isn’t used to that, it can cause an upset stomach. By limiting your dog’s chewing time initially, it makes a bully stick a high-value treat and keeps them entertained and wanting more, instead of getting bored with too much time. Also, as a general guideline, we recommend allowing your dog to enjoy only one bully stick per day. It’s important to always monitor your dog as they enjoy their treat to ensure they’re chewing safely and properly.
When To Throw Away A Bully Stick
Even though bully sticks are easily digestible, one of the primary reasons it’s an ideal treat for any dog, it’s important to know when to throw away a bully stick. Once your dog’s bully stick is small enough that it can be swallowed whole, it’s time to toss it in the trash as those pieces can become a hazard. If a large chunk of the bully stick is swallowed, it can cause your dog to choke or create a gastrointestinal blockage. With any chew, supervision is key to understanding how aggressive your dog’s chewing capacity is and how the treat is holding up.
A good rule to follow is once your dog can no longer use their paws to hold their bully stick, they don’t get it anymore. Before and after each chewing session, it's important to check the bully stick to ensure it's still an acceptable size chew for your dog to continue gnawing on. And if you have concerns about how small it's getting — that’s likely a good indication of when to throw away a bully stick.
Furthermore, “bully stick holders” are devices that work to reduce the risk of your dog choking on the tail ends of their bully sticks, and we couldn’t recommend investing in one enough! While Natural Farm does not make these, there are several on the market for you to explore, and they provide an added layer of safety for your pup as they chew.
You can rest assured that every single batch of products Natural Farm produces undergoes thorough lab testing to ensure their quality and safety prior to being released for distribution. However, dog owners should be aware that as soon as a package is opened, a product is handled, and dogs begin to chew on them, this opens them up to contamination. Keep an eye on your dog’s treats, especially if they aren’t chewed down quickly, to ensure they don’t show signs of bacterial contamination over time. If you’re looking to figure out the best ways to store your dog’s treats and chews to increase their longevity, be sure to check out our blog on the best methods for storing dog treats.
Lastly, if bully sticks aren’t your dog’s cup of tea, you can view our recommendations for the best bully stick alternatives by clicking here.
Who We Are
Natural Farm creates all-natural dog treats and chews that are farmed responsibly and crafted with care. The company’s hormone-free, chemical-free products come from local suppliers of sustainable and ethically raised proteins and ingredients, and Natural Farm controls every step of production, including sourcing, lab testing, and packaging.
Natural Farm is environmentally conscious, with certified green packaging made of 51% recyclable sugar cane and recyclable materials, and we also support reforestation projects and other important nonprofit initiatives around the world benefiting the pets, people, and the planet.
Natural Farm carries a variety of fantastic options for dog of every shape, size, and need. Choose the very best for your pet by shopping our collection of high-quality, naturally delicious bully stick dog chews today!
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