# Bully sticks - how often?



## jay_39 (Sep 1, 2017)

I've given my now 10-week old puppy a bully stick to gnaw on every day; not all day, of course, but for short periods throughout the day. is this ok? it's the only thing she really likes to chew on.


----------



## Snowflake14 (Dec 28, 2014)

I gave my 9wk old puppy bully sticks the past two days and she loves them. My 3 1/2 yr old hav adores bully sticks but she can't have them very often because of the fat in them - she puts weight on quickly if I let her have them too often. My puppy Willow barely got through 1/4 of one the past two days so I think she will be fine. At this point she could weigh a little more and I'm trying to make her into a chewaholic. lol!

This is both of them today having bully sticks. They kept sharing them back and forth two which was really sweet to see. :smile2:


----------



## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

I think that's OK. Have you tried bully springs? I think they're easier for a dog to hold. When Shama turned really bitey, we got her pigs' ears to chew on in the evening during the witching hour. Once she was beyond puppyhood, however, we stopped giving her pigs' ears as they're too fatty for an adult dog. (She also got past the bitey stage!) She also liked Himalayan Chews for a while . . .


----------



## Bowie's Mom (Oct 1, 2016)

I know I'm off topic, but couldn't resist acknowledging that you pups match your decor beautifully! Here's Bowie matching mine!


----------



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Perry loves antlers. I've never given him a bully stick but that's just a personal ick factor


----------



## Cmward (Jun 28, 2017)

When they are pups I let them have bully sticks or springs pretty much any time they want. There is always a selection of chews available. When they get older that is when they become an occasional treat, they also don’t need to chew as much as they get older thankfully.


----------



## jay_39 (Sep 1, 2017)

A puppy can not be left at home alone with a bully stick, correct?


----------



## LoriJack (Aug 21, 2017)

Cmward said:


> When they are pups I let them have bully sticks or springs pretty much any time they want. There is always a selection of chews available. When they get older that is when they become an occasional treat, they also don't need to chew as much as they get older thankfully.


I do the same with KC and plan to cut back when he reaches adulthood. I am so grateful that he appears to be so happy and content chewing his Redbarn springs or braids-- he never chews on furniture, clothes, or shoes! I cannot, however, say the same for any form of paper that he can get his paws on 

https://pdgf.pitapata.com/9Mjym5.png?t=1&ulJPfzz2


----------



## Henry&Kate (Mar 29, 2017)

_Perry loves antlers_

I gave my golden antlers. She loved them although I liked them less so after having a large antler dropped on my toe. Ow! But when Henry went to the dentist, antlers were one of the "chews" they warned me against. In their view they were too hard and they had often seen broken teeth as a result. I suspect that depends on how aggressive a chewer a dog is but just wanted to pass on their advice.


----------



## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

We've always left Shama alone with her bully springs. Maybe shouldn't have . . . (She doesn't seem to chew on them when we're gone. We think she just sleeps.)


----------



## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

My dogs spend a lot of time chewing these. I have recently discovered cat toys they obsess on, crazy cat toy being the best so far. This one is magic track flexible track and ball toy, good for the under sized dogs, but Kos just squeezes the ball out and pushes it under the sofa.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

from Sabine "One inch of bully stick, depending on thickness, supplies about 25 - 40 calories. 

So if a dog has a requirement of, say, 500 calories per day (including meals) to maintain ideal weight, 6 inches of a thin bully stick (@ 25 kcal/inch) is already 30% of their daily calorie intake. That would not be a good choice to do every day."


----------



## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

davetgabby said:


> from Sabine "One inch of bully stick, depending on thickness, supplies about 25 - 40 calories.
> 
> So if a dog has a requirement of, say, 500 calories per day (including meals) to maintain ideal weight, 6 inches of a thin bully stick (@ 25 kcal/inch) is already 30% of their daily calorie intake. That would not be a good choice to do every day."


Right, so find something that involves their brains and teeth, with less calories. I have to admit, the thick rings lasted weeks with very little consumption, which only became an issue when the adult teeth came in.


----------



## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Somewhere I read to only give the bully stick once a day, but I always give it any time our puppy is chewing anything he isn’t supposed to chew and anytime he seems nippy. However, my puppy wouldn’t even chew an inch in a month, so I’ve never been concerned about calories. He just chews it pretty hard for a minute or two, then slows down and chews for about 5 more minutes before he’s done. It has been really effective in redirecting chewing. I’ve never given him any other kind of chew because I’m paranoid about giving him something dangerous. I meant to buy pig’s ears once and accidentally bought porkhide, and since then I decided it was easier to just use bully sticks.


----------



## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

*Private Time*

...with bully ring.


----------



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

*antlers?*



Marni said:


> Right, so find something that involves their brains and teeth, with less calories. I have to admit, the thick rings lasted weeks with very little consumption, which only became an issue when the adult teeth came in.


Have you tried antlers. You can get the splits which are more attractive for dogs (at least til they get to like them), softer because of the center and still take a while to chew through. Plus many of them are harvested from naturally dropped antlers - so no animal has to die to produce them.


----------



## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

Melissa Brill said:


> Have you tried antlers. You can get the splits which are more attractive for dogs (at least til they get to like them), softer because of the center and still take a while to chew through. Plus many of them are harvested from naturally dropped antlers - so no animal has to die to produce them.


I have had two antlers in the house for months, and this morning Kos had one for chewing. I think one of our moderators posted not to give dogs anything hard enough to hammer a nail into, for fear of cracking teeth. That means no antlers and no dried cheese chews.
:wink2:


----------



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

*too hard to chew*



Marni said:


> I have had two antlers in the house for months, and this morning Kos had one for chewing. I think one of our moderators posted not to give dogs anything hard enough to hammer a nail into, for fear of cracking teeth. That means no antlers and no dried cheese chews.
> :wink2:


I have seen that advice and I may change my mind if Perry ever breaks a tooth, but I think that the hard chews can also be good for the teeth, and he really likes them - and I like that nothing has to die for us to get them.


----------



## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

Melissa Brill said:


> I have seen that advice and I may change my mind if Perry ever breaks a tooth, but I think that the hard chews can also be good for the teeth, and he really likes them - and I like that nothing has to die for us to get them.


I have friend a and Havanese owner who feels the same and she uses the cheese. :wink2:


----------



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

*himalayan chews*



Marni said:


> I have friend a and Havanese owner who feels the same and she uses the cheese. :wink2:


We have the cheese too - but too much of them and Perry ends up with loose poops  so we limit the amount of those. Plus I think they smell so I can only take them for limited time. The antlers, on the other hand, don't smell ... the splits are softer than the whole ones.


----------



## Barb West (Aug 29, 2017)

Bijou has loved his bully sticks, springs, antlers, you name it but the bully sticks are his favorite.


----------

