are bullysticks for dogs safe?

[asscherisme]

I have a new puppy- yeah!

She is a chewer and I have nylabones and other dog toys but they only hold her interest so long.

I need something for her to really chew on.

Rawhide scares me because my childhood dog choked on them and almost died so now rawhide for my new pup.

And I have read scary things about greenies and the package anyway says 6 months plus.

The idea of what bullysticks are made from gross me out but my new baby needs somthing to chew on and soon! She is chewing on the metal bars in her crate and gave herself a lip infection from it and is on antibiotics now for it.

So Bullysticks safe or not?

and are they considered food? Would it take away from her appetie and what she will eat? The vet said she is a bit underweight so I don''t want to ruin her nutrtion of her food. I am feeding her wellness for puppies per the breeders recommendation and she loves that.

Any brand of bully stick best? And where could I buy online?

 

[waterlilly]

Yes, they are safe. They are 100% digestible & natural - and will last longer than rawhide, greenies, etc.

The only drawback is the price has skyrocketed over the past couple years. Try to not get the smoked ones, the smell will make you gag!

Also, never leave your pup unattended with one, once they get down to a few inches long you need to throw them away to avoid a choking accident.

I recommend buying the longer ones - 12"+ and the thickest ones. Buying a 6 inch one will not last long because you have to throw away the last 2-3 inches depending on the size of your dog.

I used to get some great ones on Amazon.com...check there.

Shouldn't have an effect on appetite...

 

[E B]

What kind of a dog do you have? I think bully sticks are safe as long as a) you're monitoring her as she eats them and b) she's not able to break off large pieces.They're REALLY smelly, though, so beware.

Another safe treat would be a kong filled with peanut butter and frozen. Getting the peanut butter out will keep her busy and she can chew on the kong after. They have various sizes for different breeds of dog.

Flossies are a hit in our house, but we have to monitor and take away once the last "curl" is reached.

 

[Mara]

ditto waterlily's post...

our dog LOVED bully sticks....but the last 2 years she kind of lost interest. makes it harder to keep her teeth clean now.

also i would get them online at nycpetsupply...they were cheapest in bulk...the local petstores had them for way too much $$ and P would go through one 12" in like 3 days, it was crazy.

the braided ones seemed best because they would take her longer to unravel then chew--the straight ones she'd just chew down to a nub pretty quickly, then we'd have to toss it or hold it for her.

it never affected her appetite.

 

[PinkTower]

I order them from a guy on ebay. Be sure the ones you order are the no odor ones. They are very expensive. I have a labradoodle and a standard poodle, so they are big chewers. I feed them a combination of raw diet and Halo dog food. The raw diet helps a lot with the need to chew. However, you did not say how large your dog was. My dogs are hale and hearty. I have had small dogs (poodles and Boston Terriers) in the past and I was not successful with raw diets with them. They got pancreatitis too easily.

 

[Puppmom]

I don''t have a lot of experience with them because the first time my dog had one, we had a scare. Our trainer gave him one and he swallowed it whole! We were terrified but, as waterlilly said, they are completely digestible. I still wouldn''t recommend them for a dog that''s a *swallower*. Our dog is more of a "scarf it down" than "chew on it" kind of guy.

 

[Puppmom]

I forgot to congratulate you on your new pup!!!!

 

[soocool]

Yes, my dog loves them (he is a mini schnauzer - 15lbs) and I get him the 6-inch medium low odor from this vendor: http://www.valuepetsupplies.com/ . I have been ordering from them for over 3 years and have never been disappointed. I just got my shipment of 50 today and I placed my order last Saturday.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Nylabones!!! Our Frenchie puppy is a HUGE chewer, and Nylabones have been our saving grace! Not the edible ones, but these. They come in various different sizes, so you can probably find one that would work well for your pup. Our Tucker LOVES them, and we rarely see him without a nylabone in his mouth! LOL!

And PICS, PLEASE!!!

 

[parrot tulips]

I was under the impression that bully sticks were one of the safer chews to give your dog. We buy them in bulk at Costco. I''ve heard that deer and elk antlers are supposed to be fantastic. Safe and long lasting, without the stink of bully sticks. But I haven''t tried them myself, so I can''t tell you from personal experience...