You should allow your puppy to chew on his bully stick for about 10–15 minutes. If your pet is a little older, you can let him chew for a couple more minutes.
Even though dogs, especially small pups, are innate chewers, they shouldn’t chew on a bully stick for long periods.
In this article, we explain everything regarding bully sticks, their benefits, and how to control your puppy’s chewing time.
Why Should You Limit Your Puppy’s Chewing Time?
Even though your puppy should chew on his bully stick for a limited time, you should always keep an eye on him whenever you give him this treat for a variety of reasons.
Leaving your puppy chewing on his bully stick alone or for longer can lead to many risks, including:
Dog Aggression
One of the main reasons dog owners give their dogs bully sticks is to prevent aggressive behavior.
However, if you leave your pup to chew for long periods, it can foster a feeling of satisfaction in the act of chewing something. In some cases, this feeling can turn into aggression.
Choking Hazard
Bully sticks are intended for chewing. Yet, if your puppy chews on the stick for too long or is an aggressive chewer, the stick may shrink and become too small for your pup to chew.
A shrunken bully stick is easy for your puppy to swallow, but it can become a choking hazard. If the bully stick is large enough, it can obstruct your puppy's airways.
Stomach Pain
Although bully sticks are digestible, your pup’s stomach may suffer if he ate a large chunk of the bully stick at once.
So, even if your dog enjoys bully sticks, all these reasons are enough to limit your pup’s chewing time.
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How Often Should You Give Puppies Bully Sticks?
Unlike adult dogs, puppies need constant stimulation. So, you may think that it’s a good idea to give your pet his chewy bully stick whenever he wants it.
However, you should keep in mind that bully sticks are high in calories. Therefore, this treat may contribute to your pup’s weight gain without your knowledge.
For that reason, you should limit how often you give your pup his bully stick to only two or three times a week.
On the other hand, you can keep your pet stimulated for the rest of the week by giving him inedible chew toys.
Keep in mind that once the bully stick is significantly shorter, you should discard and replace it. Though, you should typically replace the bully stick after three chewing sessions.
What Are Bully Sticks?
Many dog owners don’t know that bully sticks are actually made from bull pizzle. That said, it’s completely healthy and safe when consumed in moderation.
By baking this ingredient at a high temperature and then drying it, manufacturers ensure it’s completely free from any bacteria and parasites.
Even though the odor of bully sticks may be unpleasant, you should avoid giving your dog odor-free sticks. The reason is these sticks are treated with chemicals to eliminate the odor.
Health Benefits of Bully Sticks
Bully sticks are a perfect, healthy treat to give to your furry friend. In addition to the sticks being tasty, they have many other benefits, including:
Made From an All-Natural Ingredient
Beef muscle is typically the only ingredient in bully sticks. Unlike other dog chews, this ingredient is easily digestible.
The beef muscle also means bully sticks are high in protein, making them a great treat for your puppy friend who needs the extra amino acids to grow.
What’s more is that the sticks don’t contain any preservatives, added flavors, or artificial colors.
Helps Teething Puppies
Teething can be an uncomfortable process for both you and your puppy. Teething usually includes a lot of chewing, leading to many torn shoes, toys, and even clothes.
Instead, you can help ease your pup’s pain by giving him a bully stick to chew on. While he’ll only chew on it for about ten minutes, it’ll still provide great relief.
Improves Oral Health
There’s no denying the importance of a good teeth-brushing routine. Still, chews like bully sticks can help in maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
Just like us, dogs can suffer from plaque build-up, food sticking in their teeth, or gum inflammation. Thankfully, bully sticks are effective in combating all these problems.
On the plus side, once your pup’s oral health improves, so will his breath.
Limits Aggressive Behavior
Puppies and adult dogs alike love chewing. Every dog owner has had at least one valuable item destroyed by these innate chewers.
Unfortunately, you can’t stop dogs, especially small puppies, from sinking their teeth into random items. Yet, you can divert their attention toward something else.
Bully sticks are great for this reason. Since dogs need stimulation, instead of chewing on your old shoes, give them a healthy, safe treat.
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Choosing the Correct Bully Stick Size
Choosing the correct size of bully sticks is crucial. Not only will it last long enough, but it’ll also prevent any accidents from happening.
Bully sticks come in two lengths, either six inches or twelve inches. The thickness can also vary from thin to extra thick.
You’ll need to choose the bully stick size depending on your dog’s weight.
- > 15 lbs: 6’’ Thin
- 15-45 lbs: 6’’ Regular
- 45-60 lbs: 6’’ Thick or 12’’ Thin, Regular
- 60-75 lbs: 12’’ Regular or Thick
- 75-90 lbs: 12’’ Thick or Extra Thick
That said, you should also consider your puppy's breed. Larger, more aggressive breeds will need thicker bully sticks.
Though, if you’re indecisive on what size is best for your furball, it’s always better to go for a bigger size. After all, the worst that can happen is that the stick will last longer.
On the other hand, if you were to give your pup a stick that’s too small for him, he may risk choking on or ingesting the entire stick.
There are also various types of bully sticks to choose from. If your pup is an aggressive chewer, you can try braided or curly bully sticks, which last longer.
What to Do if Your Puppy Swallowed a Bully Stick?
Even if you choose the correct size of bully stick for your pup, it’s natural for the stick to shrink over time.
Your furry pet may also be an aggressive chewer, which increases the likelihood of him swallowing a piece of the bully stick.
If you notice that your small friend has swallowed a piece of bully stick, you must monitor him for any signs of choking. Contact your vet immediately if your dog displays any of the following symptoms:
- Excessive Salivation
- Gagging
- Coughing
- Pawing his mouth
Sometimes, though, your dog may swallow a piece of the bully stick without choking.
Thankfully, bully sticks are completely digestible, so other than some stomach distress, your pup should be okay.
Paul has been creating content for the dog niche for many years. The information he shares comes his first hand experience growing up in dog lovers household and then owning multiple dog breeds of his own as an adult. Paul enjoys doing the hard research to collect, analyze and present our dogtemperament.com readers with the best answers to their questions.