So you’ve got yourself a beautiful dog, wet nose, sparkling eyes, glossy fur and a personality that could melt a heart. What’s the trouble I hear you say, well pooches also come with a set of gnashers that can chew through furniture and shoes like a knife through butter.

So what’s an owner to do? You need to satisfy your dogs need to chew but you’re afraid to use bones and you’ve heard bad things about rawhide treats.

Bully Sticks are the perfect answer. They are natural meat products made from 100% beef muscle. They’re apparently tasty, not that I’ve ever tasted one but thousands of dogs seem to agree on this one point. Then there is the fact that they can be easily digested, so they won’t block up your dogs intestines which is one of the main problems with rawhide chews. Plus bully sticks can be given to puppies.

Here are some of the best quality and value for money bully sticks available at the moment.

Picture	Type	Size	Price	Rating
	Supreme Best Bully Sticks, 6" thick	6 inch (50 pack)	$$$	4.5
	HDP Braided 12" Bully Sticks Monstrous	12 inch (10 pack)	$$$	4.5
	Redbarn 7-Inch Braided Bully Sticks - 3-Pack	7 inch (3 Pack)	$$	4.5
	Redbarn Bully Rings	Large (3 pack)	$$	4.5
	Cadet Gourmet Bully Sticks (12 Pack)	12 inch (12 pack)	$$$	4.0
	Red Barn Bull Springs (25 Pack)	6 inch (25 Pack)	$$$	5.0
	Redbarn 12-Inch Bully Sticks - 2-Pack	12 inch (2 pack)	$$	4.0

How to Choose the Best Size Bully Stick

There are two things to consider when buying bully sticks, the length and the diameter. The length relates to how long the stick will last, so a longer chew should last longer. Then there is the diameter of the bully stick. Although a thicker chew will last longer than a thin one you should also consider your pets needs. Small dogs may not be able to open their jaws wide enough be able to chew on a thick diameter pizzle, especially one that is braided.

Different producers may also label their bully sticks differently. A standard size from one company may be a thin bully stick with another. Trial and error will play a part in the selection process until you find the ideal sized stick for your dog.

If you have a puppy then you would be better to introduce them to a thin 7 inch bully stick to see whether they like the taste firstly (although I’m sure that there aren’t many breeds that wouldn’t like to nibble on a pure beef stick) and how they react to it. Some dogs digestive system may have issues with bully sticks (being a meat product they can contain bacteria).

For larger dogs start on either the standard (medium) or large version and see how they cope. You’ll soon get an idea of which size stick is best.

Bully sticks can last for a long time in the absence of moisture. So if you are going to give your dog these sticks regularly then it is going to be more cost effective to buy wholesale or in bulk. Larger packets from 25 – 50 pieces can offer considerable saving if you want to go this route.

Reviews of the Top Bully Sticks

Supreme Best Bully Sticks, 6″ thick (50 Pack)

These 6 inch bully sticks are perfect for smaller breeds of dog. Larger dogs will scoff them down in minutes rather than hours and although a 50 pack will last a while you’re better off looking for something a little larger if your dog is a voracious eater.

These sticks are made by “Best Bully Sticks” so you are assured of a high quality chew without having to worry about additives or chemicals added. They are produced from free-range grass fed cattle do have a slight smell but don’t appear to stain carpeting.

There seems to be some variation in the size of these chews but as a whole they are suited to smaller dogs and puppies. A 50 pound dog could get through these beauties in around 10 minutes.

HDP Braided 12″ Bully Sticks Monstrous (10 Pack)

Not only are these bully sticks a whopping 12 inches long but they are also braided making them especially thick and a challenging chew for any large dog.

These sticks don’t come cheap but they are made to last. With USDA and FDA certification these bars are braided then smoked to give them a distinct flavor and odor. Having said that most owners will not notice the smell.

These monstrosities are made for voracious chewers, large dogs 60 lbs and up. They can be cut in half if they are too long and you want to limit how quickly your dog finishes them.

As with the bully sticks above these come from grass fed free-range cattle and are chemical and preservative free. The braiding on these bully sticks actually helps to give your dogs jaw muscle a better workout and can help remove tartar buildup.

Redbarn 7-Inch Braided Bully Sticks (3 Pack)

A long lasting natural chew from Redbarn. This is a good all-round chew suitable for most sizes and breeds of dogs. A 65 lb dog could be expected to finish this thing in about 20 minutes which is longer than the standard un-braided versions.

Although Redbran is an American company their bully sticks come from their cattle farms in Paraguay. Again, as with all high quality chews there are no added chemicals or preservatives and the cattle are free-range and grass fed.

This is a popular starter packet if you find buying in bulk too expensive.

Redbarn Bully Rings (3 Pack)

Redbarn Bully rings are a slightly different take on regular bully sticks. Basically it’s just a straight stick that has been bent into a circle and the ends connected together.

Is there any benefit from doing this? After all it’s just the same bully stick at heart. The good news is that there are a couple of benefits from buying a ring shape instead. One is that your dog will find it easier to pick it up and carry it around, so there’s the enjoyment factor but because of it’s shape it means that your dog is more likely to chew it more evenly.

Without there being an end to start at a dog will chew a different section of it each time it picks it up. This will normally result in the ring lasting longer but a determined dog will eventually get through it but maybe with a few more minutes entertainment.

These are Redbarn rings so you know that you’re getting excellent quality.

Cadet Gourmet Bully Sticks (12 Pack)

These are long 12 inch chews in a twelve pack. The pack itself is resealable so that the sticks are kept fresh and the smell contained.

These sticks are thick and some buyers have reported that they have slightly more smell than other makes of bully sticks, but this may vary from batch to batch.

If you’re after long sticks then these 12″ variety could be the ones to go for. They are good value for money, especially if you are looking for a bigger packet (there’s twelve in here) and likes the others here this is a quality beef from grass fed free-range bulls.

Red Barn Bull Springs (25 Pack)

Take a bully stick and twist it up like a little piggies tail and what you have is a bull spring. These are another Redbarn favorite. Makes you think what shape they will dream up next.

Is it just another gimmick or is there some special reason why a spiral shaped treat is more appealing to the canine community? All I can think is that the shape makes it more difficult for a dog to break off pieces and swallow them. They could be slightly more challenging to a dog to chew on and possible easier to get a grip on.

These sticks are quite thick but make a great first chew for teething puppies. I’ll not repeat what I’ve already said about the quality of these treats and the Redbarn brand says it all.

Redbarn 12-Inch Bully Sticks (2 Pack)

Another 12 inch bully stick, this time from Redbarn. These are thick chews but are still good for pretty much any size dog.

They are slightly more expensive per stick than some other brands, but then it’s is a two pack which isn’t going to offer as much savings as a three pack or more. Cut them in half and you can have four 6 inch bully sticks so you can keep some back for next time, but it also mean that there are twice as many ends to swallow so just take care if you do this.