# New Best Bully Sticks Products! Weigh In!



## BoxerPaws (Jul 19, 2011)

I got a BBS email this morning with 3 new products they're carrying; only 2 are pertinent to the discussion.

They now carry Stuffed Shin Bones (cow), containing either beef, bacon, sweet potato, banana and yogurt, or apple and pb. They're only $.99 each and 4-5" long. Other than your dog licking out the insides, do you think they'd chomp these? And if so, would they be safe? IE, are shin bones in the category of "reck" bones likely to break teeth?
Stuffed Shin Bone - Beef | Dog Bones

They also carry cow ears! Much like pig ears, they say, but less fatty and they last just as long. Zoey has never had a pig ear (they skeeve me out). The cow ears don't look so funky.
Cow Ear Dog Treats | Dog Chews & Treats

Zoey chews through bully sticks in NO TIME. I'm looking for other chew treats we can give her occasionally to keep her occupied/happy. She does have some beef ribs in the freezer right now, and they'll definitely keep her occupied for a while, but I'd like options that aren't surrounded by raw meat, so she can have them at, say, a friend's/family member's house, or so I don't have to lay a towel down for her first.

Thoughts? Opinions? Other good chew ideas? I'm considering Antlers, but the above options are a tad more budget friendly :wink:.


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

I'm excited to see how my pups enjoy these new options! The shin bones are certainly easier than femurs, but I can imagine some dogs having trouble with them. My dogs occasionally get deer legs, and they don't eat much of those bones, so I'm not sure how they'd do with these. But they love deer ears, and I suspect they'll like the cow ears, too.

As for antlers, yes, they're expensive, but they last forever. You may find yourself only replacing them once a year - or even longer.


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## cowboys mama (Oct 3, 2011)

I have the same problem with my boys. They go through bully sticks in no time. I think it is because they are afraid the other one will eat it if they don't....when I had only one Boston a bully stick would last for days, now it's minutes! I would love some suggestions as well if anyone has found any products that last longer, however, I am very against rawhide.....Thanks!


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## BoxerPaws (Jul 19, 2011)

cowboys mama said:


> I have the same problem with my boys. They go through bully sticks in no time. I think it is because they are afraid the other one will eat it if they don't....when I had only one Boston a bully stick would last for days, now it's minutes! I would love some suggestions as well if anyone has found any products that last longer, however, I am very against rawhide.....Thanks!


Agreed; rawhide = BAD BAD BAD! Since Zoey's big-girl teeth came in, bully sticks stand no chance.

Spoo, thanks for the input on the antlers. I know they should last; I should just go ahead and get one and see how it goes.


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

BoxerPaws said:


> They now carry Stuffed Shin Bones (cow)


I'd never intentionally give my dogs a weight bearing bone from a cow, shin bones included.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I'd stay away from any stuffed weight bearing bones of any kind. they are indeed WRECK bones... as in wreck your dogs teeth bones. The ears may be a bit of a chew... I know that Tobi has a bit of a time with raw pigs ears because they are so floppy he usually takes about 30 minutes with one before swallowing it... we haven't gotten any beef ears yet, but next time we go to work up at that processors were going to get a few. They might be worth a try. but not the shin bones.


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## kennyk (Sep 17, 2011)

Are beef rib bones (the regular andbeef back rib bones) considered "wreck" bones too? I'm asking because my lab can cruch through pork bones but he doesn't seem to cruch the beef rib bones... he does bite them and strip the meat off.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

The only chew I give to Ruby are reindeer antlers. It takes her forever to get through them, because I know if I gave her something easily edible it would be gone in no time lol


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

kennyk said:


> Are beef rib bones (the regular andbeef back rib bones) considered "wreck" bones too? I'm asking because my lab can cruch through pork bones but he doesn't seem to cruch the beef rib bones... he does bite them and strip the meat off.


In general only the weight bearing "LARGE" ungulate bones are bad. I don't feel comfortable with most beef ribs myself though, it's really just how hard your dog is working it. Ribs are normally fine though I'm just worrisome about his teeth :lol:


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## BoxerPaws (Jul 19, 2011)

Tobi said:


> In general only the weight bearing "LARGE" ungulate bones are bad. I don't feel comfortable with most beef ribs myself though, it's really just how hard your dog is working it. Ribs are normally fine though I'm just worrisome about his teeth :lol:


I'm fine with giving beef ribs; they're not weight-bearing bones, so not even remotely as dense/hard as a leg bone. She'll work on them for a while, stripping the meat, then occasionally gnaw the bone for a while, but she never bites hard enough to actually break anything off.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts on the shin bones. I wasn't sure since the marrow was removed and they were re-stuffed if it might make any difference. I don't even know how much chewing on them Zoey would do after getting all the filling out.

Guess we'll go with trying out an antler and maybe picking up the cow ears (I just wish they came in smaller packs!).


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## taem (Oct 29, 2011)

jdatwood said:


> I'd never intentionally give my dogs a weight bearing bone from a cow, shin bones included.


I love this place but they do sell some things I seriously question. Processed treats with propylene glycol as a main ingredient, weight-bearing bones, smoked bones, etc. I mainly plan on buying single ingredient animal part chews from this site, their selection on that front is amazing and the stuff looks good quality.


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## pgiven (Nov 4, 2011)

I figure this is as good a place as any to put this.

I think i'm settling on the fact that bully sticks are the ONLY "chew" I will find that my fiancee, myself, and our dogs can agree on. Nylabones and other hard chewtoys never interested them. They just get bored and walk away after a few minutes.

Our first order from BBS was for a dozen or so bully sticks, and a dozen tracheas. The dogs loved them both. My fiancee did NOT love the tracheas. I agree they are a tad on the gross side for the carpet. Our next order included two antlers, as I had heard many time these were long lasting, and irresistible. They certainly ARE long lasting, but after a day or so of chewing the dogs got bored and won't pursue anymore. I'm just resigned that the only good, "long term" (in their case, about 20 minutes) distraction is a bully stick. I'll be trying different varieties of thickness and length, but i'm done hopping around to different things. Bully sticks are safe, relatively clean and odorless, and last a long enough time that if we have guests at dinner or on the couches they can get settled in.

We don't want rawhide, obviously. We've also tried dried tripe, tendons, jerkys and more, but they all last about 20 seconds. 

Any other ideas?


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## BoxerPaws (Jul 19, 2011)

Pgiven, I'm basically where you are in looking for chew options. I just can't keep buying her bully sticks at current prices when she's going to be finished with one in all of 30 minutes. 

She didn't show a whole lot of interest in her Nylabones for a long time (got them both when we brought her home at 8 weeks). She finally started paying attention to the one we leave in the living room, and she's gnawed it down to less than half its original size. But, like your dogs, it's not valuable enough to her to really go for very often.

I really hope she takes to the antlers and keeps at them. We just need the "distraction" for her sometimes. She's really well behaved in general.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I've found that the "thick" spiral shaped one last a bit longer since they have to find a "chew angle" and keep it from "slipping" away from them. Not sure if it would work the same way with big dogs though.


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## pgiven (Nov 4, 2011)

Yeah. I feel like some people give them for the dogs sake, and that's not really why we do it. To keep them entertained they run, we play, we throw, etc They get lots of stimulation, and I think this is why they are bored by a lot of "chews".

What we use bully sticks for is the occasional couch dinner, friends visiting and watching a movie, etc. It's the only thing that they are totally focused on as far as chewing goes. I really had high hopes for the antlers...and for about 4 days, they were in love. Then I saw the time spent chewing going down and down...and now they are just in the box with all the other "stuff". 

I hope you have better luck!



BoxerPaws said:


> Pgiven, I'm basically where you are in looking for chew options. I just can't keep buying her bully sticks at current prices when she's going to be finished with one in all of 30 minutes.
> 
> She didn't show a whole lot of interest in her Nylabones for a long time (got them both when we brought her home at 8 weeks). She finally started paying attention to the one we leave in the living room, and she's gnawed it down to less than half its original size. But, like your dogs, it's not valuable enough to her to really go for very often.
> 
> I really hope she takes to the antlers and keeps at them. We just need the "distraction" for her sometimes. She's really well behaved in general.


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## paigej (Oct 7, 2011)

BoxerPaws said:


> I really hope she takes to the antlers and keeps at them. We just need the "distraction" for her sometimes. She's really well behaved in general.


We have heavy chewers in our home. Antlers and Nylabone Big Chews/Galileo bones last about the same amount of time. 3-5 months. The antlers lasted 3.5 months before we had to throw them away since the girls reduced them to nubs. We had LARGE antlers too...I didn't buy them, I brought them home with me from my brother in law's farm in North Dakota. If I had bought them my poor wallet would have cried. I agree antlers are really expensive >_< hopefully they last longer in your house for the amount of money you pay.


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## Cliffdog (Dec 30, 2010)

The cow ears look good. I personally wouldn't get one because if they last the same amount of time as pig ears, then they won't last long for my pair. Bonnie and Abbey both chew through pig ears like it's wax paper.


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

Well, as previous post suggested, the antlers while spendy, do last a long time. I think the antler vs.bully stick is an unfair comparison. The Bully Sticks are something that I think when given the dogs will get through in "one sitting" however long that sitting is, depends on the dog. An Antler however when given, provides the dog enjoyment, recreation, and chewing time for "a while" then it may sit for a few days, then they pick it up play, chew, etc. and the cycle continues. At least that's what happens at our house. I've been given some antlers from hunter friends, and some are really soft or maybe old (?), and those are ones that Khan can get through in no time. They just sort of crumble. So I think if they were all like that, the antler would be just like the bully stick. He would chew it until it's gone. Since most however are hard, and take some work to get to the good stuff in the middle you will find they will work at it for a while, put it down, then come back and try again.


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

pgiven said:


> What we use bully sticks for is the occasional couch dinner, friends visiting and watching a movie, etc. It's the only thing that they are totally focused on as far as chewing goes. I really had high hopes for the antlers...and for about 4 days, they were in love. Then I saw the time spent chewing going down and down...and now they are just in the box with all the other "stuff".
> 
> I hope you have better luck!


What works for us is to keep the puzzle toys and chews in a bag in the kitchen. They don't get free access but instead those things are distributed on days that the dogs need a distraction (mostly stormy winter days). They become "special" and the dogs get excited every time since they seem new and exciting .

As for Best Bully Sticks chews, I've gotten:

Odor-free bully sticks (the dogs love them but some fosters can power through them easily...although braided ones last longer)
Antlers (popular among our hardcore chewers)
Dehydrated duck feet (used these as treats for a while and they loved them)
Stuffed aortas (too rich for our pups although they liked them)
Lamb chews (the variety pack...all were enjoyed but none lasted long)
Tracheas (our dogs didn't like them at all...luckily a foster dog I had in January did so I gave all of them to him, ha)
Himalayan chews (everyone loves these and they last a while...kinda pricey, sadly)
Pig snouts (were more of a crunchy treat than a chew)
Cow tails aka "Texas toothpicks" (didn't last long but were enjoyed)

I very rarely order chews now since the dogs can just get raw pork tails, pork necks, turkey necks, etc. But I'll probably put in an order soon and get some venison hooves, Himalayan chews, bully sticks, antlers, and treats. I mostly give chews to rowdy foster dogs...our own dogs don't do a lot of recreational chewing these days.


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