We all want the best for our dogs, and when it comes to dental health, prevention is key. Just take a look at this image of tartar build-up:
Plaque and tartar like this can lead to serious dental problems — and bad breath!
Enter the humble bully stick — a single-ingredient chew that’s natural, digestible, and most importantly, abrasive enough to help scrape away plaque as your dog chews.
But have you ever wondered how these chews are made? Let’s go behind the scenes of the bully stick process!
1. The Raw Material: Bull Pizzle
Bully sticks start out as, well... this:
Yep, it’s exactly what you think it is. 100% beef muscle.
2. Cleaning and Sorting
After harvesting, the pizzles are thoroughly washed and sorted.
3. Shaping and Braiding
Many bully sticks are twisted or braided to create longer-lasting chews and extra chewing fun.
Freshly braided — still soft and pale pink.
4. Drying and Dehydrating
These braided sticks are then hung and dried in ovens or dehydration chambers.
5. The Final Product
After hours of dehydration, the bully sticks transform into the rich brown chews dogs go wild for.
Why Bully Sticks Are Good for Your Dog’s Teeth
As your pup gnaws on a bully stick, it scrapes along their teeth and gums, reducing plaque build-up. Unlike rawhide, bully sticks are:
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Fully digestible
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Made from a single ingredient
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High in protein
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Long-lasting and great for heavy chewers
Pair that with regular vet visits and a dental toy or two, and you’re setting your dog up for a much healthier mouth.