What Exactly is a Bully Stick?

Are bully sticks really made of that?

First things first, let’s get the awkward part out of the way: Bully sticks are made from the bull penis (beef pizzle) or as we at Bow Wow Labs like to think of it – 100% all-natural beef muscle. This means bully sticks are single-ingredient, fully digestible treats, and they are a much healthier alternative to rawhide chews, which have additional safety risks.

Bow Wow Labs’ bully sticks come from free-range, grass-fed cattle raised in the Patagonia region of Argentina, which is known for its high-quality beef. No processed chemicals are added to our bully sticks during the drying process, making them an optimal chew treat for your pup.

Bully sticks have health benefits

It’s true, bully sticks have health benefits that other chew treats lack. Veterinarians like them because they promote good dental health, they are easier to digest than rawhide or other products like pigs ears and promote a healthy coat, strong muscles, and brain function.

Specifically, bully sticks are oven baked, and their hard texture helps scrape off plaque and tartar buildup from your dog’s teeth and gums.

Because they are digestible protein, they are much easier on the gut.

Bully sticks are high in other vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. The benefits of these vitamins are seen in your dog’s soft and shiny coat as well as in the strength of their bones!

Bully sticks also provide healthy brain function for your pup as the process of chewing them provides stress relief and cognitive engagement. And it's much better for everyone when your dog chews bully sticks, instead of your couch cushions!

High in protein, low in fat

Bow Wow Labs bully sticks have one ingredient and one ingredient only. This means they are high in protein and low in fat, which makes them a great treat option to keep your dog healthy and fit while still being able to reward them with a delicious treat.

Let’s count bully stick calories

It’s true, like most dog treats, and pet food products in general, bully sticks have calories.

The average 6” bully stick contains about 88 calories. Depending on the size of your dog, that could be a small or large percentage of your dogs daily caloric intake. Your vet can provide guidance so you can make healthy choices for your dog and moderate the consumption of their favorite treat–the bully stick. The good news is bully sticks have an advantage over other dog chews. The majority of the caloric intake comes from protein, (about 75-85%), making the calories “good” calories, rather than empty ones.

Right size your supply of bully sticks

The universal appeal of bully sticks has suppliers producing a variety of lengths and diameters of sticks. It’s important to match the chewing style and weight of your dog to an appropriately sized bully stick. Bow Wow Labs sells only high-quality bully sticks in two lengths: 6" and 12". We size and hand select our bully sticks to ensure a secure fit in our dog safety device bully stick holder, the Bully Buddy. The Bully Buddy ensures that dogs can’t choke on the last inch or so of the bully stick.