What kind of chew?

[KJLive]

Originally Posted by licricket

I have found the same problem with the bully sticks. They make my dog vomit. This is contrary to everything I have read here. The majority of people like them. I would not give them to my dog. I've thrown the ones I bought out. I do have luck with flossies, NOT BULLY STICKS. Flossies and bully sticks are not the same thing. They sell Flossies in smaller pet stores, or on Amazon. My Gio tolerates them and loves to chew on the flossies.

LOL! I told you to be careful with the bullies at first. 15 mins and no more or they will get the poopies! LOL

I do think though that flossies and bully sticks are made of the same thing...tendon. I think the major difference is the shape.

The bullies are more thick and dense where the flossies are not as dense. That might be why Gio can tolerate them better than the bully stick.

Some brand of bully sticks my dogs cannot tolerate (vomiting) while other brands they have no trouble with. Merrick is the brand my gang can tolerate.

[FlDebra]

I even wrote to Merricks a year or two ago and they affirmed that the bully sticks and their flossies were the same thing, both bull pizzle (penis) which is a tendon. (There is a thread on here somewhere where I quoted from the email they sent me.) Some just like to call it a tendon to alleviate the grossness factor. Some are just different sizes and/or molded to different shapes. I wonder if dogs getting sick on one brand or another has to do with how they are stored, age, handling, etc... more than any difference in the beginning stage of the product.

[licricket]

Thank you very much. A very informative answer.
Phyllis

Originally Posted by FlDebra

I even wrote to Merricks a year or two ago and they affirmed that the bully sticks and their flossies were the same thing, both bull pizzle (penis) which is a tendon. (There is a thread on here somewhere where I quoted from the email they sent me.) Some just like to call it a tendon to alleviate the grossness factor. Some are just different sizes and/or molded to different shapes. I wonder if dogs getting sick on one brand or another has to do with how they are stored, age, handling, etc... more than any difference in the beginning stage of the product.

[deonk1]

My baby likes Z-Ridge bones made by Zuke. They come in minis now so you can get them for 5lb dogs. He also likes the chews called "Get Naked". Both of these are grain free, for dogs with allergies.

[KJLive]

Originally Posted by FlDebra

I even wrote to Merricks a year or two ago and they affirmed that the bully sticks and their flossies were the same thing, both bull pizzle (penis) which is a tendon. (There is a thread on here somewhere where I quoted from the email they sent me.) Some just like to call it a tendon to alleviate the grossness factor. Some are just different sizes and/or molded to different shapes. I wonder if dogs getting sick on one brand or another has to do with how they are stored, age, handling, etc... more than any difference in the beginning stage of the product.

I tried a different bully stick other than Merrick one time and I asked the supplier who was the mfg and are they rawhide because they were considerably cheaper in cost. The reply was that they are not rawhide but instead made from free roaming cattle in another country. I tried them and not only did they get eaten in 10 mins flat (Merrick Bully Sticks last for days) but Sophie got sick. This is why I buy Merrick. I have no idea what the conditions were like for those "free roaming" bulls but whatever it was it didn't agree with my dog.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by KJLive

I tried a different bully stick other than Merrick one time and I asked the supplier who was the mfg and are they rawhide because they were considerably cheaper in cost. The reply was that they are not rawhide but instead made from free roaming cattle in another country. I tried them and not only did they get eaten in 10 mins flat (Merrick Bully Sticks last for days) but Sophie got sick. This is why I buy Merrick. I have no idea what the conditions were like for those "free roaming" bulls but whatever it was it didn't agree with my dog.

I totally agree with you! Free range sounds good, but free range in other countries can mean a starving bull, living on cactus. All bully sticks are not created equal, some have "preservatives" with expiration dates, and since I try to avoid artificial preservatives if possible, I look for those that are naturally preserved by drying, but this drying must be done properly or bacteria can flourish. Also, some bully sticks have a high moisture content, which means the dogs can chew them in a matter of hours, and it's more like a food treat then an actual chewing stick. Bully sticks are a great safe substitute for bones, and help keep teeth and gums, healthy and clean. I recommend the Merrick Bully Stick, if your dog has had problems with others, and while they cost more, they last much longer. They actually shouldn't hurt even an overweight dog, because they are not really getting much "food" each time they chew, unlike the softer sticks that can be eaten in a matter of hours. The Flossies are just thin strips of tendon, and are made for the smaller dog or puppy, but if your dog is eating them in a matter of hours, you might want to try the sticks.

[JenniferLeigh]

You could try a kong or similar product so they have to work at it to get it out. Peanut butter, carrots, treats, chews, you can pretty much fill it with anything.

[roseslevi]

Himalayan chews from RDB911 are Levi and Lily's favorite. I use to give them Bully sticks all the time but Levi had a choking episode with one, so I changed to the Himalayan. I buy the large size...Levi is an agressive chewer. Lily can handle this size as well and they last much longer. I don't have the choking worry with these either.