Bully sticks or rawhide? Which is better for your dog? That seems to be a very popular question with a very vague answer. I started looking into it a few years ago, when I was trying to find a good alternative to bully sticks. While bully sticks are one of my favorite treats to give my dogs, I was kind of broke at the time. They’re awesome, but they can be expensive when you barely have money to put gas in your car.
My pet food budget was going into giving my dogs the best kibble I could afford, so I didn’t have a lot left over for extras. I wanted to know if rawhide was a viable alternative. When it comes to bully sticks or rawhide, rawhide is definitely better for your wallet. Is it okay to give your dog though? Is it as good as a bully stick? Those are two different questions, now, aren’t they? Let’s make it easy by looking at the pros and cons of each, then you decide. I’ll tell you my thoughts at the end, but ultimately, it has to be your decision.
Bully Sticks or Rawhide: Pros and Cons of Each
I’m one of those neurotic list-makers, so for me, laying out the pros and cons of bully sticks vs. rawhides helped me make a decision.
Bully Sticks Pros
One work about these pros, they refer to high-quality REAL bully sticks. Not cheap knock-off versions or crud from questionable sources. For details on where to find reputable sources, check out our post on bully sticks for puppies. I talked a lot about good places to buy from in that post.
- They come from a single ingredient (bull pizzles).
- 100% natural: when you buy actual bully sticks (and not cheap knock-offs) from a reputable source, they’re an all-natural chew
- Fully digestible & stomach-safe: the whole thing is digestible, so it breaks down in your dog’s stomach and comes out the other end, rather than getting stuck somewhere in the middle.
- A low-fat chew treat. Low-cal too, IF your dog takes his time with it. The average foot-long bully stick has about 350 calories, but that can last days (or even longer).
- Long-lasting, satisfies the urge to chew
- High in protein and packed with nutrients, like naturally occurring glucosamine (which makes them great for aging dogs)
- Good for dental health
- No preservatives or artificial colors, compared to other dog treats
Bully Stick Cons
- They can be super expensive. One 4″ stick can run you as much as $1.50. Larger sticks can even cost upwards of $7 or more EACH.
- Some of them can be really stinky. You can find low-odor versions, but even those can leave behind a stench when your dog chews them on, say, your carpet.
- Even though they’re digestible, small pieces can still pose a choking hazard if you don’t monitor your dog during chewing.
- If your dog is a super aggressive chewer and burns through a bully stick a day, the calorie content can become a con.
Rawhide Pros
Our resident vet tech Ben wrote a great article on the benefits of rawhide. I suggest checking that out for more in-depth details on safely using rawhide if you decide to go with that option.
- Inexpensive: rawhide is definitely significantly cheaper than bully sticks. You can get a package of decent rawhide for at least half the cost of a bag of rawhide sticks.
- Satisfies your dog’s chewing instincts
- Great for dental health: as they moisten, they become leather-like and really do a great job of cleaning the teeth
- Low in calories
- Ease teething pain in puppies
- No preservatives or artificial colors, compared to other dog treats
Cons of Rawhide
- Not digestible, so you have to constantly monitor your dog to make sure nothing breaks off of it
- More difficult to find reputable sources (you really have to research to find all-natural rawhide). Rawhide exported from China is downright dangerous, treated with chemicals such as arsenic and formaldehyde.
- Even when processed in the US, it’s often coated in chemicals, such as bleach
- Unknown sources. While it comes from “hide,” that hide can be anything from cow to buffalo. You have no way of knowing the conditions of the animal it came from.
- Shorter lasting than bully sticks
To me, the question of bully sticks or rawhide becomes pretty evident. When you take out the pros and cons in common, aside from the cost, bully sticks come out ahead, in my opinion. Does that mean rawhide treats are inherently bad? No, not at all. You just need to do a little more research to make sure you’re buying the best natural rawhide possible, and pay close attention when Fido is chewing.
I hope this answers your question about whether to choose bully sticks or rawhide. If you feel I left out any pros or cons, or you have a different opinion to share, I’d love to hear it!
