# Something other than bully sticks?



## Erin80 (Oct 12, 2014)

Ghost loves to chew - but holy cow do those bully sticks STINK! It KILLS me every time I give him one, our whole livingroom will smell like dead fish/pee while he's chewing on it. SO gross. However, he loves them.....and his tummy agrees with them, so I keep buying them. 

Other than bully sticks, what can I give him to chew?

We do Kongs - usually one a day. I have started freezing them. He doesn't chew that so much as just lick the stuff out.

He is not a huge fan of pigs ears

We have done chicken feet, but those obviously are not a challenge for him

He doesn't like Nylabones.


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## DGerry (Sep 12, 2014)

If you're looking for something to keep his chewing needs occupied for a while, I don't really have a whole lot of advice there...Chester really, really likes his Kong Stuff-a-Ball but he didn't at first. Lately he'll just grab it on his own and "chew down" for 20 minutes or so, and he does this daily and has yet to make more than a few marks on the thing(and we've had it for...2 or 3 months now?) Besides that, there's the Himalayan Cheese chew but I feel like if I just left that in his care he'd be through it in a day and it's not cheap, it's high in calories, and the snapping sounds it makes as he chews off small chunks make me SUPER nervous lol...so that's more of a supervised "I hold it while you chew it" type thing rather than a "go do something to entertain yourself for a while".


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

Antlers don't smell. Same with tendon and raw bones.

Besides that there isn't much else that you can give that wouldn't smell haha


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## DGerry (Sep 12, 2014)

Oh, the smell! I forgot to mention that the Himalayan chews DO have a smell but it's not that strong(at least, not to me) and it really just smells like smoke. Like, super-duper strong smoke(hardwood smokeyness, like a campfire or a meat smoker). It doesn't carry that far but Chester's mouth smelled smokey for a couple of days after the first time he had it lol.


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## Erin80 (Oct 12, 2014)

He doesn't like the Himalayan chews either! Seems he is super picky maybe. I think I might try a split antler and see how that goes.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

We usually do stuffed bones but recently bought Toby an antler. The price is nuts but it's well worth it.


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## pinksand (Dec 11, 2013)

The split antlers have gone over well with Charlie much better than ones without the marrow exposed. He slowly whittles away at the split ones I've given him, but pretty much ignores the ones without exposed marrow. They last forever in our house... he still has part of a moose antler from last Christmas. For him, antlers are something he'll dig through his toy box for when he's in the mood to settle down on his bed and chew on something for a while and he isn't a very aggressive chewer. If I tried to get him to chew the antlers when I wanted him to, he wouldn't, whereas he can't resist a bully stick.

I do find that bully sticks vary in odor. The ones that claim to be odor free do seem to be better in that department, but I would say they're really more low odor than odor free.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

The bully sticks I get Barkworthies from chewy.com aren't bad at all. I mean, sure, if you're right up next to it, but in general just being in the room with it? I don't smell anything. I get the thick ones.


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## Hector4 (Sep 16, 2013)

cow ears are cheap and large


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## Erin80 (Oct 12, 2014)

I find the water buffalo bully sticks barely smell, but the bull ones that he has absolutely STINK! The water buffalo ones are super crazy expensive though.


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

Never tried them, but the new chew seems to be water buffalo horns. Pricey just like antlers, but seem like they are worth it. Can not tell you if they will smell, but I would not think horns would smell.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Ginger wanted the horn more than a bully stick last time she got to shop for a chew but I would think it would stink as bad as a hoof and be even more of a hazard when stepped on. I would chance the foot pain if somebody has tried both and tells us that the horn doesn't stink because they really looked like a fun chew. 

She got a Himalayan chew instead. Looking forward to putting that in the microwave to pop it so it can be completely consumed. Seems so wasteful to have to toss old chews that are small enough to go in the mouth. Cheaper than emergency surgery though. She has finally worked it to a pencil point and now can occasionally bite off the tip. 

I liked cow ears more than pig ears, larger and less greasy but if a dog doesn't like pig ears why would they like cow ears? I liked that I could let the dogs finish them off, something I won't do with bully sticks, tendons and other dense chews that could choke.

Big dried tendons should stink less than bully sticks and are basically the same thing. Bully sticks are tendon with the added stink as a result of where they come from. The biggest ones I know about are ostrich tendons, over a foot long and very thick but they cost the earth and are only seasonally available. I would think bison or beef tendon would be large enough for a fun chew too.


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## Erin80 (Oct 12, 2014)

Not sure I've ever seen tendon in the store, I will look next time!

I wish I could find nice thick bully sticks....lol, but that would need to come from a huge animal! I have been buying the braided ones as they are a bit more of a challenge.


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## Foresthund (Jul 17, 2013)

Ligaments,trachea,tendons,raw bones,hooves... I have been able to find that stuff at feed and seed stores so would recommend just looking around.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

I searched this forum and found a thread that said those buffalo horns aren't stinky! I know what Ginger is getting for Christmas now.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Kathyy said:


> I searched this forum and found a thread that said those buffalo horns aren't stinky! I know what Ginger is getting for Christmas now.





ChaosIsAWeim said:


> Never tried them, but the new chew seems to be water buffalo horns. Pricey just like antlers, but seem like they are worth it. Can not tell you if they will smell, but I would not think horns would smell.


Oh good god they stink. lol Its horrible. At first they are fine, but after they chew on them for a few days to a week its horrible. Smells like poop when they are wet and being gnawed on. I still get them for the boys but they can really get rank smelling, it causes my carpet, their breath, and their legs to smell as well.


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## Erin80 (Oct 12, 2014)

Oh yuck! Ghost has a cow hoof and it is an outdoor only things because it smelled like diarrhea........AWFUL!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Oh drat! I was hoping horns were less stinky because they don't go in the dirt like hooves.


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## Salina (Sep 2, 2012)

bestbullysticks.com has all kind of bully sticks, also odor free ones. The website is much cheaper than stores. Also, I buy antlers at target. Best price I could find so far.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

I get the regular ones from Best Bully Sticks and have never noticed a smell unless I put my face in the bag- the gullet sticks though, EHW those stink strong.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Kathyy said:


> Oh drat! I was hoping horns were less stinky because they don't go in the dirt like hooves.


So was I. lol Thats the entire reason I started to buy them, now I can't stop because they love them SO MUCH. They will race into the pet store and all they want to do is get to the bin they are kept in. ugh. lol I have to lay blankets down in the living room when they are chewing on them and its absolutely forbidden for them to chew on them anywhere else in the house.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

You should smell it in my room when I give four dogs raw bones, the smell of the blood and saliva combined uh ... well lets say it takes some getting used to. 

I find bully sticks to be less offensive than raw bones. But there is a reason they are so stinky, because they are ... well the bull's ... peeter. LOL. You should have seen the look on OH's face when I told him that.


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## Kyle071785 (Nov 28, 2013)

Himalayan Chews and Raw Marrow Bones are Jax's main 'chews' right now. He'll get a bully stick 1x per month, but they became too costly to give him on any consistent basis since he lost his puppy teeth.

I still remember that first 12" bully stick (with puppy teeth) took him nearly 2 weeks, constantly working at it, to get through. Now, I'm lucky if a 12" stick last him 2x 30 minute chew periods on back to back days.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

How do those himalayan chews work? I have read on the package and it says something about microwaving them???


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## Kyle071785 (Nov 28, 2013)

OwnedbyACDs said:


> How do those himalayan chews work? I have read on the package and it says something about microwaving them???


when they get small enough (usually at the point they can't gnaw on them anymore without having the whole thing in their mouth), you pop it in the microwave for around 45sec-1min. They'll expand and puff out (like a piece of popcorn) and your dog can safely finish it off so you don't have to throw any out. Jax's favourite part of the Himalayan Chew is when I microwave the little piece at the end. He paces around the kitchen and constantly sniffs at the air until it cools down enough so he can eat it (usually 5 min)

The microwaved piece does make a bit of a mess when eaten (it crumbles very easily) so usually feed it on a dog bed/other surface you can pick up the crumbs on (ie. not carpets)


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## Kyndall54 (Apr 26, 2013)

My pet store started carrying lamb logs and kangaroo tails/ribs from barkworthies. Ammy is a big chewer too so I picked some up. She didn't like the lamb but loves the kangroo. The tail lasts a fair amount of time, and it's something different than bully sticks!


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Kyle071785 said:


> when they get small enough (usually at the point they can't gnaw on them anymore without having the whole thing in their mouth), you pop it in the microwave for around 45sec-1min. They'll expand and puff out (like a piece of popcorn) and your dog can safely finish it off so you don't have to throw any out. Jax's favourite part of the Himalayan Chew is when I microwave the little piece at the end. He paces around the kitchen and constantly sniffs at the air until it cools down enough so he can eat it (usually 5 min)
> 
> The microwaved piece does make a bit of a mess when eaten (it crumbles very easily) so usually feed it on a dog bed/other surface you can pick up the crumbs on (ie. not carpets)


what about when you first get it? do you have to do anything to it or can you just give it to the dog straight out of the package? thats the part i was confused about LOL.


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

OwnedbyACDs said:


> what about when you first get it? do you have to do anything to it or can you just give it to the dog straight out of the package? thats the part i was confused about LOL.


Give them straight to the dog.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

There is definitely a wide range in odor-strength among bully sticks. Some seem to hardly smell at all unless I actively sniff it, and then others you can smell from way off!

Like others have said - I've found trachea and raw bones to be the least smelly. Tendons have a bit more of a smell, but its kind of like jerky - the smell is there but it's not terrible. Hooves start to smell after the dogs have been chewing on them for a while.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

ChaosIsAWeim said:


> Give them straight to the dog.


Oh, ok, I might get one the next time i am at a store that sells them then


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