As a dog owner, you know how important proper dental care is for your dog, and bully sticks are a must-have for that purpose. They clean your dog’s teeth, prevent bad breath and dental disease, and provide your dog with proteins, vitamins, and minerals. However, not all dogs chew the same, which is why it’s important to determine the right size of bully sticks. Failing to do so may result in an unenjoyable chewing experience and even choking.
How to Choose the Right Size of Bully Sticks for Your Dog?
Bully Stick’s Length and Thickness
Bully sticks are available in several lengths: 4 inches, 6 inches, 10 inches, and 12 inches, and thickness from 0.4 to 1 inch. These two factors usually go hand in hand, thus the larger the bully stick is, the thicker it is.
When choosing bully sticks for your dog, consider their length and thickness as they correlate to your dog’s size and chewing power. As a general rule, smaller bully sticks are suitable for smaller dogs and light to moderate chewers. On the other hand, larger bully sticks are suitable for larger dogs and powerful chewers.
Your Dog’s Size and Chewing Power
Your dog’s size goes hand in hand with its chewing power. If we take into account that larger breeds are usually more powerful chewers and need more nutrients, then larger bully sticks of 12 inches (and over, if available) are the right size for them. On the other hand, smaller breeds are usually lighter chewers and need fewer nutrients, so smaller bully sticks of 4-6 inches work best for them.
Recommended Bully Sticks Size for Dogs
4-inch Bully Sticks
These bully sticks are usually found in the form of bully bites and bully pretzels and are less than half an inch thick. They are best for small dogs that are light chewers.
6-inch Bully Sticks
Bully sticks of this size are considered suitable for all dogs regardless of their size, weight, and chewing power. They offer a great chewing experience of around an hour for smaller dogs and serve as a bite-sized snack for larger dogs.
Although universal, 6-inch bully sticks are most suitable for dogs of 10 lbs and under that are moderate chewers.
10-inch Bully Sticks
10-inch bully sticks are suitable for smaller and larger dogs that are moderate chewers. Due to their medium size and thickness, they offer a good grip to dogs while chewing. This maximizes dogs’ chewing enjoyment.
12-inch Bully Sticks
These are the largest bully sticks usually found on the market. They are suitable for larger dogs of 70 lbs and under. Due to being thicker than the other sizes of bully sticks, they are more durable and keep dogs busy for 2 to 6 hours depending on the dog’s breed and chewing power.
Conclusion
Choosing the right-size bully sticks for your dog affects their chewing experience. Therefore, when looking for bully sticks, consider your dog’s size and chewing power and then the bully sticks’ length and thickness to determine which are most suitable for your furry friend. Always keep in mind that smaller dogs need smaller bully sticks whereas larger dogs need larger bully sticks for the best chewing experience.