SHOULD I WORRY?

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

I have very little experience with bully sticks. Gave one to Haley which he was so excited about. He chewed on it a few minutes. I left the room briefly. When I came back about a 4 inch piece was gone. Will this cause a problem? Needless to say, Haley no longer has the BS.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Keep an eye on him but don't worry. It's fully digestible and shouldn't cause a problem. Jack can polish off a 2 ft long bully stick in about five minutes and I imagine Haley can too, lol. 

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Thanks Karen. I thought that was the case with them but wanted to make sure. (It's late Friday afternoon in the country and it's snowing. )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It might cause some temporary loose stool, but nothing more serious than that. 

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Thanks again. Not sure he will get any mor BSs.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Personally, I found them to be a waste of money. For that kind of money, I'd like him occupied for more than 5 or 10 minutes. I read about people here whose doodles have them for a few days, people let the dog chew for 20 minutes or so and then take it away; well, here, as you also saw, after 20 minutes, there is nothing to take away, lol. 

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

I won a gift certificate from Doodle Country Store on Ruler of the Amazon holiday discussion. So I really didn't pay anything for them. : )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That's great, then no loss, lol. 

[Lynda Kamrath]

My sticks last for three 20-min sessions.  After 20 minutes they are tired of chewing.  I get the bags of ten from Cost-co.  Oh, and my vet says she has taken many things out of dogs' stomachs but never a leather chew or a bully stick.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would not give my dog anything purchased at Costco. The sourcing is not reliable.  You only want treats and chews sourced and made in the USA. Many Food Group members recommend this website for bully sticks: http://www.bestbullysticks.com/usa-bully-sticks-3

As I mentioned above, bully sticks are completely digestible and therefore do not cause obstructions. Leather would be another story. If by "leather" she means rawhide, there are literally thousands of cases of rawhide chews causing obstructions. It is not digestible.

[Jenny and Cooper]

Hi Anne, every now and then Cooper will swallow his too when it's two inches or so. Nothing happens and he still had normal poo afterwards. Haley is probably much bigger than Cooper so he's probably going to be fine. Now I put the bully sticks in a Kong toy so it takes him longer to eat it. He always ask for help though and I would have to push it out half and inch at a time :)

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I would think it would digest. I feel fortunate that neither Charlie or Beau is a heavy chewer.  Now that they are adults they do not get many bully sticks - only on occasion when we have company- and then it is a 6 inch thick bully stick for each and there is always about a 2 inch remnant from each one.  I am so grateful neither dood is a foreign body eater and we do not have to worry about obstructions like I did with my standard poodle years ago.

[Lynda Kamrath]

My dogs have all enjoyed bully sticks.  I make them eat them outside because of the smell.  The grab their bully sticks and run to their beds for a 20-min. chew.  The foot long sticks last for about an hour and I actually put the timer on the range in the kitchen for 20 minutes.  Then they bring the stick back to me and I put them in zip-lock baggies until the next day.  The boys know this routine and are fine with giving up their bully sticks.