Bully stick snob

[ks-man]

Cannoli is becoming quite the bully stick snob.  He loves them fresh and extra stinky.  If one is left out of the bag overnight it holds no interest to him however if we take one out of the bag it will keep him occupied for 20-30 minutes at least.  

I get him a bag from Costco which has twelve 12-inch sticks for $30.  I'm sure a single stick would last him a week or more of dedicated chewing.  I'm now rotating through them rather than only taking the one he started on until it's finished.  

Is there any length of time after which a bully stick will go bad after it has started?  Do you think a partially chewed stick will last a month or two if it is in a resealable bag?  Are there any bacteria or stuff that will grow on the stick that I should be concerned with?

Thanks!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We have a lot of discussions in The Food Group here about bully sticks and lots of other types of chews. One thing you will read about there is the importance of the sourcing of the foods, treats and chews you give your dog. There have been thousands of cats and dogs who died or were made permanently ill from food products that were made in China, and from products made in the USA with ingredients imported from China. Some of those dogs belonged to members here. This was the main reason for starting The Food Group. We list safe brands of food, treats and chews there, whose sourcing has been verified.
I generally advise people not to buy any edible products for their pets at big box stores or warehouse stores, which includes Costco. There may be some products there that are safe; but the majority of the products sold are not safe, wholesome, or of good quality. Living in the Chicago area, we have access to a plethora of wonderful small pet supply stores that only carry products sourced and made in North America. Bentley's, Pet People, and Kriser's to name a few. I strongly suggest that you purchase Cannoli's chews and treats at one of these. Yes, it will cost a lot more. But not as much as the vet bills if your dog gets something that gives him a permanent kidney disease. And all of these stores offer frequent buyer incentive programs.
(Note: I am in no way connected to any retailer or pet product, lol.)
As for bully sticks going bad or developing bacteria over time, yes that is possible. It's not a concern for most of us here because many dogs will tear through even the biggest bully stick in minutes. My 80 lb labradoodle, the late great JD, would polish off a huge bully stick in 10 minutes. My Miniature Poodle Jasper consumes a 12" bully in about 20 minutes. So for us, bully sticks are not a long lasting chew, and we have never come close to having a bully stick that lasted long enough to "go bad", lol. If your guy keeps a bully for a month, he might be setting a new record. :)

We find other chews (like beef tendons, scapulas, and tracheas, Himalayan chews, and others) to last longer and stink less. They are dehydrated so they don't spoil when left lying around for a while.They are also less expensive. 
If you'd like to learn more about alternative chews, please join us in The Food Group. :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There's also an online source for bully sticks (including odorless bullies) and other chews that many people in TFG have highly recommended. They only carry safely sourced products and they may be cheaper than the brick and mortar stores. 
Best Bully Sticks

[Connie]

As an alternative....When all the jerky treat poisoning concerns began years ago I bought a large dehydrator at a outdoorsy store and started making my own dehydrated dog treats.... chicken, beef, turkey jerky, sweet potato, pumpkin, apple chips etc. Easy, fun and I know its safe.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We have some wonderful discussions in the Food Group about making your own dehydrated jerky and other treats with a dehydrator, with recipes. 

[Connie]

Thanks! I'll take a peek. I make our own dog biscuits too.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I did a search and found these for you.

Recipes for making your own healthy dehydrator treats:

https://doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/dehydrator...

This one has a link to other discussions on making dehydrator treats, too: 

https://doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/my-dehydra...

How to make dehydrated chicken feet chews: https://doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/dehydrated...

[ks-man]

Thanks for the responses.  What you said definitely makes sense Karen.  While the price on the Costco bully sticks is certainly attractive it isn't worth it if it could lead to longer term issues.  We have both a Bentley's and a Pet People within 5 minutes to us so I'll go take a look at what they sell for treats and chews.  I'll also check the Food Group.

His food is Fromm Puppy Gold which is on the recommended list and I can get it from lots of different places. 

We gave him a Himalayan chew (cheese based) which he didn't seem to care much for.  I'll try a different one. 

Something that surprises me though with the chews and treats is the amount of calories.  Many of them are 100-150 calories for the whole treat.  That is more than 10% of Cannoli's daily caloric intake.    We also give him treats for crate time and training.  Do people break those chews in half or something to limit calories?

Thanks again!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

For training treats, most of us look for teeny tiny treats that only have a calorie or two per treat, or we break them into smaller pieces. I like the chews for crate time, as it gives them something to do.  (Some people will suggest giving them a kong filled with peanut butter... talk about calories!!!) The beef tendons have only about 40 calories. I also don't feed as much kibble as the recommended amount to account for the extra calories in the treats and chews.  

[ks-man]

That would definitely make it easier to give him a Kong or a chew for crate time however I'm a little apprehensive to do it yet as he's still only 16 weeks old.  We have puppy size kongs that I fill with kibble and freeze and then just coat the top with peanut butter.  I just put a small amount of peanut butter on it but I may try and change that as it certainly is a high calorie and fat item, even for just a little.

I don't really love the idea of putting water in his crate yet as he still has a small puppy bladder.  That pretty much rules out the chews or a bully stick but perhaps I can try a frozen kong in his crate to cut back on the salmon treats we're currently using.  

These are the training treats we currently use (there's a puppy version) - Train-me

I like them since they're only 1.4 calories and he loves them but I didn't see them on the recommended treat list in The Food Group.  Do you think I should stop using them even though they're highly rated on Chewy?  Do you give any value to those online ratings?

Thanks!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I keep forgetting about Crazy Dog. They should go on the list, they're fine. But, no, the online ratings are meaningless and sometimes even dangerous. I've seen people highly rate a product that contains cancer causing dyes and preservatives. 
I have never put water in a puppy or dog's crate, but my puppies are never crated longer than 2 or 3 hours (except overnight) and they really do just fine without water for that length of time, even with a chew. Peanut butter, even a little, would make them a lot thirstier than a beef tendon anyway. Jasper's breeder was giving them a pig ear in the crate at 8 weeks old, before they even came home. I'd try the chews. :)