Health & Fitness
Hey Mom Where's My Bullstick
While U.S. diet trends “steer-ing” away from overconsumption of red meat is a shot in the arm for human health, it leaves Fido with an increasingly limited opportunity to “steak” his claim on his favorite long term premium chew: the American bullstick.
The domestic bullstick is becoming more and more rare, leaving all of us parents of aggressive chewers in the lurch for an all natural sturdy chew that lasts more than a millisecond. Unfortunately, many of you know exactly what I’m talking about!
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With the future availability of good bullsticks being so uncertain, you may want to try one or more of the following as a substitute:
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Antlers: Elk, deer, and moose are common, and available in several different formats including “buttons”, “slices” and “wholes”, and a wide range of sizes. Best buys are by weight. They are most abundant in the spring when they are naturally shed and gathered. Alas, not all dogs love them, but if yours does, they last even longer than bullsticks and are loaded with natural minerals. They are not inexpensive so if your dog is indifferent to them there are ways to peak his interest, but we’ll leave that for another day.
Tendons: These are a fairly resistant chew. Not as tough as a bully, but not a “poof! it’s gone!” treat either. Positives include a very enticing aroma that is attractive to most dogs.
Himalayan chews: Relatively new to my world, these hard-as-nails treats come in many forms and sizes. Made from yak milk and lime juice, sometimes supplemented with cow’s milk, Himalayan Chews come wrapped around bullsticks, cut into small bite sized pieces, or individually wrapped in sizes for small, medium or larger sized dogs. The original ones come with a charming story of origin, and there are many copycats out there to keep the market competitive.
Lastly (for now), are pork skin rolls, which are similar to a rawhide treat. We found a made-in-U.S.A. version that is about 12” in length that lasted about 15 minutes when split between two 50 – 60 pound dogs.
Perhaps good old American bullsticks will reappear in abundance, but in the interim perhaps a few of these can help with your (and your dog’s) sanity.