We all know how much our dogs love bully sticks, but some dog owners can have some issues with them. That’s where bully stick holders come in.
My Dog Eats Bully Sticks Too Fast?
Too often, a dog will often devour a bully stick within minutes or even try to eat the bully stick whole hog because… why not! Bull penises (yes, that’s what bully sticks are) seem to be delicious (if you’re a dog), therefore a dog may decide to down it in a single gulp as they may think that it’s the best way to make sure that no one is going to get it from them.
All of this is to say that we sometimes need to be clever at what and how our dogs gnaw on. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to completely deprive your dog of the joy of chewing, but it sure would be nice to make shoving half your arm down your dog’s throat a thing of the past.
To be sure, the problem with bully sticks doesn’t only apply to dog owners who own a dog breed that’s got jaws of steel. Even dog owners that would consider their dogs to be more moderate chewers often worry about what might happen when a bully stick gets gnawed down to its stubby end.
While bully sticks of all sizes eventually end up digested if they’ve spent long enough inside of your dog, they could potentially cause major issues for your dog if they get lodged in the intestines. They also may never reach the stomach—as it’s possible for a bully stick to get stuck in a dog’s throat, which could certainly result in choking. Scary stuff.
Lastly, there’s the issue that no dog appreciates: Bully sticks are expensive! A speedy chewer is doing their owner’s bank accounts no favors.
Fortunately, inventors around the world have been working on developing products that can reduce the likelihood of choking and making bully sticks last longer. This has resulted in the birth of a new pet toy category: bully stick holders. Here are some of the popular bully stick holders that have hit the market.
The Qwizl
Pros: Made by the Montana-based company WestPaw, the Qwizl slips over the bully stick like a thick rubber sleeve, making it look like a hotdog in a brightly colored bun. The Qwizl is recyclable, latex-free, BPA-and-phthalate-free, and comes with a lifetime guaranty.
Cons: Most of the bully stick is covered by the Qwizl, so a lot of the bully stick will simply never get chewed. Also, unless you have a bully stick that’s precisely the right size, it may be hard to get it through the hole, which is quite snug; some bully sticks could simply be too thick to use for the Qwizl.
The Animaswizzler
Pros: Dogs really enjoy the mix of a toy that is both bouncy (thanks to The Animaswizzlers rubbery ends) and tasty. While the bully stick is enclosed in plastic, just enough of it is exposed to make it satisfying chew-ability.
Cons: Not as good if your dog is a heavy chewer, as they are able to crack the entire thing open, sooner or later. Sometimes, a really clever dog can push or pull the bully stick out of one of the ends.
The Bully Buddy
Pros: The Bully Buddy is an easy-to-use, durable, veterinarian dog-approved device that secures bully sticks, preventing dogs from choking on the tail-end of the treat. Bow Wow Labs also sells hand sorted and selected bully sticks that are guaranteed to fit nice and tight in the Bully Buddy.
The Bonehead
Pros: A simple and nice design that holds the bully stick in place with a screw clamping down on it, making it very hard to get at.
Cons: Although it’s not technically a “bully stick holder,” as the Bonehead is designed to use a Himalayan chew. To use it with a bully stick, you’ll need to find the thickest one you can find.
The Animatwist
Pros: It’s quite a challenge for a dog to completely remove the bully stick as it’s only partially exposed, in the middle. The toy is also very versatile as it can also be used with a Himalayan chew.
Possible Reasons For A Dog Eating Fast
While it’s more than likely that your dog just loves their bully stick, here are a few more reasons why your dog eats the bully stick fast:
Competition: If you have more than one dog in the house, your bully stick eater may feel as if they need to eat it quickly to keep the other dogs from snatching their bully stick from them. Or, perhaps the dog has had to compete for treats in the past. This sense of competition could also be instinct. So, even if you only have one dog, it’s possible that they view other members of the household, including cats and people, as competition.
Irregular meal timing: Did you adopt your dog from the shelter? It’s possible that their previous owners did not follow proper feeding etiquette or had a regular feeding schedule for the dog, so your dog may be eating their bully stick as they aren’t sure when they’ll get their next meal. This can also be true of dogs who were strays and had to find their food in the wild. Over time, care and lots of love, your dog could over time slow down, realizing that their next meal isn’t too far away.
Underlying illness: It’s possible that a dog that has an underlying health condition could cause them to feel excessively hungry. For example, diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome could affect a dog’s metabolism and increase its appetite. Worms and other parasites could also be the culprit.
