Ingredients for Bully Sticks

Dogs like treats, just like people. While the temptation may be to give your dog ready-made treats you can find in the store, it is wise to hesitate before doing so. Many of the treats readily available are filled with sweeteners and fillers and chemicals that add no real benefit to the dog's diet. Bully sticks can be treats that you and your dog can feel good about, for they are mostly protein.

  1. Bull Members

    • A bully stick is made from a bull member, or penis. When harvested from bulls, members range in size from 23 to 25 inches long. Once they are thoroughly drained, dried and smoked, they are stretched and then braided together. Once braided, the sticks are cut into lengths of 5, 6, 7 and 12 inches.

    Crude Protein

    • Bully sticks contain 80% crude protein. This protein is naturally occurring and not added to the bully sticks.

    Moisture

    • Bully sticks don't contain much moisture, only 20%. It is the third ingredient in this dog treat. The moisture is not added, rather it is what remains in the bull members after having been drained and dried.

    Ash

    • Bully sticks contain only 2% or less of ash. The ash is a natural byproduct of the smoking process.

    Fiber and Fat

    • Crude fiber and fat are the last ingredients in bully sticks and make up only 1% of the ingredients. As with the other ingredients, excepting only the ash, these are naturally found in bull members and not added in the processing.