While picking a chew for their dog, most pet owners prefer single ingredient options. Bully sticks are recently quite popular for this reason. They provide all the benefits that any normal dog chew offers while also being safe and healthy for the dog to handle. Which means that these are good for training a dog’s chewing behavior and also to maintain its dental health. As you get them in different shapes and sizes, it is easy to find one that suits your dog. You can pick based on the dog’s age or even its chewing habits.
On the whole, there are plenty of benefits, as you can see, for bully sticks. But there is one little problem that many pet owners face. This is also the problem that stops many of them from buying this popular dog chew. And that is, the problem of choking on the bully stick. This happens only when the stick gets too small. When it is small enough to fit wholly in your dog’s mouth it might be a major hazard to leave near your pooch. But depending on how hard and how fast it has been chewing on the stick, the time taken for the stick to get this small varies. Which means that your dog could chew its way into making a healthy bully stick a choking hazard in any amount of time. To solve this problem, there is a miracle pet accessory that many pet owners buy and recommend to their friends and that is a bully stick holder.
What Is A Bully Stick Holder?
A bully stick holder is a small device that you can attach to a bully stick. As a result, you get to control the size of the stick that the dog can access. The holder is large and it holds the stick firmly so that the dog does not swallow it. It is therefore an effective tool to help prevent choking on a bully stick.
How To Choose A Bully Stick Holder For Your Dog?
1. Ease Of Use
The design of the holder should be such that using it feels easy for the pet owner while dislodging the bully stick from the holder is not easy for the dog. A lot depends on the shape of the holder and the mechanism of attaching the stick to the holder. The locking mechanism used to hold the stick in place differs from one design to another. For smaller breeds the locking mechanism might be secure enough to crack. But bigger dogs can be quite unpredictable. You should understand your dog’s chewing behavior and then understand whether the chosen bully stick holder will be difficult for your dog to break open.
2. Material Of The Holder
You chose a bully stick for your dog because it is a healthy and safe alternative to many other commercial chews. But then if the material of the bully stick holder is going to be harmful to your dog, the whole purpose of offering a bully stick is lost. Latex is one ingredient that can sometimes cause allergies in dogs. This can occur in the form of visible rashes or even excessive itchiness, both of which can be uncomfortable for the dog. Choose a latex-free material and possibly one that is also BPA-free. This way, even if the dog chews on the holder it will not cause it any harm.
3. Length Of Stick That Is Secured
Some of these holders are too long meaning that a long portion of the stick will be caught inside the holder. As a result, your dog only gets to access a small chunk of the overall bully stick. This leads to a lot of wastage of the bully stick. And it might not be suitable for use with a small sized bully stick. The thickness of the stick that the holder can securely hold is another critical factor to consider. Always choose bully sticks that are not too thin for these holders.
So, when you choose a bully stick holder, always compare its dimensions with the size of the bully stick you offer your dog. An easy to use holder that is made of a durable and safe ingredient will be a long-lasting option. Ease of use also comprises the effort that is required to clean the product. To maintain your dog’s hygiene, pick something that you can wash easily.
