Whether you are a new or seasoned paw-rent in sunny Singapore, you would have heard of this enticing and gastronomical dog chew named the bully stick. Our most common response with other pet parents when we discuss bully sticks is it's riveting stench that makes our pups go crazy over it.

Although yummy and traditionally thought to be beneficial to dogs, we began wondering about ways to create the best treat experience for both humans and dogs alike. That is why we found some great tips and alternatives to conventional (and unhealthy) bully sticks.

“It smelled like a dead, rotting animal - we couldn’t get the smell out of the house.” - Linda, paw-rent of a Shiba Inu who shared with us about her dog chewing conventional bully sticks.

What are bully sticks, and why do they smell?

Beef bullies or bully sticks are technically beef pizzles (penises), also called bull steers. They are often collected hours after a bull is slaughtered at a cow slaughterhouse, left to rot with the impurities of cow urine and blood.

Bully sticks are usually discarded on metal racks with other by-products of the bull, and there is often a mix of unwanted nasties with your bull steers before they are collected by bully stick manufacturers to be processed. The metal racks intensify the bacterial degradation of the cow by-products which enhances the spellbinding smell of the bully sticks which are thought to be ideal by suppliers.

Beef pizzles are then brought to a manufacturing plant for them to be cleaned, stretched, and twisted before being prepared. There are a few methods of preparation, but the most common ways are to sun-dry them on metal corrugated boards on a rooftop without thoroughly cleaning them, which does nothing to effectively cleanse the blood and urine from the bully sticks.

How do we make odour-free bully sticks?

Bully sticks are amazing dog chews that are long-lasting and a fantastic treat to satisfy your dog’s chewing instincts. They are single ingredient treats that are handcrafted, free of chemicals, additives and preservatives.

To create odour-free bully sticks, we collect the beef pizzles immediately after slaughter and put them in a refrigerated truck to be transported to our processing centre. Cooling and refrigeration is an expensive process, so it is not common that pet treat companies are willing to pay or go the extra mile to keep their bully sticks cool and fresh. The pizzles are then put through a hot water rinse, where blood and urine will be removed thoroughly. The bully stick is then slow-cooked and drained of their moisture gradually over long hours. 

How do I remove the smell from bully sticks?

There are only a few producers of odour-free bully sticks in the global pet supply market, and we are the only pet treat establishment in Singapore who have opted for these high-quality bully sticks. We are extremely conscious of what we want our dogs to chew on and therefore every bully stick that we deliver is handpicked and vetted by our teams in the United States.

The only way to fight the smell of bully sticks is to get odour-free or low-odour bullies that have been slow-cooked to remove the moisture and smell. Removing a bully stick’s smell from your home will cost you many scented candles and perfume, or maybe even carpet cleaning costs.

Are bully sticks “bacteria-contaminated”?

According to a study by the Canadian Veterinary Journal, some bully sticks on the market are contaminated with bacteria that may be harmful to both people and pets.

It is of utmost importance to us that our pet treats and chews are safe for pets and people to handle. Every single batch of our bully sticks are lab-tested by a private, federal-approved laboratory in the United States for common bacteria and pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella.

All the bully sticks that you purchase from us are kept in clean, sealed bags right from the processing centre. Any treat that you purchase in retail stores that are not kept in sealed bags are susceptible to bacterial exposure which may be harmful to your dogs.

If you are still iffy about this, ask your pet treat suppliers about where and how their treats are produced. It is a common practice to avoid talking about their manufacturing processes because it puts pet owners off, but we choose to remain as a transparent pet treat establishment so that you know each and every treat inside out when you feed BELLY UP’s products to your pups.

Remember to keep any unfinished bully sticks back in their resealable bags and refrigerate them to reduce bacterial growth. The high protein, moist environment on the end of your dog’s unfinished bully stick is a great breeding ground for any bacteria.

What are the benefits of bully sticks?

Chew treats are a great way to satisfy your dog’s chewing instincts, and bully sticks are one of the most natural and available options with incredible nutritional benefits. Our bully sticks are single ingredient chew treats made from 100% grass-finished beef. Each batch of bully sticks are lab-tested to contain 79.80% of protein, 5.48% of fat, 1.61% of fibre, and 14.94% of moisture. This high protein snack also contains trace amounts of vitamins and minerals such as calcium and magnesium for strong bones. As tasty as that might sound, we will not recommend you to take a bite out of your pup’s bully stick as they are considered raw meat products.

Where can I purchase odour-free bully sticks in Singapore?

At BELLY UP, we are the only pet treat store in Singapore that retails odour-free bully sticks that are lab-tested in the United States. You can browse our odour-free bully stick collection here, and look out for our braided bully sticks too!

If you want to find out more about the sustainable pet treat industry, or have a chat about natural dog treats for your pup, do drop us an email at hello@bellyup.sg to connect with us and learn more!

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xo
Nellie