Is It Safe If My Dog Chews the Bully Stick Holder Itself?
This is a question we get asked about a lot, sometimes in general and sometimes about a specific detail--so I have a lot of info to summarize here. I know the the ins-and-outs of our holders, not just as a research chemist and the inventor, but as the pawrent of Wally. He's my superchewer who has personally tears up every dog toy in the house, real sticks found out in the yard, and has tested every version of our holders. I sometimes find evidence of his chew habits in the yard when I'm picking up their messes--in the form of pieces of things that weren't supposed to be pieces.
Bully Stick Holder Materials (Rubbers/Plastics)
Most bully stick holders (and rubber dog chews in general) are made from one of three things:
- Conventional dog toy rubber — a styrene-butadiene (sometimes SEBS) type polymer that most dog toys are made from. And tennis shoe soles.
- Vulcanized rubber — what a traditional Kong is made from, and car tires.
- Nylon — which is very hard and durable, and what we use for our SuperChew holder. Also used for your toothbrush bristles.
When I was developing the EverChew holders, I tested about a hundred rubber samples from over a dozen manufacturers. I came up with my own combination of "tooth puncture" and "tooth tear" tests so I could compare the materials equally.
The polymer class we ended up using for our green SafetyChew and SafetyChew+ holders costs about twice as much as the SEBS used in most dog toy rubber. We use the medical-grade version of that polymer because it gives us an extra safety margin for something that's going to live in a dog's mouth. And the rubber itself, and both green holders are made and molded in the US (giving us more confidence in it).
Our black SuperChew holder is made of pure virgin nylon. And to made sure it's safe too, the nylon is made in the US and the holder is molded in the US too.
Now for the other 2 holder parts: the latch and the while nylon locking pin. Yep, we have them make in the US of US materials. The latch is a conventional rubber, and the white pin is nylon again.
What Happens When a Dog Swallows a Piece
Wally has found the limits of our green rubber holders. I have found pieces of them in the yard. Then my Rosie, who is bigger than him, never tears up the green holder. So Wally is my SuperChewer SuperTester.
When he swallows a piece of a toy, it seems to pass through just fine. I've heard the same from a couple of customers, and those dogs have since graduated up to our SuperChew nylon holder — which Wally absolutely cannot tear up. It's genuinely indestructible for him, though over time he can wear the surface slightly, kind of like how a Nylabone slowly wears down.
We chose nylon for the SuperChew specifically because nylon has been used in semi-edible chews like bacon-flavored nylon chews for decades — so it has a long track record of passing safely through dogs. I think of it like fiber from real food--which is just cellulose polymer. Nylon is an inert polymer fiber in my chemist's mind.
What "BPA-Free" Means for Dog Chews
Some brands use "BPA-free" on bully stick holders--I think we've written that on some branding before too. However, polymers used in dog toys never really have ever used BPA in them--they use different monomers (molecules). But, most people don't know that BPA isn't used in SEBS or nylon, and they can't be expected to know that. So dog toy chew companies like us make the "BPA-free" statement in order to answer that question, because it will be asked.
Phthalates are used as plasticizers in polymers to make them softer, so I guess they could be used in softer dog chew toys. But I can state with 100% certainty that none of the polymers we use in the SafetyChew, SafetyChew+, or SuperChew have phthalates.
Things to Look for in a Bully Stick Holder
If you want to evaluate whether a holder is safe and worth using, this is my list:
- Avoid glass-reinforced or carbon fiber-reinforced nylon. These are more brittle and can shatter, creating sharp edges. EverChew's SuperChew holder is plain nylon and it just wears down gradually. (More on this: sharp edges on nylon chew holders.)
- The material's source matters. We use US-made polymers because it gives a much higher assurance of performance and purity.
- No metal components — none. Metal screw and teeth mechanisms can grip a stick better than the all plastic ones, but if your dog somehow gets to that metal piece and swallows it, it can tear up their intestines. When designing the SafetyChew, I absolutely avoided using any metal components, even though it would have made designing easier. Because even if the dog doesn't chew down to the metal piece, something else could break the holder (maybe a lawn mower?). That why you don't see dog chew toys ever made with metal parts. Too risky.
Why the Holder has to be Undefeatable
Even totally safe holder materials don't help if the holder fails and lets your dog get the stick free — which every holder on the market except ours will do. I estimate our competitor's holders fail from 15% of the time (the good ones) to 65% of the time (the crappy ones).
The other holders out there work by some combination of friction and twist tightening. They all grip the outside surface of the stick which has 3 modes of failure. First, the twisting might not get tightened down enough to begin with. Second, your dog can work the stick loose with a back-and-forth chewing motion over time. And third — and this is less obvious — dog slobber softens the outer layer of the stick as they chew, which makes it significantly easier to pull free. I've done a lot of testing with other holders and the dog-drool failure effect is very significant and real.
The EverChew SafetyChew goes through a hole in the stick with a locking pin. There's nothing to loosen, nothing to unscrew, and no outer surface to soften away from the grip. That's why it's the only one I call undefeatable.
How EverChew's Holders Compares to the Others
| Feature | Typical Rubber Holders | Nylon Competitors | EverChew SafetyChew / Plus | EverChew SuperChew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material class | Styrene-butadiene type dog toy rubber | Nylon of some type | Medical-grade polymer, USA-made | Pure nylon, USA-made |
| Metal components | Some have metal screws/teeth | Some have metal screws/teeth | 🟢 Zero metal | 🟢 Zero metal |
| Locking mechanism | Friction (screw/clamp) | Friction (screw/clamp) | 🟢 Pin-lock (through the stick) | 🟢 Pin-lock (through the stick) |
| Dog can defeat it | Yes — saliva + motion | Yes — saliva + motion | 🟢 No | 🟢 No |
| Safe if chewed/swallowed | Probably | 🟢 Yes (if plain nylon) | 🟢 Yes (medical-grade) | 🟢 Yes |
| Holder Made in USA | Rarely | Rarely | 🟢 Yes | 🟢 Yes |
| Holder Material Made in USA | Rarely | Rarely | 🟢 Yes | 🟢 Yes |
| Dishwasher safe | Depends | 🟢 Yes | 🟢 Yes | 🟢 Yes |
| Designed for superchewers | No | Depends | 🟢 Partial (Plus) | 🟢 Yes |
| Multi-material design | No | No | 🟢 Yes (two polymer classes) | 🟢 Yes |
TLDR Quick FAQ
Is it safe if my dog chews and swallows a piece of a bully stick holder?
It depends entirely on what the holder is made from. Medical-grade polymer and plain nylon are both safe to ingest in small amounts and will pass through a dog's digestive system safely, like fiber. The materials used in other holders are probably okay too, but the polymer composition would need to be disclosed.
Do bully stick holders have metal parts inside them?
Many of them do. A lot of friction-based holders use metal screws and/or metal teeth to grip the bully stick. But is a dog somehow gets to that metal piece and swallows it, the sharp edges can tear the intestinal lining as it passes. EverChew holders contain zero metal components anywhere in their design — that was a non-negotiable design requirement.
What is the safest material for a bully stick holder?
Medical-grade polymer and plain (non-reinforced) nylon are the two safest options. You want to avoid glass-reinforced or carbon fiber-reinforced nylon, which is more brittle and can shatter into sharp pieces. You also want to avoid any holder with metal hardware. It's also important that the material (polymer/rubber) used should be made and molded in the US.
Why do dogs pull the bully stick out of the holder?
Almost every bully stick holder on the market uses friction to hold the stick — they screw tight, clamp, or squeeze around the outside of the stick. The problem is that dog drool softens the outer layer of the stick as they chew, letting it pull free. On top of that, dogs instinctively work the stick with a back-and-forth motion that also loosens a friction-based hold. EverChew's pin-locking system goes through the stick instead of around it, so it is the only undefeatable holder. Not sure which holder is right for your dog? See our guide.