What should my dog's bully stick look like?

By EverChew inventor Kirby. Photo credit (and a question credit) goes to EverChew customer Jill.

Why Your Bully Stick Looks "Different"

Got a question about one of your pup’s bully sticks looking different than the rest?  You're not alone—so let’s address the topic.  First a reminder. Bully sticks (also called pizzle) are an all-natural type of really tough beef jerky that only comes from boy cows.  And each boy cow only has one pizzle. The pizzle is cut, washed well (or else it will stink), dried, and cut to length.

Whether it's darker than the others, bent in a weird way, or has that flat "pizzle tip" end—what you're seeing is 100% natural. Here's the scoop on why bully sticks are basically the ultimate individuals of the chew world.

Color:  A rainbow of shades from brown to reddish

Just like any natural product, they're going to have some variety. They range from light golden tan to deep chocolate brown, and sometimes even nearly black.  When we open a box of bully sticks, we see all of these colors in a jumble.

Why the color differences?

• Each boy’s pizzle is naturally different
• The drying process time and temperature variations
• Where along the length of the pizzle the stick was cut from

You might even get a stick that transitions from light to dark—that's totally normal. The darker ones aren't spoiled, moldy, or treated differently. They're just showing their natural color.

Fun fact: Bully sticks are astonishingly stable. Each vendor has a different shelf life, but these things are like a rock.  I have a bully stick locked into an early EverChew prototype that’s been sitting on my desk for 6+ years, and it's still perfectly fine. But don’t try this—your dog prefers fresher ones since there’s more taste trapped inside.

Shape: Straight, Bent, Twisted, or Flat

Every bully stick has its own personality. Some are straight as arrows, others are curved, twisted, or noticeably flat at one end. This is just reflecting the original anatomy and how the pizzle naturally dries.

That flat, kind of pointed end on a stick?  That's the pizzle tip—totally natural and safe for your pup to enjoy. It's just anatomy.

The Real Safety Concern

The thing to worry about isn't color or shape—it's the choking hazard when your dog chews that bully stick down to a small stub. That’s why we invented EverChew in the first place. When any bully stick gets chewed shorter, dogs can potentially swallow it whole, which can cause choking or intestinal blockages.

What Should Actually Concern You

• Slimy texture (maybe it got wet and was sealed up before drying back out. But sometimes they feel “waxy” from natural oils, and that’s okay)
• Visible mold (Very rare.  Sometimes the sticks have natural spots, but they can’t be scratched off with your fingernail like mold could be)
• Metal (the raw pizzles are hung on nails or hooks during cutting and washing.  One time we had a pizzle with a broken hook trapped in the end. So at EverChew we scan every single stick with a metal detector after we drill the hole)

If you see any of these on your EverChew sticks, please snap a photo and shoot us an email at info@everchew.com. Otherwise, embrace the variety!

At EverChew we handle (with real human hands) and inspect every single stick we process and ship out to you.  Your dog’s safety is our #1 priority.

 

Common Questions About Bully Stick Appearance

Q: Why did the bully stick end turn white/pale while my dog was chewing it?
A: Totes normal! When your dog's saliva mixes with the bully stick, it turns white/pale and becomes softer. This is actually a good sign—it shows the stick is breaking down properly for safe digestion.

Q: My bully stick looks slimy after my dog chewed it. Is it bad?
A: That's just saliva making it wet and slimy. Let it dry out completely before storing it, and it'll be fine for next time. The sliminess is normal when wet.

Q: One of my bully sticks is much darker/lighter than the others. Is something wrong?
A:  Natural color variation from light tan to dark brown (even black) is completely normal.

Q: My bully stick is bent, curved, or has a flat end. Is it defective?
A: Bully sticks come in all shapes because they're made from natural anatomy. Straight, curved, twisted, or flat-ended—they're all perfectly normal and safe.

Q: This bully stick smells stronger than my others. Is it spoiled?
A: Some natural variation in smell is normal, and while we strive to keep them no and low odor, sometimes a ranch sends us a few “stinkers”.  But they’re fine and your dog may love it even more.

Q: There are white/green/blue patches on my bully stick. What are those?
A: That could be mold or maybe a piece of nitrile glove stuck to it.  If you ever see this with EverChew sticks please let us know right away.

Q: My bully stick feels harder/softer than usual. Is that okay?
A: Texture can vary based on processing time and the original piece of beef used. Sometimes they are very dense, and sometimes they feel a little lighter.  But all that variation is normal.

Q: Why do some bully sticks last way longer than others?
A: Thickness, density, and your dog's chewing style all affect how long they last. Some are naturally denser than others—that's just the nature of the beast’s pizzle.

Q: My bully stick has a strange taste (according to my dog.)
A: Sometimes a dog just doesn’t like an individual stick or even a batch of sticks.  It’s likely something in the odor and we can’t smell it.  But if this happens, reach out to us and we can swap in sticks from a different batch.

Q: Is it normal for bully sticks to get stringy as they're chewed?
A: Absolutely! As the stick softens with saliva, it naturally becomes more fibrous and stringy. This is exactly what should happen, and the fibers are what makes the stick so strong.