Pet Supplies
The Best Dog Chews: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
We compared a VOHC-accepted dental chew, bully sticks, a hard yak cheese chew and a filled bone treat against veterinary dental standards and FDA warnings.
The short version
GREENIES Original Dental Treats are our pick: they carry the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal for both plaque and tartar, come in sizes by weight, and are fed one a day. Best Bully Sticks 6-Inch Thick Bully Sticks are the value pick for long, single-ingredient chewing. The Himalayan Dog Chew suits determined chewers who want hours of work, but it is very hard, so watch for the small end piece. Skip filled bone treats like the Redbarn Filled Bone: the FDA has received reports of illness and death linked to processed bone treats, including pork femur bones. Best for: owners who want safe chewing and real dental benefit.
Our picks at a glance
- GREENIES Original Dental Treats - Buy. A daily dental chew with the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal for plaque and tartar.
- Best Bully Sticks 6-Inch Thick Bully Stick - Buy. A single-ingredient beef chew that lasts longer than standard bully sticks.
- Himalayan Pet Supply Himalayan Dog Chew Original Yak Cheese - It depends. A very hard, long-lasting cheese chew made from yak and cow milk.
- Redbarn Filled Bone - Skip. An oven-roasted beef femur bone with filling, the kind of bone treat the FDA has warned about.
The verdict in 30 seconds
What mattered most
- Type
- VOHC seal
- Ingredients
- Hardness
- Sizing
- Main risk
Edible chews keep dogs busy and can help their teeth, but not all of them are safe or useful. The Veterinary Oral Health Council tests dental claims and awards a seal to products that meet its standards. The FDA has warned about processed bone treats after reports of illness and death. We compared a VOHC-accepted dental treat, a single-ingredient bully stick, a hard yak cheese chew and a popular filled beef bone.
A daily dental chew with the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal for plaque and tartar.
Best for: Owners who want a daily chew with proven dental benefit.
- Listed by the Veterinary Oral Health Council as accepted for both plaque and tartar control.
- Sold in sizes by body weight, from Teenie for 5 to 15 lbs up to Large for 50 to 100 lbs.
- Clear feeding guidance: one treat a day, with a calorie adjustment to the main meal.
- Not for dogs under 5 lbs or under 6 months old.
- GREENIES warns that gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal, so watch your dog chew.
- A daily treat adds calories that you need to take off the main meal.
A single-ingredient beef chew that lasts longer than standard bully sticks.
Best for: Dogs who love to chew and owners who want a simple, natural treat.
- Made from 100% beef, a single-ingredient chew.
- Thicker than standard bully sticks, so it lasts longer for medium to tough chewers.
- Softens as the dog chews, unlike very hard chews.
- Calorie-dense, so it counts toward the day's food.
- The last small piece can be a choking hazard; take it away.
- No VOHC seal; any dental benefit is from chewing, not a tested claim.
A very hard, long-lasting cheese chew made from yak and cow milk.
Best for: Patient, steady chewers who need a long-lasting project.
- Made with yak and cow milk using a traditional recipe.
- Dogs soften the end for hours before chewing off small pieces, so it lasts a long time.
- Sold in sizes by dog weight.
- Very hard; aggressive chewers can be hard on their teeth with any very hard chew.
- The small end piece is a choking risk and should be removed.
- Rich for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
An oven-roasted beef femur bone with filling, the kind of bone treat the FDA has warned about.
Best for: No one; choose an edible chew that softens instead.
- Very popular and long-lasting.
- Dogs love licking out the filling.
- The empty bone can be refilled at home.
- Redbarn makes it from beef femur bones that are oven-roasted; the FDA has received reports of illness and death linked to processed bone treats.
- FDA reports include choking, vomiting, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and blockages in the digestive tract.
- The FDA also received complaints of bone treats breaking into splinters when chewed.
- Redbarn markets it as a plaque remover, a claim without a VOHC seal.
| Criteria | GREENIES Original Dental Treats Top pick | Best Bully Sticks 6-Inch Thick Bully Stick | Himalayan Dog Chew Original Yak Cheese | Redbarn Filled Bone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Buy it | Buy it | It depends | Skip it |
| Best for | Owners who want a daily chew with proven dental benefit. | Dogs who love to chew and owners who want a simple, natural treat. | Patient, steady chewers who need a long-lasting project. | No one; choose an edible chew that softens instead. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Type | Dental treat | Bully stick | Hard cheese chew | Filled roasted bone |
| VOHC seal | Yes, plaque and tartar | No | No | No |
| Ingredients | Formulated treat | 100% beef | Yak and cow milk | Beef femur bone with filling |
| Hardness | Chewable | Softens as chewed | Very hard | Bone, very hard |
| Sizing | By weight, 5 to 100 lbs | 6 inch thick | By weight | Sizes available |
| Main risk | Gulping | Small end piece | Hardness, end piece | Splinters, blockages (FDA reports) |
| How often | One a day | Occasional | Occasional | Not recommended |
| Best for | Daily dental care | Long chews | Patient chewers | No one |
Which one is right for you?
- Owners who want a daily chew with proven dental benefit. Buy it GREENIES Original Dental Treats
- Dogs who love to chew and owners who want a simple, natural treat. Buy it Best Bully Sticks 6-Inch Thick Bully Stick
- Patient, steady chewers who need a long-lasting project. It depends Himalayan Pet Supply Himalayan Dog Chew Original Yak Cheese
- No one; choose an edible chew that softens instead. Skip it Redbarn Filled Bone
How we judged the field
Five things decide whether a dog chew is worth buying: whether it is safe to chew and swallow, whether any dental claim has been tested, how long it lasts, what is in it, and how easily the leftovers can become a choking hazard. Safety comes first, because the worst outcomes from chews are emergency surgery for blockages. Tested dental claims matter because almost every chew says it cleans teeth.
The field splits into dental treats, single-ingredient animal chews, very hard chews and bone treats. The Veterinary Oral Health Council reviews dental claims, and the FDA has warned against bones and processed bone treats. We picked a VOHC-accepted treat, a bully stick, a hard cheese chew and a popular filled bone, then compared them against that guidance.
GREENIES Original Dental Treats are the chew we would give every day. They are on the Veterinary Oral Health Council’s accepted list for both plaque and tartar, which puts them among the few chews whose dental claims have been reviewed. GREENIES sells them by body weight, from Teenie for 5 to 15 lbs to Large for 50 to 100 lbs, and the feeding guidance is specific: one treat a day, fresh water available, and a calorie adjustment to the main meal. GREENIES also sets limits, saying they are not suitable for dogs under 5 lbs or under 6 months, and warns that gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal, so watch that your dog chews rather than swallows. Choosing the right size matters. For owners who want dental help they can trust, this is the one to buy.
Best Bully Sticks 6-Inch Thick Bully Sticks are the simple, long-lasting treat. They are made from 100% beef, a single-ingredient chew, and the thick version lasts longer than standard sticks, which Best Bully Sticks recommends for medium to tough chewers. Unlike very hard chews, a bully stick softens as the dog works on it, which is easier on teeth. The trade-offs are calories and the ending. Bully sticks are calorie-dense, so they count toward the day’s food, and the last small piece can be swallowed whole, so take it away when it gets short. There is no VOHC seal, so any dental benefit comes from chewing rather than a tested claim. For dogs who simply love to chew, it is an easy, affordable favorite. Buy the size that matches your dog’s appetite and chewing style.
The Himalayan Dog Chew is a hard, smoked cheese chew made from yak and cow milk using a traditional recipe. Himalayan Pet Supply says dogs have to work the end for hours, softening it before slowly chewing off small pieces, which makes it one of the longest-lasting edible chews. That hardness is also the catch. Very hard chews can be tough on teeth for aggressive chewers, and the small end piece is a choking risk that should be removed. It is also rich, which some dogs with sensitive stomachs do not tolerate well. Choose the size for your dog’s weight and supervise the first few sessions. For patient, steady chewers who need a long project, it is a good option. For power chewers and dogs with dental problems, a chew that softens is safer. Start with short sessions to see how your dog handles it.
The Redbarn Filled Bone is one of the most popular chews on the shelf, and it is the one we would skip. Redbarn makes it from beef femur bones that are cleaned, oven-roasted and filled. That puts it squarely in the category the FDA has warned about. The FDA received about 68 reports of illness involving about 90 dogs, including 15 deaths, linked to processed bone treats such as pork femur bones, ham bones and rib bones, with problems including choking, vomiting, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and digestive blockages, and complaints of treats splintering when chewed. Redbarn also describes it as a plaque remover, without a VOHC seal behind the claim. Dogs love the filling, but a chew that softens gives them the same enjoyment without the risk. If your dog already has one, take it away once the filling is gone.
GREENIES Original Dental Treats vs Best Bully Sticks 6-Inch Thick Bully Stick: which should you buy?
GREENIES and bully sticks do different jobs. GREENIES are a daily dental treat with a Veterinary Oral Health Council seal for plaque and tartar, sized by weight and fed once a day. Bully sticks are a long, single-ingredient chew for enjoyment and boredom relief, with no tested dental claim.
If teeth are your priority, give a GREENIES every day and brush when you can. If your dog needs something to work on for a while, add a bully stick occasionally. Plenty of owners use both, adjusting meals for the extra calories.
What to look for
- A VOHC seal for dental claims: it means the claim has been reviewed.
- Chews that soften: they are gentler on teeth than very hard chews.
- The right size: choose by your dog’s weight so the chew cannot be swallowed whole.
- Simple ingredients: single-ingredient chews are easy to understand.
- Supervision: take chews away when the last piece is small enough to swallow.
- No bone treats: the FDA has warned against processed bone treats.
Our final take
Choose chews that are tested or that soften. GREENIES Original Dental Treats are our pick because they carry the VOHC seal for plaque and tartar and come with clear, weight-based feeding guidance. Best Bully Sticks’ thick bully sticks are the value choice for long, simple chewing. The Himalayan Dog Chew works for patient chewers if you remove the end piece. Skip filled bone treats like the Redbarn Filled Bone: the FDA has linked processed bone treats to illness and death. Supervise any chew, and adjust meals for the calories. Ask your veterinarian if your dog has dental problems.
Questions, answered
What does the VOHC seal mean?
The Veterinary Oral Health Council reviews test data and awards its seal to products that meet its standards for reducing plaque, tartar or both. GREENIES Original Dental Treats are on its accepted list for both. Many dental claims on pet products have no such review. The seal is the quickest way to tell a tested claim from marketing.
Are bones safe for dogs?
The FDA advises against bones and processed bone treats. It has received about 68 reports of illness involving about 90 dogs, including 15 deaths, linked to bone treats such as ham bones, pork femur bones, rib bones and smokey knuckle bones. Problems included choking, vomiting, rectal bleeding and digestive blockages. Choose chews that soften instead.
How hard should a dog chew be?
Very hard chews can be tough on teeth, especially for aggressive chewers. Chews that soften as the dog works on them are generally gentler. Ask your veterinarian if your dog has dental problems or chews very aggressively.
How often can my dog have a chew?
Follow the maker's guidance. GREENIES recommends one dental treat a day and reducing the main meal to account for its calories. Treats and chews add calories, so they should be part of the daily food budget. Occasional long chews like bully sticks are fine for most dogs.
Should I supervise my dog with chews?
Yes. GREENIES warns that gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal, and the last small piece of a bully stick or cheese chew can be swallowed whole. Take chews away when they get small enough to swallow. Always provide fresh water.
Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: GREENIES Original Dental Treats vs Best Bully Sticks 6-Inch Thick Bully Stick.
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