Home › Bully stick vs beef cheek roll: the same brands, side by side
Bully stick vs beef cheek roll: the same brands, side by side
Bully sticks and beef cheek rolls are both beef chews, but they're made from different parts of the animal. Three brands in our directory sell both, so this page puts each brand's bully stick next to its beef cheek roll and quotes what the two pages say about ingredients, origin, calories, shelf life and size. Where a page is silent, we say so. We don't pick a winner; your vet can help you choose for your dog.
Last checked 2026-10-25 · page updated 2026-10-30
Each brand's bully stick and beef cheek roll
Quoted from each brand's product page, checked 2026-10-25. "Not stated" means we found nothing on that page about it.
They come from different parts of the animal. Redbarn says “A bully stick is a single-ingredient dog chew made from 100% beef pizzle.” and “Beef cheek rolls are natural dog chews made from the cow's cheek.” Raw Paws lists one ingredient for each (“Single-ingredient: Bull Pizzle!” and “Single-ingredient: Beef Cheek!”). Not every cheek roll is single-ingredient: Best Bully Sticks' Chicken Wrapped Beef Cheek also lists chicken, vegetable glycerin, two colors and three preservatives. All three beef cheek rolls in our directory name countries outside the USA as their origin; see the origin column above, and our made-in-USA bully stick page for bully sticks.
Which lasts longer, a bully stick or a beef cheek roll?
We found no study that compares them. Brands call both long-lasting: Redbarn says its bully sticks “create a long-lasting chew dogs love” and calls its cheek roll a “Durable, Long-Lasting Chew”; Best Bully Sticks describes its cheek as a “Long-lasting chew for strong chewers”. Raw Paws gives dimensions for its two 6-inch chews: the bully stick is “Thickness: 0.5 inches (approx)” and the cheek roll “Thickness: 1.5 inches (approx).” How long either lasts depends on its size and on how your dog chews.
Do beef cheek rolls or bully sticks have more calories?
Most of these pages don't say. Redbarn lists “Calories: N/A” for both its bully sticks and its cheek rolls, and Raw Paws gives no calorie figure for either. Best Bully Sticks' nutrition table for its chicken-wrapped cheek lists calories per kg as “3650 kcal/kg” and calories each as “492”. For bully sticks, Campfire Treats states “Calorie Content: 3,320 kcal/kg; 94 kcal/oz”. Per-kilogram figures don't tell you what one chew contains, because chews differ in weight; our bully stick calories guide covers the published study that measured bully sticks.
Is a beef cheek roll better than a bully stick for puppies?
We can't say one is better; that's a question for your vet. What the brands say differs by product: Raw Paws calls its cheek rolls “Ideal for Small Dogs & Puppies.” and its 6-inch bully sticks “Ideal for Small to Medium Dogs.” Redbarn says of bully sticks: “Bully sticks can be a great chew option for puppies that have developed their adult chewing habits.” and says its cheek rolls are “a popular choice for moderate to aggressive chewers.”
The same three brands, side by side
Redbarn, Raw Paws Pet Food and Best Bully Sticks each sell both a bully stick and a beef cheek roll, so the table compares each brand's two pages. Redbarn's two pages list the same shelf life, “36 months”, but different country lists, and India and Mexico appear only on the cheek roll page. Raw Paws says “Origin: Turkey.” for both. Best Bully Sticks gives a country of origin (“COO: Columbia, Brazil”) only for its cheek.
What veterinary sources say
The AKC says bully sticks “are easily digestible” and warns that “power chewers might bite straight through, producing large pieces that pose a choking risk, or swallow the entire stick whole.” Its advice: “When your dog has chewed the stick down to a nub, take it away before they can swallow what’s left.” Today's Veterinary Practice lists bully sticks under “Other body parts” in the group of “Animal-derived products that have undergone minimal processing”.
Neither the AKC article nor the Today's Veterinary Practice article mentions beef cheek rolls by name, so we can't quote either on them. Our guide on whether a beef cheek roll is rawhide quotes how those sources define rawhide.
What each brand says about supervision
Every one of the six pages asks you to watch your dog. Redbarn's bully stick page says “Always monitor your dog while giving chews and give in limited quantity if your pet is not used to this chew.” and its cheek roll page “Always monitor your pet while rewarding with a chew and give in limited quantity if your pet is not used to this chew.” Raw Paws uses the same line on both: “always supervise your pet when giving any chew.” Best Bully Sticks says “Always supervise your dog when they're enjoying a bully stick” and, on the cheek page, “Always supervise your dog when they're enjoying a collagen stick”.
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Bully sticks
Redbarn: Bully Sticks for Dogs
Ingredients (as listed)
Beef Pizzle.
Made-in claim
Country of Origin: Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, New Zealand, Peru, Turkey
Sourced-from claim
Not stated, check with them
Rawhide-free?
No Rawhide
Size / dog guidance
• Power chewers: 12"+ Bully Sticks
Supervision note
Always monitor your dog while giving chews and give in limited quantity if your pet is not used to this chew. Swallowing pieces could cause choking.
Raw Paws Pet Food: Standard Bully Sticks, 6-inch - 10-ct
Ingredients (as listed)
Single-ingredient: Bull Pizzle!
Made-in claim
Origin: Turkey.
Sourced-from claim
Sourced from free-range cattle raised without antibiotics, steroids, or added hormones.
Rawhide-free?
Not stated, check with them
Size / dog guidance
Ideal for Small to Medium Dogs.
Supervision note
To prevent injury and choking hazard, always supervise your pet when giving any chew. If this chew splinters, develops sharp edges or breaks into pieces throw it away immediately.
Raw Paws Pet Food: Beef Cheek Rolls for Dogs, 6-inch - 4-ct
Ingredients (as listed)
Single-ingredient: Beef Cheek!
Made-in claim
Origin: Turkey.
Sourced-from claim
Sourced from free-range cattle raised without antibiotics, steroids, or added hormones.
Rawhide-free?
Not stated, check with them
Size / dog guidance
Ideal for Small Dogs & Puppies.
Supervision note
To prevent injury and choking hazard, always supervise your pet when giving any chew. If this chew splinters, develops sharp edges or breaks into pieces throw it away immediately.
sourced from trusted free-range cattle farmers around the world
Rawhide-free?
Not stated, check with them
Size / dog guidance
Size does matter! To avoid accidental swallowing that may result in choking or blockages, always choose a bully stick that's wider than your dog's mouth. When in doubt, select a larger size.
Supervision note
Always supervise your dog when they're enjoying a bully stick, and remove small or broken pieces to prevent your pup from choking. It's also important to provide access to fresh water before, during, and after treat consumption.