Bully Stick Calories: How Many Calories Are in a Bully Stick?
A bully stick can contribute a meaningful number of calories to your dog's day, but there is no single calorie number for every stick. Length, thickness, density, weight, and the amount your dog actually eats all matter.
The number printed for a bully stick is most useful when it is expressed by weight. Natural chews are not perfectly uniform, so two sticks of the same length can have different weights—and therefore different total calories.
There is no universal calorie count for one bully stick. A peer-reviewed study found 9–22 calories per inch in the bully sticks tested, with an average six-inch stick providing about 88 calories. Brutus & Barnaby's current 6-inch and 12-inch bully-stick pages list 99.2 calories per ounce (3,500 kcal/kg), but they do not currently list an exact calorie value for every individual stick. For accurate portion planning, use the weight actually consumed rather than length alone.
How Many Calories Are in a Bully Stick?
The most useful answer is a range rather than one fixed number. In a 2013 peer-reviewed study, researchers measured the caloric content of five bully-stick samples and found approximately 9–22 calories per inch. That translates to a broad estimated range of roughly 54–132 calories for a six-inch bully stick.
The researchers reported an average six-inch stick at about 88 calories. That number is useful for understanding why bully-stick calories deserve attention, but it should not be treated as the guaranteed calorie count of every six-inch chew or applied automatically to a specific brand.
Why Bully Stick Calories Vary So Much
Length is easy to see, but weight is what matters more for calculating calories. Two natural six-inch sticks can look similar while containing different amounts of actual beef.
The amount of chew actually present
Length alone does not give the full answer
Best calorie-tracking rule: when the manufacturer provides calories by weight, calculate from the weight your dog actually eats rather than guessing from the chew's starting length.
How to Calculate Calories From a Brutus & Barnaby Bully Stick
The current Brutus & Barnaby 6-inch and 12-inch bully-stick pages list metabolizable energy at 3,500 kcal/kg, which equals approximately 99.2 kcal per ounce or 3.5 kcal per gram.
Weight eaten × calorie density = calories consumed
For the currently listed Brutus & Barnaby nutrition: ounces eaten × 99.2, or grams eaten × 3.5, gives an approximate calorie total.
Example: if your dog eats 0.5 ounce of a Brutus & Barnaby bully stick, the calculation is 0.5 × 99.2 = approximately 49.6 calories.
6-Inch vs. 12-Inch Bully Stick Calories
A 12-inch bully stick provides more chew material than a six-inch stick, but that does not make length a reliable calorie calculator. Thickness and weight can vary enough that the better comparison is ounces or grams consumed.
Do not simply double the calories: a 12-inch stick is longer, but total calories depend on its actual weight. A thicker six-inch stick may contain considerably more material than a thin six-inch stick of the same length.
How Much of Your Dog's Daily Calories Can Come From Bully Sticks?
Bully sticks are treats rather than complete and balanced meals. Veterinary nutrition guidance commonly recommends that treats and other extras account for no more than about 10% of a dog's daily calorie intake, leaving roughly 90% for complete and balanced food.
Think of 10% as a ceiling, not an extra 10%
If your veterinarian says your dog needs 600 calories per day, a 10% treat ceiling would be approximately 60 calories from all treats combined—not 600 calories of meals plus another 60 calories of treats.
300 kcal/day
A 10% ceiling is about 30 calories from all treats and extras combined.
600 kcal/day
A 10% ceiling is about 60 calories from treats, chews, scraps, and other extras.
1,000 kcal/day
A 10% ceiling is about 100 calories from all non-meal foods combined.
These numbers are examples, not feeding recommendations. Daily calorie needs differ with body size, body condition, age, activity, neuter status, health, and weight goals. Ask your veterinary team to establish the appropriate daily calorie target when accurate calorie control matters.
A Better Way to Portion a Bully Stick
A bully stick does not have to be treated as a single serving. For many dogs, especially smaller dogs or dogs on calorie-controlled plans, it makes more sense to use a larger chew across controlled, supervised sessions rather than allowing the entire stick to be eaten at once.
Choose a Bully Stick by Chewing Style—Then Track the Portion
Brutus & Barnaby currently offers both six-inch and 12-inch bully sticks. Both product pages list the same 99.2 kcal-per-ounce calorie density, so length should be chosen primarily around safe handling and chewing style rather than as a calorie shortcut.
Calorie-planning rule: choose the chew size that your dog can manage safely, then control calories through the amount actually consumed. Do not choose a dangerously small chew simply because you want a smaller calorie portion.
6-Inch Bully Sticks for Dogs
A six-inch single-ingredient beef chew for dogs that can safely manage the stick's length and thickness during a supervised chew session.
12-Inch Bully Sticks for Dogs
A longer, extra-thick single-ingredient beef chew intended for medium and large dogs and strong chewers that benefit from additional handling length.
Calories Are Only One Part of Bully Stick Safety
Portion control matters, but a calorie-appropriate amount can still be unsuitable if the chew is too small, your dog bites off large pieces, or the remaining end becomes easy to swallow.
Good chew-session habits
Stop the session when
For dogs needing strict nutrition management: ask your veterinarian before routinely offering bully sticks if your dog is on a prescription diet, has a diagnosed medical condition, needs weight loss, or has a history of digestive or swallowing problems.
Common Bully Stick Calorie Mistakes
Build a Better Bully Stick Routine
Continue with guides focused on bully-stick sizing, frequency, ingredients, and supervised chew time.
Helpful External Resources
Use these veterinary and research resources to understand bully-stick calorie variation and how treat calories fit into a complete diet.
Peer-Reviewed Research — Nutritional Analysis of Bully Sticks The study that measured calorie content in a subset of bully sticks and documented substantial variation between samples. Tufts University — Bully Stick Calorie Findings A reader-friendly summary of the research, including the reported 9–22 calories-per-inch range. VCA Animal Hospitals — Dog Treats Veterinary nutrition guidance on keeping treats within approximately 10% of daily calories and accounting for all extras.Bully Stick Calories: Common Questions
How many calories are in a 6-inch bully stick?
There is no universal number. Research samples produced an estimated six-inch range of about 54–132 calories, with an average near 88 calories. Brutus & Barnaby currently lists 99.2 calories per ounce rather than a fixed calorie count per individual six-inch stick.
How many calories are in a 12-inch bully stick?
The exact number depends on the stick's weight and thickness, so length alone cannot provide a reliable total. Brutus & Barnaby's current 12-inch product page lists 99.2 calories per ounce but does not list a fixed number of calories for each individual stick.
Are bully sticks high in calories?
They can contribute enough calories to use a substantial part of a dog's daily treat allowance, particularly for small dogs. Instead of labeling every bully stick as universally high-calorie, compare the amount consumed with your individual dog's total daily calorie requirement.
Do thicker bully sticks have more calories?
When two sticks have similar calorie density, the heavier stick contains more total calories. A thicker stick will often weigh more, but weighing the actual chew provides better information than judging thickness visually.
Can my dog eat an entire bully stick in one day?
Not automatically. Whether an entire stick fits the day's diet depends on your dog's calorie requirement, the weight of the chew, other treats eaten that day, digestive tolerance, and chewing safety. A bully stick can be used across controlled sessions rather than treated as one mandatory serving.
How do I calculate bully stick calories if the label gives calories per ounce?
Multiply the number of ounces consumed by the listed calories per ounce. For Brutus & Barnaby's current 99.2 kcal/oz listing, eating 0.5 ounce would equal approximately 49.6 calories.
How often can I give my dog a bully stick without overfeeding?
There is no universal schedule. Start with your dog's total daily calorie requirement, keep all treats within the calorie allowance recommended for that dog, and adjust the bully-stick portion around other treats and meals. Ask your veterinarian for a personalized target when weight or medical conditions are a concern.
Count Bully Stick Calories by Weight, Not Length Alone
There is no single answer to how many calories are in a bully stick. Research found substantial variation between samples, and natural chews of identical length can differ in thickness and weight. Brutus & Barnaby currently lists 99.2 calories per ounce for both its six-inch and 12-inch bully sticks, so the most useful calorie calculation is based on how much your dog actually consumes. Keep that amount within the dog's complete daily treat budget while continuing to prioritize correct sizing and active supervision.
Find the Right Bully Stick for Your Dog's Chewing Style
Compare the current six-inch and 12-inch options, then review the product page, nutrition information, feeding directions, and available sizes before choosing.
Educational disclaimer: This article provides general educational information and is not veterinary, nutritional, diagnostic, or emergency advice. Individual calorie requirements vary with age, size, body condition, activity, health, diet, and weight goals. Bully sticks are edible chews and should always be given under supervision. Choose an appropriate size, provide fresh water, remove pieces that become small enough to swallow, and consult your veterinarian when your dog requires strict calorie control, follows a prescription diet, has recurring digestive problems, has a history of obstruction or swallowing difficulty, or has another medical condition. Product ingredients, analysis, calorie information, sizes, packaging, availability, and feeding instructions may change, so review the current product page and package before feeding.