Collagen Sticks for Dogs

It's no secret that dogs love to chew. But with so many different types of chews on the market, it can be hard to know which ones are safe and effective for your dog.

Did you know that some popular brands of dog chews contain harmful ingredients that could potentially make your dog sick?

In this guide, I'll show you 6 of the best collagen sticks for dogs that are both delicious and nutritious. I'll also give you a few tips on what to look for when choosing the right dog chew for your pup.

First a quick note: this website is reader-supported. I spend a lot of time (with the help of my two dogs: Atlas and Nitotem) personally evaluating, testing and reviewing each product on this list.

When you buy through links on our site, I may earn an affiliate commission. This also helps to keep my dogs happy and well fed.

What are Collagen Sticks for Dogs?

Collagen sticks for dogs are an incredibly tasty and beneficial chew treat! Made from cow hides, these chewable goodies give dogs a boost of collagen and protein.

Not only are they irresistible to your furry friend, they aid in relieving joint pain, strengthening muscles and bones, improving your dog's coat and promoting excellent oral hygiene.

My favorite part is that they are minimally processed without all the junk you find in other pet food products. This means I can trust that my two dogs are actually getting some benefits from their chews.

6 Best Collagen Sticks for Dogs

 

1. Best Overall: Natural Farm Odor-Free Collagen Dog Chews

The Natural Farm odor-free collagen dog chews are 100% beef and make for the perfect snack for food obsessed dogs. These are long lasting in that they outlast other chew sticks by 20%.

I like that they have a whole product line of bully sticks to suit sensitive chewers all the way up to aggressive chewers.

My poodle, Atlas, is a light chewer, so he needs the sensitive ones, while my husky can chew through anything. He needs to hard chewer sticks.

I'm a big fan of the USA sourcing and commitment to using beef with no hormones or antbiotics. Natural fam is also grain free with no added junk to mess with their delicate digestive systems.

They also have chicken stuffed flavors if your dog is extremely picky.

If you are looking for different varieties, flavors and sizes, Natural Farm is your best bet!

2. Best for Large Breeds: Pawstruck Large 10-13" Beef Collagen Sticks

Pawstruck Beef Collagen Sticks are a fantastic choice for your pup because they're made with one simple ingredient: beef collagen.

These protein packed snacks are full of amino acids to help keep your thriving at any age. In my experience, they are great for dental hygiene.

My husky Nitotem regularly gets a chew twice per week. Every time we go to the vet for a checkup they mention how great his teeth and mouth look. I literally never brush his teeth, so I can only credit these sticks.

Give it a try if you want to remove tartar and plaque buildup and save yourself from the expensive scaling treatment down the line.

These chews are long lasting and perfect for dogs who need extra stimulation... and to give you a break.

In general, these are best suited for dog owners seeking a healthy, multipurpose snack. Optimize your dog's health and happiness with just a single product!

3. Riley's Originals Beef Collagen

Riley's Originals is a trusted brand in the pet food space, so I was thrilled to see they offer collagen sticks of their own. These are made from beef corium, which is the inner layer of cow skin that is closest to the muscle.

It is highly elastic and made of collagen protein. Testing Riley's on my two dogs, I noticed that they digestion seemed better. Atlas' usual soft poos firmed up a bit.

My husky (Nitotem), seemed to relax a bit after chewing, which was a godsend. He can be destructive at times when he is bored, so these chew sticks really helped keep in occupied.

I'll keep giving by dogs these every few days when we are busy and need to keep them occupied. The obvious teeth and gum benefits are fantastic as well.

Lastly, I love that Riley's are free from processed filler ingredients, making them a safe all pets who can tolerate beef!

4. Best for Strong Chewers: Red Barn Beef Collagen Sticks

Redbarn beef collagen sticks are 100% made from beef hides. This means they are 100% collagen, which is fantastic for joint health, digestion and skin and coat health.

I tried these with my poodle first (Atlas), who is seven and starting to slow down a bit. The natural collagen seems to be helping his joints as he is a bit more spry these days.

This is likely thanks to the natural glucosamine and chondroitin that is found in beef hide.

I also found that Red Barn are particularly long lasting. Nitotem took longer than usual to get through one of the 12" sticks, and I could tell it was helping remove tarter and plaque.

If you have a bigger dog who's a strong chewer, give the large 12" sticks a try! They're also particularly great for teething puppies who need a good chew.

Finally, the savory flavor makes both of my dogs go nuts for them.

5. Best Bully Sticks All Natural Dog Chew Sticks

Best Bully makes chew sticks that are full of protein for your furry friend. These are made from 100% dehydrated beef pizzle. If you're curious what beef pizzle is, it is a bull penis.

Best Bully sources their chew sticks from Brazil and Argentina, and they make and package the products in the USA.

These can be given to dogs once per day. I found that for big dogs, they are a bit thin, but they worked great for my poodle.

I found that they are easily digestible and highly nutritious.

6. Amazing Dog Treats Collagen Stick

Amazing Dog Treats come from 100% grass fed beef and are packed full of protein with 77% crude protein and 6% crude fat.

These are the best rawhide alternative and will not cause the harmful stomach blockages that rawhide can.

In my experience, these are great for skin, coat and digestive health. I give each of my two dogs one when they are annoying and need a to chill out.

I find it gives me peace of mind knowing that I have a secret weapon to calm them down.

These are gain free and preservative free, making them a great choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs. My husky (Nitotem) is allergic to just about everything and he seems to tolerate these very well.

With natural oil and real beef coating, it enhances the treat's flavor, ticking the taste boxes too!

Benefits of Collagen Sticks for Dogs

The health benefits of collagen sticks for dogs are relieving joint pain, bone health, skin and coat support, reduces inflammation, digestive health, teeth cleaning and it keeps them busy. Let's go through each of these in a bit more detail.

1. Helps with joint and bone health

They are packed full of collagen, which is shown to help reduce joint pain and and build strong bones. Collagen is a crucial component of connective tissue, which helps to lubricate and cushion their joints.

Consuming collagen can help build new connective tissue to reduce wear and tear.

Collagen is also a key component in bones. There's even some studies that show how 5 grams of collagen per day can increase bone mineral density and formation of new bones.

2. Supports skin, coat and fur health

These wholesome treats are absolutely essential for their vibrant coat and happy skin. That is because collagen sticks are full of skin and hair building amino acids like glycine and proline. These are crucial for getting that glossy coat and strong nails.

The constant chewing also helps with natural collagen production and teeth health (more on that later).

3. Helps reduce inflammation

Inflammation in dogs can lead to discomfort like joint pain. This single ingredient treat, is full of amino acids like glycine, which is a potent anti inflammatory. My poodle (Atlas) used to struggle with stiff joints in the morning.

After a few months of collagen sticks, my wife and I noticed that he seems to move better and without the stiffness. In short, collagen sticks can provide your furry friend with the relief they need - improving quality of life and encouraging healthier, happier dogs!

4. May help with digestion

Does your dog exhibit signs of poor digestion? Recurrent upset stomachs and an unhealthy gut could be giving your pooch trouble! Fret not - collagen sticks are here to the rescue.

Collagen has amino acids like glycine, proline and glutamine to help rebuild damaged gut tissue so that your pup can properly digest and absorb food.

These proteins also complement their microbiome to keep them regular and happy!

5. May help with weight management

Struggling to manage your dog's weight? You're not alone. Many pet owners grapple with this issue, but collagen sticks might help. Let me explain.

1. They are low calorie at 5-10 calories per stick.
2. They provide satisfying chew without the weight gain of extra calories
3. They are 75% protein

I noticed my husky was up a few pounds this past summer. Because of the heat, he can't run with me as much in the summer months, so his activity levels decline.

I started giving him collagen sticks to keep him busy and noticed he slimmed down a bit and showed less of his usual scavenger-like behavior in the kitchen.

6. Helps to clean their teeth

Taking care of your dog's teeth can seem like a challenge. I used to mess around with the dog toothebrush. My wife would laugh at me as I tried to gently brush our dog's teeth.

Finally, I gave up. We tried a few different dental sticks but noticed they weren't helping our poodle.

When I started Atlas on collagen sticks, I noticed he breathe got a bit better. He used to breath absolute fire. When we checked his teeth, we saw a bit less of the usual brown plaque buildup on his molars.

Also, they are reliable in strengthening your dog's oral health, ensuring a strong, bright smile. In a nutshell, collagen sticks are an easy, efficient way to promote your dog's dental hygiene.

7. Keeps Them Busy

Keeping your dog engaged with collagen sticks is a fantastic idea! This is the best benefit in my home. I have a newborn and two attention seeking dogs. So time is tight and I need things to keep them busy.

Collagen sticks are a savoir because they give us 30 minutes of freedom. They have a dense texture that encourages long, involved chew sessions.

They also seem to stimulate the jaw muscles which helps my poodle eat his kibble as well.

If your dog loves a good chew or you need a tool for training, collagen sticks are ideal. They're great for attentive pet owners who prioritize their pet's oral health and nutrition.

What to Look for in Collagen Sticks for Dogs

There's a few important things to look for in collagen stick: quality of beef, size and shape, customer reviews, taste and smell, safety and chewing experience.

1. Quality of the Beef

It is up to you whether you want to look for quality beef sources for your dog or not. I'll recommend a few things to look out for.

1. Look for beef sourced from USA, Canada, New Zealand or Australia. These are generally the highest quality beef producers. Other countries like Brazil, India, China, Paraguay and Argentina might be okay, but they don't have the same standards as the other countries listed.
2. Grass fed beef is great, if you can actually verify it. But there is so much greenwashing going on with that term, I don't give it a lot of weight without 3rd party verification.
3. Beef raised without hormones or antibiotics. This is table-stakes at this point.
4. Made in the USA or Canada. This ensures rigorous safety standards are met.

2. Size and Shape

Selecting the wrong size and shape of collagen sticks for your dog can lead to choking hazards and ineffective results. You must match the stick with your dogs size and chewing capability.

Smaller dogs need small sticks (5-6"), while larger breeds need 10-12" sticks to keep them busy.

Look for something that is lightweight but durable. This sometimes takes some testing to figure out which is best, but the ones on my list above are all good.

3. Chewing Experience

The chewing experience matters! Your dog requires a fulfilling and engaging chew. Poor chewing experiences leave your little furball dissatisfied, potentially leading to behavioral issues.

Look for a product that will last 20-30 minutes. Some of the brand I tried worked for my poodle, but my husky worked his way through them in minutes. Not great. Especially because they are not cheap.

4. Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are always important, particularly if you are not reading a buyers guide like this one.

I've already personally tested all of the products on the list with my two dogs, but if you want to go a step further, go ahead and check the reviews for each.

You'll notice some people are frustrated with the consistency of size / shape of the sticks. I see this as most brands doing the best they can.

It seems like all brands have small issues with this, because most of them are sourcing ingredients from the same places and making these products in the same manufacturing facilities.

Look at the individual reviews (filter to the newest ones) to get a snapshot of recent quality of each brand, because it does vary by batch as well.

5. Tastiness and Aroma

Dogs rely on their senses of taste and smell when deciding what to eat. Collagen sticks with a pleasing aroma and taste will undoubtedly lure your pet, ensuring they benefit from this nutrient-rich, low-calorie pleasure treat.

If your dog isn't interested from the get go, then ditch it and try another brand.

6. Safety and Security

Safety and security are paramount. For this reason you want to look for sticks that are 100% digestible, meaning there is no risk of choking, blockages or GI issues.

You also want to make sure you match the size of stick with your dog.

Closing Thoughts

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the best collagen sticks for your dog, but I hope you found this guide useful.

Natural Farm Collagen dog chews are my top pick, but there are plenty of other great options out there. If you have any questions then leave a comment and I'll get back to you asap.

And if you are looking for a high protein meal topper to entice picky eaters, try Bluebird Provisions beef bone broth for dogs.

Bluebird Provisions is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used to treat or supplement any pet's diet. Consult your veterinarian or animal health specialist if you have questions about anything related to their food, consumption or health. The statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, USDA or CFIA.