What Is Paddywack? A Guide to Beef Neck Ligament Chews for Dogs

Paddywack is one of those chews people either swear by or have never heard of. There is not much in between, and I spend a fair bit of every market explaining it to someone.

So here is the whole thing, in one place.

What is paddywack?

Paddywack is the nuchal ligament, the thick elastic cord running along the top of the neck that helps an animal hold its head up. Ours is beef, though you will also see it made from lamb or buffalo.

Dried out, it becomes a firm, slightly rubbery chew that a dog has to actually work at. One ingredient, 100% beef, nothing added.

You will see it spelled paddywhack as well, with the h. Same thing. The word is old English and turns up in the nursery rhyme, which is not much help to anyone but does explain why people half recognise it.

You can see the texture in that pile: stringy and fibrous rather than smooth. That is the bit that matters, and I will come back to why.

Is paddywack the same as a bully stick?

No, and this trips people up constantly.

A bully stick, or pizzle, is muscle. Paddywack is a ligament, from an entirely different part of the animal. They dry into a similar shape, which is where the confusion comes from, but they are two separate products and they behave differently in a dog's mouth.

Paddywack is stringier and more elastic. A pizzle is denser. If your dog has demolished one, it does not follow that they will demolish the other.

Is paddywack good for dogs?

If someone comes to the stall and tells me their dog gets through everything, or has a stomach that objects to most things, this is usually the first thing I hand them.

• Enormously high in protein. 84.3%, which is higher than almost anything else we sell.
• Naturally rich in collagen. Ligament is essentially collagen, which supports joints, skin and coat.
• Low in fat. 7.5%, so it sits inside our low fat range and suits a dog who needs to watch their weight better than most alternatives do.
• Fully digestible. It breaks down properly, unlike rawhide, which we will not sell.
• Good for teeth. The stringy, fibrous texture works at plaque as they chew.

It is also grain free, chicken free and single protein, which covers most of the sensitivities people come to us with. That matters to me, because we only started Wag & Whistle in the first place because our Rory could not tolerate anything on the shelves.

How long does paddywack last?

Our own rough guide, from watching plenty of dogs get on with one:

• Small dog: around an hour
• Medium dog: around 20 minutes
• Large dog: about 5 minutes

The Jumbo Paddywack is the one I would point you at for anything bigger than a small terrier.

What makes paddywack last is that it is tough and stringy rather than hard and brittle. A dog cannot crack it and be finished. They have to gnaw at it, which is exactly the sort of chewing that does them good.

Does paddywack smell?

Barely, and this is one of its quiet advantages.

Paddywack is one of the lowest-odour chews we sell. There is very little fat in it, and fat is what carries smell, so it does not develop the fragrance that a pig's ear or a piece of tripe will. If you want your dog chewing on the sofa beside you rather than banished to the garden, this is a good pick.

Is paddywack safe?

Yes, with the same sensible rules that apply to every chew we sell.

• Supervise your dog while they have one.
• Fresh water nearby.
• Take it away once it is small enough to swallow whole.
• Introduce it gradually if your dog is not used to rich chews.

Because the protein content is so high, count it as part of the day's food rather than something extra on top. Treats and chews should be no more than around a tenth of what a dog eats.

What age can a puppy have paddywack?

From around 12 weeks, with you watching.

The texture actually suits teething puppies rather well. There is enough give in it to feel good on sore gums without being hard enough to worry about, which is more than I would say for an antler at that age. I sell antlers and I like them, but they are not a puppy's first chew.

Who it suits

Most dogs, honestly. Paddywack sits in a useful middle ground: harder work than a soft treat, but nowhere near as unforgiving as bone or horn. That makes it a sensible first long-lasting chew for a dog who has not had one before.

It is a particularly good pick for dogs on a limited-ingredient diet, dogs carrying a bit of extra weight, and the ones who get through everything else in about a minute and a half.

Not sure whether it suits yours? Email me. I answer everything myself and I would far rather help you choose than watch you guess.