Short answer
Greenies Original holds a VOHC plaque and tartar claim. Pedigree Dentastix is listed in three entries: Advanced and Light for plaque and tartar, and one Original Large variety pack for tartar only. Dentastix Original Large has fewer calories per chew, while Greenies publishes fuller data. Choose by claim, dog size and calories.
- Plaque and tartar claim on the Original product: Greenies. Dentastix Original is listed for tartar only, and only in the Large Beef & Fresh Variety Pack. Dentastix Advanced and Light carry plaque and tartar.
- Lower calories per chew for a large dog: Dentastix Original Large (40 lb and up) is 78 kcal against 142 kcal for the Greenies Large, though chew weight is not published for either.
- Smallest dogs: close. Greenies Teenie is 25 kcal; Dentastix Original Toy/Small is 22 kcal.
- Published data: Greenies lists every size on its own pages. For Dentastix Original the Large page gives calories, feeding and ingredients (chicken, not grain-free); the smaller sizes come from retailer labels, and no minimum age in months is published.
How we compared them
We compared published manufacturer data and the VOHC list. We did not test these chews on dogs, and nothing here is a veterinary opinion. Greenies facts come from greenies.com. For Pedigree Dentastix Original, the Large size comes from the pedigree.com product page; the Toy/Small and Small/Medium figures come from retailer label statements (plain text, not linked) and are marked as such. Where a value was not published on the page we checked, the table says so. Amazon prices, ratings and reviews are not used. This is the same method as our Greenies vs Whimzees page, which is the place for the three-way Whimzees vs Greenies vs Dentastix question.
What the VOHC list says about each
The VOHC Seal attaches to a named product and a named claim. Greenies Original has held a plaque and tartar claim since 2007, and variants such as Puppy, Aging Care and Grain-Free have their own rows. For Pedigree, three US-named entries appear: Dentastix Advanced (plaque and tartar, 2018), Dentastix Original Large Dog Treats, Beef & Fresh Variety Pack (tartar, 2024) and Dentastix Light (plaque and tartar, 2024). Only that variety pack carries the Original seal; the plain Original Large pack is not itself listed. Three more Dentastix-named entries are marked as Pedigree UK products, and we did not match them to US packs. That means a Toy/Small or Small/Medium Dentastix Original pack is not covered by the seal on the list, and a pack sold under the Dentastix name is not automatically accepted. Check the exact product name against the VOHC accepted list before buying.
Dentastix vs Greenies: side-by-side
| Criterion | Greenies Original | Pedigree Dentastix | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOHC claim | Greenies Original (five sizes; flavors FreshMint, Blueberry, Pumpkin Spice): Plaque, Tartar. Seal year 2007. | Three US-named entries: Dentastix Advanced (Plaque, Tartar, 2018); Dentastix Original Large Dog Treats, Beef & Fresh Variety Pack (Tartar only, 2024); Dentastix Light (Plaque, Tartar, 2024). The seal does not extend to other Original packs. | VOHC list, Oct 13, 2026 |
| Texture and form | Chewy, dense chew. | Texture: not published on the manufacturer page we checked (2026-10-13). | greenies.com |
| Sizes and dog weight | Teenie 5–15 lb; Petite 15–25 lb; Regular 25–50 lb; Large 50–100 lb. | Original: Toy/Small 7–22 lb; Small/Medium 22–40 lb (retailer label, not linked); Large 40 lb and up (pedigree.com). Advanced and Light sizes: not published on the manufacturer page we checked (2026-10-13). | greenies.com pedigree.com retailer label (not linked) |
| Calories per chew | Teenie 25; Petite 52; Regular 88; Large 142 kcal. | Original Toy/Small 22 and Small/Medium 54 (retailer label, not linked); Large 78 kcal (pedigree.com; the Beef flavor is 84 and Fresh 73). Advanced and Light: not published on the manufacturer page we checked (2026-10-13). | greenies.com pedigree.com retailer label (not linked) |
| Main ingredients | First five: wheat flour, glycerin, wheat gluten, gelatin, water. Natural poultry flavor, species not specified. Chicken: not published on the manufacturer page we checked (2026-10-13). | Original Large: first five rice flour, wheat starch, glycerin, chicken, gelatin. Contains chicken. Advanced and Light: not published on the manufacturer page we checked (2026-10-13). | pedigree.com |
| Grain-free | No (wheat flour and wheat gluten). | No for Original (rice flour and wheat starch). Advanced and Light: not published on the manufacturer page we checked (2026-10-13). | pedigree.com |
| Minimum age | 6 months; not for dogs under 5 lb. | Not for puppies; no numeric age on the manufacturer page we checked. One retailer pack says under 4 months. | greenies.com pedigree.com |
| Feeding guideline | 1 per day. | Large: 1 treat per day for adult dogs 40 lb and up. Smaller sizes: 1 per day by dog weight (retailer label). | greenies.com pedigree.com retailer label (not linked) |
Calories per chew by dog weight
| Dog weight | Greenies Original | Dentastix Original |
|---|---|---|
| 5–15 lb | Teenie: 25 | Toy/Small (7–22 lb): 22 |
| 15–25 lb | Petite: 52 | Toy/Small (to 22 lb): 22; Small/Medium (from 22 lb): 54 |
| 25–50 lb | Regular: 88 | Small/Medium (to 40 lb): 54; Large (40 lb+): 78 |
| 50–100 lb | Large: 142 | Large (40 lb+): 78 |
Only the Large size lets us compare directly, and it is a rough comparison: 78 kcal against 142 kcal is about half. Neither brand's pages cited gave the chew's weight in grams, so a bigger chew could explain the gap. Greenies' label tells owners to reduce the main meal by the chew's kcal; whichever you pick, count it toward the day's food. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association advises that treats should make up less than 10% of a dog's daily calories (WSAVA, Feeding treats to your dog, 2024).
Choose Greenies if / choose Dentastix if
Choose Greenies Original if
- You want the Original product itself to hold a plaque and tartar claim on the VOHC list.
- You want every ingredient and calorie figure published by the manufacturer for each size.
- Your dog is 6 months or older, over 5 lb, and fine with wheat.
Choose Dentastix if
- You want a lower-calorie daily chew for a large dog and your vet agrees; check the exact pack and the calories printed on it.
- You buy Advanced or Light, the lines with a plaque and tartar claim, or the Original Large Beef & Fresh Variety Pack for a tartar claim.
- You are fine with chicken, rice flour and wheat starch in the Original recipe and want a smaller calorie count.
If your dog has a food allergy, pancreatitis or a weight problem, ask your veterinarian before choosing either. We cannot judge those cases from a label.
Sizing guidance
Pick by body weight, give one a day, and stay with the dog while it chews. Greenies is sized in four bands from 5 lb to 100 lb. Dentastix Original uses Toy/Small (7–22 lb), Small/Medium (22–40 lb) and Large (40 lb and up); a dog right at a boundary should follow the pack label. Dogs under 5 lb are outside the Greenies range.
Dentastix vs Greenies price
We do not show prices. Cost depends on pack size and retailer, and both change. Put your own price and chew count into the dental chew cost calculator to see a per-day cost for each.
A note on Greenies safety
Greenies has a public safety history some owners ask about. We cover it with primary sources in Are Greenies safe? As with any dense chew, size it correctly and supervise.
Where to look
These links open an Amazon search for the product name. We show no prices, ratings or availability.
View Greenies on Amazon View Dentastix on Amazon
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Frequently asked questions
Are Greenies or Dentastix better?
Neither is better on every measure. On the VOHC list, Greenies Original claims plaque and tartar, while Dentastix Original Large Beef and Fresh Variety Pack claims tartar only (Advanced and Light claim both). Dentastix Original Large has fewer calories per chew (78 kcal against 142 for the Greenies Large, from the manufacturer pages). Match the exact pack to your dog's size and ask your vet.
Do vets recommend Dentastix?
This page quotes no veterinarians. The checkable fact is the VOHC list: on October 13, 2026 it accepts Dentastix Advanced, Dentastix Light and one Original Large variety pack. Your own veterinarian can tell you whether a Dentastix product suits your dog.
Are Dentastix good or bad for dogs?
We cannot rate that from a label, and we have not tested them. Published facts: three US-named Dentastix products are VOHC-accepted, and Dentastix Original Large starts with rice flour, wheat starch, glycerin, chicken and gelatin. Calories count toward the day's food. For a dog with allergies or a health condition, ask your vet. For Greenies, see Are Greenies safe?
Sources
- VOHC: Accepted products, accessed October 13, 2026. VOHC claims and seal years on this page.
- Greenies: Original Regular product page, accessed October 13, 2026. Feeding, age, texture; sizes and calories appear on the four size pages at greenies.com.
- Pedigree: Dentastix Original Large dog treats, accessed October 13, 2026. Large size: 40 lb and up, 78 kcal, feeding, ingredients, chicken.
- Pedigree: Dentastix oral care dog treats, accessed October 13, 2026. Age information; the page lists no sizes or calories.
- Retailer label: Pedigree Dentastix Original Toy/Small and Small/Medium (sizes, kcal) (retailer product listing, not linked), accessed October 13, 2026.
- Retailer listing: Greenies Original ingredients (retailer product listing, not linked), accessed October 13, 2026.