Short answer
Greenies Original is on the VOHC list for plaque and tartar; Earthbones is not on the list we checked. Earthbones uses chickpea flour and has no animal protein among its first ingredients, but carries more calories per chew in every size, 243 kcal against 142 for the Large. Choose by VOHC status, ingredients and calories.
- VOHC listing: Greenies Original only (plaque and tartar, 2007).
- Fewer calories per chew: Greenies in every comparable band, for example Medium 118 kcal against Regular 88.
- No wheat, no chicken: Earthbones lists chickpea flour first and no animal protein among the listed ingredients.
- Very small dogs: Earthbones Tiny starts at 3 lb; Greenies is not for dogs under 5 lb.
How we compared them
We compared published data and the VOHC list. We did not test either product on dogs, and nothing here is veterinary advice. Greenies facts come from greenies.com. Earthbones is sold by Earthly Pet, and its sizes, calories, ingredients and feeding line come from that seller’s product page, which we cite as text without a link. We could not confirm who makes it, so we say “sold by” and not “made by”. Where a value was not published, the table says so. Amazon prices, ratings and reviews are not used.
VOHC status: the main split
The Veterinary Oral Health Council lists named products that met its plaque or tartar protocol. Greenies Original is on that list for plaque and tartar, with a Seal awarded in 2007. Earthbones does not appear on the list we checked on October 13, 2026. Absence from the list does not prove a chew fails to work; it means no one has submitted data the Council accepted. The seller page makes two claims about its own product, “natural bacteria fighting enzymes” and a digestibility test. We have not verified either. See the VOHC accepted list for every accepted line.
Earthbones vs Greenies: side by side
| Criterion | Greenies Original | Earthbones | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOHC status | Greenies Original (five sizes): accepted for Plaque, Tartar. Seal year 2007. | Not on the VOHC list we checked. | VOHC list, Oct 13, 2026 |
| Seller and maker | Greenies, Mars Petcare. | Sold by Earthly Pet. The maker is not confirmed on the pages we checked. | greenies.com Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| Texture | Chewy, dense chew. | Rough and chewy (seller description). | greenies.com Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| Sizes and dog weight | Teenie 5–15 lb; Petite 15–25 lb; Regular 25–50 lb; Large 50–100 lb. | Tiny 3–10 lb; Small 10–20 lb; Medium 20–50 lb; Large 50 lb and up. | greenies.com Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| Calories per chew | Teenie 25; Petite 52; Regular 88; Large 142 kcal. | Tiny 46; Small 76; Medium 118; Large 243 kcal. | greenies.com Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| First ingredients | Wheat flour, glycerin, wheat gluten, gelatin, water. | Chickpea flour, vegetable glycerin, pea starch, tapioca starch, water. | retailer ingredient list (not linked) Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| Chicken or animal protein | Not published on the manufacturer page we checked (2026-10-13); “natural poultry flavor” on the label. | No animal protein among the listed ingredients; no chicken. | retailer ingredient list (not linked) Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| Grain-free | No (wheat flour, wheat gluten). | No grain-free claim on the page we checked; the first ingredients are chickpea flour and starches. | retailer ingredient list (not linked) Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| Minimum age | 6 months; not for dogs under 5 lb. | Age: not published on the page we checked (2026-10-13). | greenies.com Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| Feeding guideline | 1 per day. | Up to 1–2 bones per day; the seller says it is not a replacement for veterinary cleaning or brushing. | greenies.com Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
| Made in | USA, with ingredients from around the world. | USA, from domestic and imported ingredients. | greenies.com collection Earthly Pet product page (not linked) |
The recipes differ the most. Greenies is a wheat-and-gelatin chew with poultry flavor; Earthbones is a chickpea-and-starch bone with no animal protein among the listed ingredients. That matters to a household avoiding chicken or wheat, though the table cannot tell you how a particular dog will react.
Calories and dog weight
| Dog weight | Earthbones size | Greenies Original size | Earthbones minus Greenies, 1 chew |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 lb dog (about 184 kcal RER) | Tiny: 46 kcal; 92 kcal at 2 a day | Teenie: 25 kcal | +21 kcal |
| 12 lb dog (about 249 kcal RER) | Small: 76 kcal; 152 kcal at 2 a day | Teenie: 25 kcal | +51 kcal |
| 35 lb dog (about 557 kcal RER) | Medium: 118 kcal; 236 kcal at 2 a day | Regular: 88 kcal | +30 kcal |
| 70 lb dog (about 936 kcal RER) | Large: 243 kcal; 486 kcal at 2 a day | Large: 142 kcal | +101 kcal |
Earthbones is higher in every row, and the gap widens with size: a Large Earthbones is 243 kcal, a Large Greenies 142 kcal. Two further points follow from the data. First, the seller’s guideline of up to 1–2 bones a day means a 50 lb or heavier dog could take 486 kcal from the Large bones alone. Second, neither source publishes the chew weight in grams, so we cannot tell whether the higher figure is a bigger chew or a denser one. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association advises keeping treats under 10% of daily calories (WSAVA, Feeding treats to your dog, 2024), so a double portion deserves a calculation. The dental chew calorie calculator does it for your dog.
Earthbones vs Greenies for large dogs
Many searches pair these two for big dogs. The Earthbones Large starts at 50 lb with no upper limit stated; the Greenies Large covers 50 to 100 lb. Over that range the Greenies chew is the lighter one by 101 kcal. For a very large dog the open-ended Earthbones band has no stated ceiling, so match the bone to the weight on the pack and ask your veterinarian. Giant dogs and strong chewers should be supervised with any dense chew.
Choose Earthbones if / choose Greenies if
Choose Earthbones if
- You need a chew without chicken or wheat and your veterinarian is comfortable with a legume-and-starch recipe.
- You are fine buying a chew that has no VOHC listing and has only seller claims behind its dental benefit.
- Your dog is under 5 lb: the Tiny size starts at 3 lb, below the Greenies floor.
Choose Greenies Original if
- A VOHC-accepted plaque and tartar claim matters to you.
- You are managing calories: the Greenies size is lower in every comparable band.
- You want a stated minimum age and a one-a-day rule.
For the safety history owners ask about, see Are Greenies safe?
Which costs less?
We do not show prices. Pack counts differ, so use the dental chew cost calculator with your own price and count.
Related comparisons
See Milk-Bone Brushing Chews vs Greenies, OraVet vs Greenies, Greenies vs Whimzees and Dentastix vs Greenies.
Where to look
These links open an Amazon search for the product name. We show no prices, ratings or availability.
Earthbones on Amazon Greenies Original on Amazon
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Frequently asked questions
Are Earthbones better than Greenies?
Not on every measure. Greenies Original is on the VOHC list for plaque and tartar; Earthbones is not. Earthbones has no animal protein among its first ingredients but more calories per chew at every size. Ask your veterinarian.
Does Earthbones have VOHC approval?
Not on the list we checked on October 13, 2026. The seller page claims enzymes and a digestibility test; we have not verified either claim.
How many Earthbones can a dog have a day?
The seller page says up to 1 to 2 bones a day. The Large is 243 kcal each, so count the calories against the day’s food and check with your veterinarian.
Sources
- VOHC: Accepted products, accessed October 13, 2026. VOHC status; Earthbones is absent from the list.
- Greenies: Original Regular product page, accessed October 13, 2026. Feeding, age, texture; sizes and calories on the four Original size pages at greenies.com.
- Greenies: dog dental treats collection, accessed October 13, 2026. Country of origin.
- Earthly Pet: Fresh Breath Dog Dental Bones page, earthlypet.com/products/fresh-breath-dog-dental-bones (seller product page, not linked), accessed October 13, 2026. Sizes, weights, calories, ingredients, feeding, origin, and the seller’s own claims.
- Retailer listing: Greenies Original ingredients (retailer product listing, not linked), accessed October 13, 2026.
- WSAVA: Feeding treats to your dog (2024), accessed October 13, 2026. Treats under 10% of daily calories.