Antlers: The Natural Dog Chew Toy

If you have a teething dog, you may notice him chewing on more items around the house that you probably don’t want your dog chewing on. This can be an issue, as no one wants their shoes and expensive belongings ripped to shreds. While teething issues is something that generally goes away with age. Having something for your dog to chew on that will allow help with dental health is fantastic. Why not offer your dog a natural long lasting solution? Deer antlers have been shown to really soothe a dog’s need to chew, and gives them a natural and positive outlet to direct their chewing instead.

Never heard of this concept before? Here are some things you need to know about using antlers as a natural dog chew toy!

Where do you find Antlers?

Antlers can be found at your local pet supply store as well as through any number of online retailers. Only buy from retailers that sell naturally shed antlers. This means the antlers were NOT forced from the deer in any way or taken in a violent way. Antlers are shed yearly in the spring and in some areas with large deer populations Boy Scouts will go out and collect them as a way to make money for their troops. I know that is a sort of obscure fact to know but I have gotten to speak with several deer antler producers and that is how they get the raw product. Groups go out into the woods during shedding season and collect what they find. The raw product is weighed and they receive cash in exchange for the antlers. If you don’t have them locally check out Only Natural Pet for their selection. They are very particular about anything that they carry and only stock the best of the best when it comes to natural pet products.

How much do antlers cost?

The link I provided above to the product at Only Natural Pet starts at $4.99 for a small Antler all the way up to $20 for an X-Large. Many dogs even the most determined chewers will take time to work on these Antlers. From 7 days to several weeks so you really are getting bang for your buck out of these especially because they really help to clean your dog’s teeth with all the chewing that happens.

How big of an antler do I need?

Think of the antler as a dog bone. The larger your dog, the bigger the bone he will use. You want the antler to be large enough that the dog can get a good grip on it and possibly even grasp it better with his paws. If you need to, experiment with sizes to find the perfect fit. I tend to go one size up from what is recommended worse case is it is harder for them to gnaw down best case is that it help clean their teeth even more and gives them something to work on.

How do I care for the antler chew bone?

Just wipe the antler clean occasionally. It won’t break down as a dog bone would so it will last a long time. Just wipe it with a damp cloth and warm water if it is getting dirty. The Antler will not splinter and therefore with proper supervision is a safe chew bone for your dog to have.

Antlers are a great way to soothe a dog’s urge to chew and gnaw. They are great to keep your dog working on something so that you can get things done, have a phone conversation without disruption, or give them a way to help keep their teeth shiny and in good condition.