Question about antlers, do most GSD's like them? Do they need to be fresh? etc...

[Mog]

Hi,

It seems like most people here give their dogs antlers... what is the big attraction with them? Do most all GSD's/dogs like them? Do they need to be fresh? Do they need to be a certain size?

The reason I ask, is that there is someone selling deer antlers for $10 a set... and he has a few. The pictures show 6 pt or so sets of antlers, but I don't know if they are old, new, etc...

Can someone tell me what to look for as far as antlers go? lol Never thought I would be asking that question I saw them at a local pet store, but they were outrageously expensive for a little 4" piece... If I can get a whole set of antlers for 10 and cut them up... would that be ideal?

Thanks,!

[mandiah89]

I like antlers because they do not splinter and they typically dont smell ( or at least my dogs antlers they had have never smelled) like some other types of chews. I find most dogs do like them ( Ive never run across a dog to turn their nose up to it). they dont need to be "fresh". As for sizes, you want something that big enough that the dog cant just put the whole thing in its mouth and cause a choking hazard... $10 for a "set" sounds like an amazing deal, I get a 12" antler for $16 here at the petstore

[Mog]

Thanks. I just called and spoke to the gentleman selling them and he said he got them in a barn in Ct. 3 years ago and was going to save them to make a chandeller, but never did... so I have no idea how old they are.

Here's the picture he posted of them... I figured if age isn't an issue, I'll pick up a couple of sets and cut them up for our new pup.

[mandiah89]

If they are several years old I doubt the dog will have any interest in them

[Liesje]

My dogs only really like the more porous ones and those they will eat in a matter of hours. If they are really hard like a bone, they will chew one if it's the last thing available (they'd rather chew old marrow bones or nylabones).

My dogs would love this:


But don't really care about this:

[pyratemom]

Like Lisje, my dog likes antlers but prefers the ones that she can get to the marrow easy. I won't give her those though because she can chew them up into splinters too easy. She gets the full round ones and chews from each end to the middle. Sometimes she will lose interest after chewing out a hollow at each end so I just stuff a freeze dried piece of buffalo in the hole and it gets her started all over again. As for the antlers from the barn, they look like they have some type of finish on them and I wouldn't give anything like that to my dog. I get my antlers from Flint River Ranch. They come in all sizes are cheaper than the local pet food store.

Deer Antler Dog Chews - Flint River Ranch Deer Antlers

[gowen]

I purchased a large antler for Dolly and was charged around $40? for it (10-12~in) it lasted awhile, but I can tell you each time I heard a *POP* in her mouth my stomach turned knowing the price of a titanium cap and what that little bit of pleasure might cost me.

I don't have the stomach to continue buying them. The sound, it $elf, bothers me.

[Mog]

Thanks for the replies! I sort of thought that as well (might have a finish on them), which is why I posted the picture. Since he doesn't know where they actually came from, were used for, etc... I wasn't too keen on the idea to begin with. But thought if age really didn't matter, might be worth it.

I searched a lot about antlers and almost every post said they were great, the dogs loved them, etc... but never any mention about the possibility of them hurting their teeth with them and I was always curious about that.

I think at this point, I'll stick with bully sticks And if we happen to find a pair of shed antlers during our adventures (a lot of deer around my neck of the woods), then we might try them out.