Antler Information
Choosing the INNER CORE (Hardess/Density) Please read Tips for Using your Antler Chews Below
When choosing your inner core, the size of the dog does not matter. A hard chewing dog is a hard chewing dog. We will pick the size below.
Typical Hard
HARD CORE
- ACTIVE chewing dogs that have powerful jaws.
- Longer Lasting, less fun because less marrow.
- Harder antlers do put stress on a dog’s teeth so use with caution if you have a hard chewer and follow the Tips section below.
Typical Medium
MEDIUM CORE
- Dogs that enjoy chewing, but are not power chewers.
- Better for owners concerned about teeth issues.
- Ok for a HARD chewer. It will be a lot of fun and delicious.
- A medium chewing dog will truly appreciate all the extra core. Not as much of a challenge as a hard.
- Also a nice choice for a quick teeth cleaning or just plain fun.
Typical Light/Soft
LIGHT/SOFT CORE
- TENTATIVE/YOUNG/or PICKIER DOG – Will help build confidence.
- Not recommended for hard chewing dogs.
- Best for teeth issues, but will not last as long.
CHOOSING the SIZE
- 10-20 pounds –Small antler
- 20-40 pounds — Medium antler
- 40-70 pounds — Large antler
- 70+ pounds — X-Large/Jumbo
- 80+ pounds — Ultra Jumbo
The above size chart is a “general" guide. It is not uncommon for a big dog with a smaller jaw size to perfer a medium or large OR a small dog to have big jaws and perfer a larger antler.
Do I need to clean my Antlers when they arrive?
It is not necessary because I do a pretty good clean on this end with a basic tumbler and tap water here and there. Although a simple scrubby or paper towell damp with water will help remove any additional NATURAL material on antlers and give you the peace of mind that your chew is extra clean.
ADDITONAL BENEFITS/USES OF ANTLER DOG CHEWS
- 100% Natural – No Additives
- GREAT for gnawing pets like pet rats, mice. SQUIRRELS love them as well next to their feeder!!! Just attach to the tree.
- No Colors to stain your carpet
- Long Lasting
- SAVE your furniture and shoes from being destroyed!!!
- No chemicals like plastic chews, heavy starches or artificial flavors.
- Prevent surgeries like ropes, rubber and rawhides…. I hear horror stories weekly from rawhides, cow bones and ropes.
How to properly store antlers when not in use:
If you have purchased a larger quantity, store your antlers like you would a loaf of bread. Avoid hot, wet and damp areas. A pantry is perfect. If your dog is using the chew outdoors, keep out of rain to prevent the integrity of the antler from breaking down. Or when they are done with it for the day, store indoors out of natural elements.
Tips for Using Your Antler Dog Chews
Antlers chews make wonderful chews for dogs, but just like any dog chew it is important to be careful and to supervise your dog. Here are a few tips to help your dog to enjoy the antler chew and keep him or her safe.
· Make sure your antler dog chew is large enough so that there is no possibility that your dog could choke on it.
· Check your antler chew over for any possible sharp edges. If there are any, it is easy to remove them by rubbing the sharp edge against concrete or sandpaper.
· With a scrubby or paper towell, you may want to wash the outside Shell of antler chew with water. This helps remove any tree material deer get from rubbing on trees to color their antlers brown. Although I do a quick clean to remove any large amounts, a good water washing is always nice to clean it even more 🙂 Non washing will NOT affect your dogs love for it, but will clean your chew to help prevent the browns from running and keep you more satisfied knowing its extra clean 🙂
· Give the antler chew to your dog watch him while he chews it for at least the first few times.
· Make sure your dog is gnawing on the antler instead of trying to break the antler chew in half. If he is bearing down hard on the antler, it is best to take it away (don’t forget to give him a treat for giving it up!), since chewing any hard chew this way could damage his teeth.
· Do not allow your dog to chew more than an inch of the antler per day.
· Take the antler chew away from your dog once it gets worn down to a small enough size that your dog could swallow / choke on it.
· If your dog isn’t interested in the chewing the antler, try rubbing it with sandpaper. If your dog still isn’t interested in the antler, you could try rubbing it with a small amount of peanut butter or soaking it overnight in water or broth in the refrigerator.
Like any dog chew, you do need to be careful when allowing your dog to chew on an antler. The main concerns are breaking a tooth or choking on the antler chew. To prevent these things from happening, be sure to supervise your dog’s antler chewing. Do not allow him to bear down forcefully with his molars on the antler chew and do not allow him to chew on a piece that is of a size he could choke on. Dogs do need to chew and, since every chew has its dangers, it is important to be as careful as you can while still allowing your dog to chew. What you want to see is that the dog chews the antler and wears it down very slowly. Most antlers will last your dog weeks or months
