Antler chews

[midnightstar66]

Keep seeing adverts for real deer antler pop up recommending them as a great treat for puppies from 8 weeks to elderly dogs. After reading one website I ordered 2 small split antlers from amazon as was the size and type suggested for dpup. However it arrived and packet said 12 weeks +. She's 9 weeks. A further google has brought up mixed results some saying they are amazing others saying they've been linked to stomach upsets (although I think they were mostly American sites, not sure if it makes a difference) anyone here have any experience with these? Looking for something long lasting and enjoyable for d pup to encourage her to do her own thing while we are eating meals. She's not overly interested in her Kong.

Both my dogs have had them. From around 12 weeks.

Not sure how it can upset their stomachs. They don't east chunks off it. They grind them down and probably chew them for about 15 mins a day. The amount they ingest is tiny. I eoidk be interested to see if that's just a an opinion or there is proof they upset stomachs. Dogs eat all sorts of crap. Not sure how you can know.

Dpup is 26 weeks and older dog is 4. Never had an issue with them. I do remove them and replace when they get small though. You nees to careful they aren't a chocking hazard.

Also make sure they are ethical sourced.

Dpup has hers right now. She became more interested once her adult teeth came in.

Yes the company said they are from naturally she'd british deer. And that the split ones are better for puppies as the whole can crack small teeth. I'll maybe hold off a couple of weeks to be safe then try it. Thanks

We have a Labrador and used to give him antler horns to chew. When he was younger they'd last a couple of weeks, but now as an adult he will actually chew and ingest almost a full one in one day (which was the last time we'll ever give him one). It also used to give him runny poos and/or white poos from ingested bone matter.

Buffalo horns are a lot better IMO, last a lot longer and don't make our doggo have bad poops.

I honestly can't think why we waited until 12 weeks with the older one.

I think I hadn't heard of them and saw them on a breed specific fb group. Rather than choice.

With dpup she was a Foster that came to us at 6 weeks. She was tiny, still is for the breed. Although she could be a mix, we arent sure.

Again I didnt specifically wait. I was just browsing for dog toys, chews and relapsed the older on hadnt had one for a while. Think she buried the last one. So got them both one.

I would say you are right to wait if the packaging says 12 weeks.

For dpup we got soft pet toys for her nd ropes. She isn't that fussed about her kong. The older one loves it.

Licky mats were good for dpup. Always only used when we could supervise her.

Good idea re the licky mat but she doesn't seem overly bothered by peanut butter in the Kong. What do you use in it? Haha @CooperLooper I think Labrador's have a whole other chewing ability don't they? She's a Jack Russell and pretty tiny so she'll not be chewing through much for now

Greek yoghurt, dog food etc. To be honest, anything that's spreadable and edible for dogs. We do use a peanut butter. She likes it, but can't be arsed with a kong.

I am sure I have seen someone blend bananas. But you need to check if that's OK. Not something I have looked into.

As she had a rough start, she was quite anxious. We fostered her sisters. Despite having a bond with my older dog, she did miss them when they went to their forever homes.

Licking helps calm them, which is why we opted for a mat. I have seen dogs chew the mats and swallow bits. So she never has it alone. Although we have never had an issue with her chewing anything she shouldn't.

@CooperLooper wow! I can see that giving them an upset stomach. Both my dogs still have theirs about 13 weeks later.

Didn't realise some dogs can go through them so quickly!

Thanks @Shitsgettingcrazy. It's just for something for her to have while we eat as she sits and cries to get up but want her to learn when we eat she needs to entertain herself. She'll be at our feet while she has it and so far hasn't destroyed anything anyway. Will order one now. I remember my friends Labrador adored bananas, I believe they are fine.

My chihuahua loves hers. I got one with no exposed marrow to begin with that she liked then got a different shape which let's her get at the marrow and she adores it. As long as the pup is supervised it should be ok to give her.

@Shitsgettingcrazy @midnightstar66 honestly I was amazed when he ate a whole one so quickly, he's never been a problem chewer or particularly destructive - he just bloody loves antler horns! If he paced himself he'd still be able to have them 😂

@CooperLooper sounds like me with a cheeseboard 😆

Mine is an ‘aggressive chewer’ and an antler lasts him for ages but it has to be a pointy one from red deer or roe deer not a flat fallow deer antler - they are much softer and he goes through a flat one in no time at all. So definitely go pointy not flat.

Never had an upset stomach either.

I gave these to my dog as a teething puppy, as an adult I have tried her with one a few times but she has no desire to chew whatsoever really.
If she can’t eat it she loses interest quickly.
Just as well really as I frightened myself reading about how they are sufficiently hard to crack teeth!

Mine has an antler but goes through phases of wanting to chew it.

We have a huge variety of chews available for him 24/7 - a dog-friendly wood chew that he mostly ignores , cow hooves, raw bones, antlers, buffalo horns and yakkers - he definitely prefers the hooves and yakkers above all the others though.

We also give him pizzles, pigs ears, lambs tails and other natural "edible" chews on a regular basis too.

I put peanut butter in a kong for dpup when she was tiny and she didn't give a monkey's, but other stuff she loved. Echo pp's suggestions of trying other foods. Also antler lovers in this house, and she loved nylabones when teething.

I've got a 4 month old pup and have been giving him antlers since I got him at 8 weeks, they're great for teething and to help stop chewing other things. Mine loves it and chews it a lot although it barely even looks touched even though he chews it every day and is now 21 weeks😂

Of all these types of things mine likes his yakkers best by far tho likes antler too.

There's a big sign in our vet that says antlers are too hard for dogs - and damages their teeth.
However, that doesn't stop me giving mine them occassionally - it is amazingly good for the fur - she's never looked so glossy as when she devoured a rack of antler (she found by herself on a local walk).

We stopped with antlers when, through chewing, one ended up with a needle sharp point on it and cut the inside of his mouth. He kept chewing regardless and we didn't notice until he moved and we saw the blood stains on the carpet. No really damage done (to his mouth), but put us off them.

Mine had halved antlers from about 9 weeks, as we had to have something he could chew and every single chewstick said 4 months plus on it. We supervised him and never let him have it overnight, and he chewed and chewed it but it took him months to get it any smaller. He can do more damage to one now! He also likes yak cheeses and rope toys but the antler was a hit. The split ones are softer.
He didn’t like peanut butter either. You can get chicken paste from the pet shop (don’t use pate or similar for humans as it has too much salt in and often onion powder too which is toxic to dogs) and put that in a kong with some chopped carrots.

Thanks everyone. I gave her it last night while we ate and she had a little nibble but was more interested in our meals so spent more time crying to get up on the sofa than chewing it. Definitely no worries about over chewing or having too much in one go. Took it away after and will give again next meal time. Will also look in to ordering some of the other things mentioned.