# deer vs elk antlers?



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5

So I know another member on this site said deer antlers were better, but fro ma picture standpoint alone, im liking the looks of elk antlers. what are the differences?

also where do you buy your antlers? I'd prefer a place that doesnt make you buy pounds and pounds. My dad is the one who's buying them, and he thinks the raw diet in general is unecessary, but I thin i can persuade him to get some antlers for the teeth if they are cheap!

matbe ill let winston run loose around our neighborhood and kill his own bait hahahaah


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## werecatrising

I ave only bought deer, so I can't tell you the differences. I get mine from here. Grateful Shed Antler Dog Toys | Tey seem to have the best prices.


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## DeekenDog

Elk are harder. I get elk antlers mostly but I know some people worry that they'll crack teeth. I'm no help in terms of where to buy though because I get them from local hunters.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5

werecatrising said:


> I ave only bought deer, so I can't tell you the differences. I get mine from here. Grateful Shed Antler Dog Toys | Tey seem to have the best prices.


i wouldn't want something that would crack teeth!!! if you guys think elk antlers would be alright maybe ill go with the single super jumbo antler for 17 bucks.


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## Sprocket

I have a white tail deer antler in my dogs toy collection. It basically looks no different after a year and I have seen then gnawing on it many times.


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## kady05

I've used both, and have found that the Elk antlers hold up to "power" chewers.

FWIW, my dogs would go through an entire 8" long antler in about a week if I left it out 24/7. Antlers are reserved for times when we have people over, or rainy days when they're bored, otherwise I'd go poor from having to buy them so often! My dogs LOVE them though!


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## DeekenDog

kady05 said:


> FWIW, my dogs would go through an entire 8" long antler in about a week if I left it out 24/7. Antlers are reserved for times when we have people over, or rainy days when they're bored, otherwise I'd go poor from having to buy them so often! My dogs LOVE them though!


this is deeks with deer antlers- he loves them the best of course but I do leave moose antlers out.


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## doggiedad

it's not so much the bone will crack teeth but it's how your dog
chews. i give my dog beef femur bones. i want to buy some type of antler
for my dog.



RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> i wouldn't want something that would crack teeth!!! if you guys think elk antlers would be alright maybe ill go with the single super jumbo antler for 17 bucks.


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## KittyKat

I use deer antlers... they seem to last forever.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5

my only concern is that winsotn is on a kibble diet...do i have to space out his chewing 12 hours from his food? i just want to give him an antler any time of the day!
I thin ill go with elk.antlers...hopefully they dont crack wisnton's teeth
also im scared i wont know when to throw it out....and im also kind of cheap so imight let it get really small.


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## meggels

Abbie is on kibble and gets her deer antler whenever I feel like tossing it to her lol. It's not nearly as quickly eaten/digested as say a bully stick. They tear off itty bitty bitty tiny miniscule parts over a long period of time. My two have spent HOURS nibbling on theirs and they still have probably 3/4 of the antler left.


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## doggiedad

my dogs bones are out 24/7. what does being on a kibble diet
have to do with giving bones???



RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> my only concern is that winsotn is on a kibble diet...do i have to space out his chewing 12 hours from his food? i just want to give him an antler any time of the day!
> I thin ill go with elk.antlers...hopefully they dont crack wisnton's teeth
> also im scared i wont know when to throw it out....and im also kind of cheap so imight let it get really small.


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## Tobi

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> my only concern is that winsotn is on a kibble diet...do i have to space out his chewing 12 hours from his food? i just want to give him an antler any time of the day!
> I thin ill go with elk.antlers...hopefully they dont crack wisnton's teeth
> also im scared i wont know when to throw it out....and im also kind of cheap so imight let it get really small.


Antlers aren't raw food, they are chews... like chewing on a stick, or a plush toy, so there is no need to space it out. Give him an antler whenever you want.
There is always a risk of tooth fractures, they are dense and very hard, but they seem to not try to go through them like say, a bully stick.
Throw it out, when he can get the entire thing in his mouth at one time. if you let it get small enough that he can swallow it, it may pose a choking hazard. 

Know thy dog comes to play with chews RC. I know my dog is a very heavy chewer so he only gets antlers when i'm watching him very closely, when he lays down with it, and starts chewing on a thinner end that he can fit into his molars i take it away, and give it back in about 15 minutes so he plays with it again, and rolls around with it.



doggiedad said:


> my dogs bones are out 24/7. what does being on a kibble diet
> have to do with giving bones???


Likely he is referring to not feeding raw food and kibble within 12 hours of each other to prevent digestive upset. He may misunderstand that antlers are not considered raw meat/bones.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5

Tobi said:


> Antlers aren't raw food, they are chews... like chewing on a stick, or a plush toy, so there is no need to space it out. Give him an antler whenever you want.
> There is always a risk of tooth fractures, they are dense and very hard, but they seem to not try to go through them like say, a bully stick.
> Throw it out, when he can get the entire thing in his mouth at one time. if you let it get small enough that he can swallow it, it may pose a choking hazard.
> 
> Know thy dog comes to play with chews RC. I know my dog is a very heavy chewer so he only gets antlers when i'm watching him very closely, when he lays down with it, and starts chewing on a thinner end that he can fit into his molars i take it away, and give it back in about 15 minutes so he plays with it again, and rolls around with it.
> 
> 
> 
> Likely he is referring to not feeding raw food and kibble within 12 hours of each other to prevent digestive upset. He may misunderstand that antlers are not considered raw meat/bones.


sounds good thanks everyone does everyone agree that the first link posted ha the best prices? we are going to go with the 17 dollAr plus shipping super jumbo elk antler. Sees pretty pricey though. Seems from what others have said, if I want it to last a while Is should not leave it out too long. I want to make sure he gets the dental benefits though..so i guess 30 mins per day? This is exciting ha.


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## jdatwood

I found EBay to be the best source. Buy a full rack for the price you'd pay for a couple of pieces someone cut off a rack....


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## Tobi

jdatwood said:


> I found EBay to be the best source. Buy a full rack for the price you'd pay for a couple of pieces someone cut off a rack....


For sure do what Jon is saying for the whole rack!

You can also look up local processors, some of the people take their catch in to be taken care of, and lots of the antlers are just discarded, we got a lot of them for free just recently, it might be something to look into.

30 minutes a day is pretty short, we let Tobi chew till he gets bored, and we then put it up. we usually let him chew throughout the day, 45-60 minutes at a time, 6-8 times per day. it just depends on how interested your dog is in chewing. of course, chews will always last longer if you limit it so bear that in mind.


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## Pug

idk try ignore antlers


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## jdatwood

Pug said:


> idk try ignore antlers


huh? Confused...


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## Filth

Are you giving antlers just as an interesting toy, or is there any other benefits? Never done that


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## jdatwood

Filth said:


> Are you giving antlers just as an interesting toy, or is there any other benefits? Never done that


They're a great alternative to a RMB for those that don't feed a PMR (or other type of raw) diet.

Too many people give dangerous bones that are common at pet stores. Antlers are MUCH safer :wink:

Toy or dental chew, antlers are a great addition to any doggie household


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## Filth

jdatwood said:


> They're a great alternative to a RMB for those that don't feed a PMR (or other type of raw) diet.
> 
> Too many people give dangerous bones that are common at pet stores. Antlers are MUCH safer :wink:
> 
> Toy or dental chew, antlers are a great addition to any doggie household


Thank you for the answer. I'm sure it is a great thing for teeth. Will try to find some here. We usually give big beef bones, which are pretty safe(and many times have a lot meat on them) since they just chew on it.


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## jdatwood

The ONLY beef bones we'll ever allow in our house are ribs. The rest are too risky for tooth breakage. 
Why I’ll NEVER give a dog a marrow or knuckle bone | Prey Model Raw


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