# Antlers for treats



## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

I want to get my hands on some antlers for chews but they're crazy expensive when purchased as dog treats.

I've looked at getting a rack off of Ebay (just haven't managed to win an auction yet)

I'm wondering if any of you that have access to fresh deer, elk, etc might be able to score some antlers?

We'd be willing to pay shipping costs, etc :biggrin:


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## oakley (Nov 18, 2009)

We're avid hunters here in Michigan... but gosh - I dont think I would let my dog chew on antlers. They are hard and dry... almost like a cooked bone. The tines will break and splinter off sometimes. Have you ever had your hands on some? 

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will pop in...


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Insight, please??

I'm curious, as my family all hunts, and I hadn't really thought of this. I could even possibly get my hands on them for you, and shipping wouldn't be too bad, I'm just here in Utah, and if I remember correctly, you're just a hop, skip, and a jump away in Denver, right?


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

I have nothing to go on here except what I've read as them being a better natural alternative to other chews...

antler dog chew - Google Search


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I see them here in our specialty dog boutigues for sale, so they must have some natural benefit to them, they are expensive thats for sure!!!!!!!!!


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## oakley (Nov 18, 2009)

Just got a phone call... my brother got a 10 point with a 20in spread tonight... :O


Sorry Jon, that ones going on the wall... hehehe


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## oakley (Nov 18, 2009)

You know, thats interesting.  I might have to try that out. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.. I love all the new stuff Im learning.

I just read some of the things from your google link. I actually don't think the price is bad considering these things are straight from nature, and how they are collected. AND they would most definitely last longer than most other rawhide or chew I bet. I wonder how fresh they have to be. If theyve dried out for years if they are still 'chewable'. I have a few racks sittin around home I might be able to sneak away with.


They just seem so HARD to me! But then.. I guess so are bones :redface:


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

oakley said:


> Just got a phone call... my brother got a 10 point with a 20in spread tonight... :O
> 
> 
> Sorry Jon, that ones going on the wall... hehehe


Yeah, I wouldn't expect something like that to come my way :tongue:

Here's what I've been trying to snag on Ebay
Elk Antlers Nice 2009 shed - eBay (item 200406848266 end time Nov-23-09 15:00:15 PST)


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## oakley (Nov 18, 2009)

HUGE deer for our area. 


Holy MOLEY! Thats a big elk antler.. cripes you would have one happy doggy! hehehe


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

oakley said:


> Holy MOLEY! Thats a big elk antler.. cripes you would have one happy doggy! hehehe


Nice deer!

I figured I could hit the elk rack with a band saw and cut it down into treats. We'd have dog chews for years... :biggrin:


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## oakley (Nov 18, 2009)

I'll see what I can do for you around here.. but people can get awfully stingy about their horns!


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

That'd be awesome. Thanks!!!


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

Woohoo! I've got some antlers on the way. Just won this auction
Elk Antlers Nice 5x5 set 2009 sheds - eBay (item 200406842597 end time Nov-23-09 14:00:28 PST)

I'm probably going to run them thru a bandsaw and cut them into chew size. If anyone wants to give it a try I'd be happy to sell ya one or two chews


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## BGBY (Sep 22, 2009)

oakley said:


> I'll see what I can do for you around here.. but people can get awfully stingy about their horns!


I don't think I could give up my Buck antlers to my dogs. OH NO!  Those are trophies! :biggrin:


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## oakley (Nov 18, 2009)

jdatwood said:


> Woohoo! I've got some antlers on the way. Just won this auction
> Elk Antlers Nice 5x5 set 2009 sheds - eBay (item 200406842597 end time Nov-23-09 14:00:28 PST)
> 
> I'm probably going to run them thru a bandsaw and cut them into chew size. If anyone wants to give it a try I'd be happy to sell ya one or two chews




You know, I bet if you asked them they would cut them up for you. They would be SO much easier to ship if they were cut into smaller pieces and fit in a box!


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Jon, how are the dogs liking the antlers? I just got a pretty good deal on some antlers for the dogs to try: picked up 12" antlers for $10.00 each, a whole lot cheaper than at the stores. Dogs are mildly interested in them, they keep waiting for them to break or food to come out of them. LOL


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## dobesgalore (Oct 21, 2009)

I have access to TONS of antlers, I have a brother-in-law we call the deer slayer. However, I agree with other posts here. Antlers are VERY hard, and not only splinter bad, possibly break teeth. I would stay with raw bones before I would give antlers to the dogs.


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## spookychick13 (Jan 26, 2010)

They do seem hard, but I see them at pet stores all the time.
Are the ones in the stores treated with something?

I saw some advertised with the 'velvet on' as well.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

They say they aren't treated with anything, just dried and cut and then they kind of sand down the ends. The dogs are sitting here chewing on them now, I heard somewhere that there is some nutrient in the antlers but not sure if that is true or not.


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## mstngchic2012 (Jan 30, 2010)

I've heard that the antler buttons (the very base of the antler where it meets the skull) have more nutrients and don't splinter. I'm not sure if this is true or not but it's just what I've heard.


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

dobesgalore said:


> I have access to TONS of antlers, I have a brother-in-law we call the deer slayer. However, I agree with other posts here. Antlers are VERY hard, and not only splinter bad, possibly break teeth. I would stay with raw bones before I would give antlers to the dogs.


I could see antlers that have been drying in the sun for month or years splintering but a fresh rack would never have that problem. They are VERY hard but not nearly hard enough to break a tooth.

Our girls have been gnawing away on the rack I bought them for months now. There hasn't been a SINGLE splinter. It gets soft and pliable as they chew on it.

They LOVE it and I'll continue giving antlers as a chew the rest of my life. Buying the rack off of Ebay was one of the BEST purchases I've made all year


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## mstngchic2012 (Jan 30, 2010)

Do the racks with the velvet still on them have more nutrients than a rack that has shed the velvet?


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

mstngchic2012 said:


> Do the racks with the velvet still on them have more nutrients than a rack that has shed the velvet?


I wish I had an answer for that. I just know that the dogs LOVE the antlers :biggrin:

Since they are hard and it takes quite a long while to chew it down (4 dogs have chewed down maybe 8-12 inches in 4 months) the nutritional "benefits" if any are probably negligible


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## dobesgalore (Oct 21, 2009)

spookychick13 said:


> They do seem hard, but I see them at pet stores all the time.
> Are the ones in the stores treated with something?
> 
> I saw some advertised with the 'velvet on' as well.


Really? I've never seen any in pet stores or even advertised in catalogs.


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

Photographic evidence of no splintering :wink:























dobesgalore said:


> Really? I've never seen any in pet stores or even advertised in catalogs.


http://www.activedog.com/elk_velvet_antler
http://www.pethealthandnutritioncenter.com/store/product/caneva-elk-velvet-antler/
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=velvet+antler+dog+treats


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## dobesgalore (Oct 21, 2009)

BGBY said:


> I don't think I could give up my Buck antlers to my dogs. OH NO!  Those are trophies! :biggrin:


Yep, when folks get one with a nice rack, they don't like to let them go and I can't blame them. My brother-in-law has three Alabama state records, and even all the other "smaller basket racks" he has hung up I don't think would even be considered going anywhere! As far as nutrition goes, they have something I would think because squirrels will chew them all up.


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

dobesgalore said:


> Yep, when folks get one with a nice rack, they don't like to let them go and I can't blame them.


Fortunately there's plenty on Ebay :wink:

elk antlers, Sporting Goods, Collectibles. Great deals on eBay!

Just have to shop the auctions to find the right set at a reasonable price :biggrin:


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## spookychick13 (Jan 26, 2010)

There are a few really good pet stores where I live, that is where I have seen them.
They are just 'tips' though, not the whole rack. I picked one up at the store the other day just to see how it felt, and it felt almost stonelike in hardness, so I skipped it. I wasn't sure if it was safe or treated or what.

Then I saw a bunch at the pet expo as well.


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## dobesgalore (Oct 21, 2009)

spookychick13 said:


> There are a few really good pet stores where I live, that is where I have seen them.
> They are just 'tips' though, not the whole rack. I picked one up at the store the other day just to see how it felt, and it felt almost stonelike in hardness, so I skipped it. I wasn't sure if it was safe or treated or what.
> 
> Then I saw a bunch at the pet expo as well.


That is how I feel about them as well.


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## lovinmylabs (Jan 5, 2010)

jdatwood said:


> I have nothing to go on here except what I've read as them being a better natural alternative to other chews...
> 
> antler dog chew - Google Search


We have a good family friend who is an aid hunter. I asked him about this....he said that the antlers are known to have anthrax as they decay or dry out???? He advised me to stay away from them unless they are sold in a store for pet use. Not sure if they have to boil them or something....Just advice I got about deer antler....take it for what its worth :smile:


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## vtbouvs (Jan 10, 2010)

I bought some off ebay and they have worked out great for our dogs and I got a bunch of them for like $50.00..I would just keep bidding...


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