Deer antler treats - thoughts?

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by maddieadoptedme

Good to know--think ill just stick with nylabones

I like nylabones too. They work great for Maddie and even Ernie, our AmStaff. Cooper, however, our 11 lber can destroy one within a days. Gets too expensive for me to keep her stocked up on.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

That made me laugh, not because it would be funny at all. But after Ernie had enjoyed one of his first antlers for a while and we had to get rid of it, he spotted the ones on my husband's mount. He stood for a long time just staring at it as if he was making a plan for how to get those things down.

that is too cute!

[Jacksmom052709]

I bought one for Jack - he doesn't chew on it. Matter of fact, I think I threw it out because it was getting in the way. He does, however, love his bully sticks! I found some that have three braided together and those last him forever!

[BabyChance]

OK- Our guy is scared of the antler...he avoids it like its apple spray-infact, I left it next to anything I dont want him to go near...strange...

[Snickersmama]

I bought one of the antlers and the pups weren't interested...I only buy treats made in the USA... I learned the hard way. I buy bully sticks on Amazon made by shadow river superstore. They don't splinter they get chewy and when it's small enough to fit the whole piece in their mouth I throw it out. Dogs love them

[Cha Cha]

Originally Posted by McheleM

Deer antlers are made of bone....

I won't let our dogs have them because I'm afraid they would think it's okay to chew on our mounts we have (we hunt and have several European mounts around)

I have several sets of "racks" laying around our house in plain reach of my dogs. My girls have never shown any interest in them. I never really did get the antler as a treat thing because in all my years of living on a farm I have never seen dogs naturally attracted to them. Since antlers are shed annually they are commonly found and hunted here. I'd think if they were a natural "treat" coyotes would gobble them up once shed. It was common for our dogs to drag up a dear head and antlers carcass too (because they are always left behind by predators after the deer was killed by auto or hunters or even the carcass disposed of by hunters) and just leave it lay as if to say look what I found, but they never sat and chewed on the antlers at all. So I am sure if I were to cut one up and put it before my dogs over and over they may show some interest, but it just doesn't seem as "natural" as it claims to be.

[karen24]

I, too, are always in search of just the right chew "toy" for my Jack. I ran into a Blue Buffalo rep in Petsmart who really gave me the "hard sell" on the antlers. I didn't buy one because I wasn't sure enough, seemed too hard to me, and too expensive for something I was questioning. Yesterday I went into a little pet shop and talked to the owner, asking what she would suggest. She showed me little pencil thin rawhide sticks. When I pointed out the antlers there, she said, "oh, no, no they are are hard, your little guy could break his teeth." I wasn't thrilled with the rawhide sticks, but I did buy a few to give them a try. My little guy chewed one end til it was very soft. Not wanting a piece to be bit off and swallowed, I snipped that soft end off and discarded and gave the stick back to him. Continued like that, supervised chewing and I guess, from what I read, when it gets to about 2 inches long I will pitch it.

It sure is difficult to figure out what is just right and safe, isn't it!

[Cha Cha]

Originally Posted by karen24

I, too, are always in search of just the right chew "toy" for my Jack. I ran into a Blue Buffalo rep in Petsmart who really gave me the "hard sell" on the antlers. I didn't buy one because I wasn't sure enough, seemed too hard to me, and too expensive for something I was questioning. Yesterday I went into a little pet shop and talked to the owner, asking what she would suggest. She showed me little pencil thin rawhide sticks. When I pointed out the antlers there, she said, "oh, no, no they are are hard, your little guy could break his teeth." I wasn't thrilled with the rawhide sticks, but I did buy a few to give them a try. My little guy chewed one end til it was very soft. Not wanting a piece to be bit off and swallowed, I snipped that soft end off and discarded and gave the stick back to him. Continued like that, supervised chewing and I guess, from what I read, when it gets to about 2 inches long I will pitch it.

It sure is difficult to figure out what is just right and safe, isn't it!

Be very careful with rawhide. Rawhide is not digestible and can cause serious GI problems such as blockage and binding. I'm not sure what the pet store attendant told you about rawhide that sold you on it, but is one of the few items that generally most agree on as being unsafe for our pups. In any case it is good you cut the gooey parts off. Perhaps you picked up some bully sticks instead??? They are considered a safer alternative to rawhide as they do digest if a piece is swallowed.

[karen24]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

Be very careful with rawhide. Rawhide is not digestible and can cause serious GI problems such as blockage and binding. I'm not sure what the pet store attendant told you about rawhide that sold you on it, but is one of the few items that generally most agree on as being unsafe for our pups. In any case it is good you cut the gooey parts off. Perhaps you picked up some bully sticks instead??? They are considered a safer alternative to rawhide as they do digest if a piece is swallowed.

Attached is a photo of what I bought and what I understood to be pencil thin rawhide sticks. This is very confusing, but I do not think they are bully sticks, but perhaps I am wrong. I did ask about bully sticks, thinking that was what I probably would buy and the shop owner told me they would also be too hard on his teeth.

Apologies, don't mean to hi-jack thread, but maybe this is helpful to others within the discussion as well.

[Cha Cha]

No problems hijacking the thread. That's what it's all about, helping eachother. It is hard to find a general chew toy/treat that everyone agrees on as being safe due to personal experience, opinions, or reviews etc. However rawhide is one of the few that most agree as being unsafe. Your picture does look like rawhide sticks. Many do believe bully sticks are hard enough to break teeth and have had issues with them in that way, while many others have not had any issues with them and continue to give them. You're right though, it is hard to find that one chew toy/treat that we feel safe giving as there are so many out there with so many varied opinions. At the end of the day we all do our best to do what we can to keep our pups safe while also keeping them happy. You may find some threads here on nylabones, bully sticks and other chews more helpful than what the pet store attendant told you. At least, you may feel more informed about making a decision. Good luck.

[karen24]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

No problems hijacking the thread. That's what it's all about, helping eachother. It is hard to find a general chew toy/treat that everyone agrees on as being safe due to personal experience, opinions, or reviews etc. However rawhide is one of the few that most agree as being unsafe. Your picture does look like rawhide sticks. Many do believe bully sticks are hard enough to break teeth and have had issues with them in that way, while many others have not had any issues with them and continue to give them. You're right though, it is hard to find that one chew toy/treat that we feel safe giving as there are so many out there with so many varied opinions. At the end of the day we all do our best to do what we can to keep our pups safe while also keeping them happy. You may find some threads here on nylabones, bully sticks and other chews more helpful than what the pet store attendant told you. At least, you may feel more informed about making a decision. Good luck.

Thank you! I have picked up several types of chews. I don't let my little Jack chew unsupervisied, and keep checking not just his chew toys, but all his things for damage, cracks, rips, loose parts etc. and rotate, rotate, rotate. I imagine the supervision is as important as anything else. I think I will let him have the few raw hide sticks I bought, he enjoys them and I'll watch him. I take it away and remove the portion that becomes soft. I will continue to look for something else. Financially, these sticks do not last long enough if I need to cut off and throw away the soft portions, then throw the remainder away when it is just a couple inches long. Just doesn't pay, so far happiest with the Nylabones.

[karen24]

Originally Posted by karen24

Thank you! I have picked up several types of chews. I don't let my little Jack chew unsupervisied, and keep checking not just his chew toys, but all his things for damage, cracks, rips, loose parts etc. and rotate, rotate, rotate. I imagine the supervision is as important as anything else. I think I will let him have the few raw hide sticks I bought, he enjoys them and I'll watch him. I take it away and remove the portion that becomes soft. I will continue to look for something else. Financially, these sticks do not last long enough if I need to cut off and throw away the soft portions, then throw the remainder away when it is just a couple inches long. Just doesn't pay, so far happiest with the Nylabones.

Update: Well I ended up throwing the little raw hide sticks in the garbage afterall! I thought I was so on top of this, watching my little guy as he chewed on them and cutting off the softened parts. He absolutely LOVED these things! Now I am not sure about this, but I am going to blame the rawhide sticks. My little guy had a poo-poo that he strained to pass. When he finished he had tiny pieces left on his anus, they were the same color as the rawhide and I had to remove them myself. They were very sticky like the rawhide was when I cut off the softened chewed pieces from the sticks. I think he managed to eat some bits of that rawhide even with my supervision. Now I see and agree it is not good, it is too difficult to digest. I really didn't think he could have been actually eating any at all. I guess there is a chance this was something else, but I am blaming the rawhide sticks.

I can hear all of you who warned me, saying "I told you so!" LOL I am just glad that this little episode is all that happened and nothing further or more serious.

Live and Learn!!

This just shows that I am getting some great advice from other Yorkie parents and I should listen!!

[matese]

I purchased several diff. chews from my local animal feed store, a bit more expensive but all made in USA. When I questioned about Bully Sticks a member wrote they gave the double Bully, and a braided Bully, both of these were at the feed store, also my old fav. "the hoof" that I use to give all my now passed lil girls. They also has Antlers, but were on the big side, I had seen in Pet Supplies they carried little ones, but I didn't see on the tag where they were made, the fellow that took me to the Antler isle couldn't answer me when I asked where they were made, he didn't know lol, great help Pet Supplies hires lol, so no antler was gotten. I have to assume Cody's prev. owner never gave him any chew treats, in the 14 months I have him I didn't give any as he was on a strict food diet to rule out food allergy’s, now that that has been eliminated I wanted to give him chew treats, wanted a Variety to see what would be his fav. I was so excited to give him a chew teat, so I gave him the double Bully stick first, it's odorless, he chewed for 3 1/2 hours straight lol, only broke to drink water lol. Days later when he finished that I gave him the Antler lol, he sniffed the two points then the end of it, he poked it, sniffed again, looked at me with eyes that said, WTF is this lol, and walked away, for Cody to turn anything down is odd lol, so $17. bucks flushed down the toilet lol, then I gave him the hoof, again sniffed, and I got the same look lol, so the braided Bully came out. In a nut shell, my boy LOVES Bully sticks, I had left out the hoof, he has shown some interest, he'll chew on it then play with it lol, just like my girls use to do, he does the same thing with his Bully stick, flings them in the air lol. So his chew treats will be braided Bully sticks, they last longer then the double. Yes it is very hard to find safe USA made chew treats. Good luck in finding your babies fav.

[Fig2015]

Which is best for 2 lb. 9 week old puppy?... 1) Curly Bully Sticks. 2) DogNip! Turkey Tendon Braids- Free Range. 3) Free Range Dog Chews Moo! Supreme Bully Stick. 4) Natural Pet Free-Range Trachea Chews???? So Overwhelmed!!