Antlers for dogs?

[Vlasin]

Was at petsmart the other day and notice they had Antlers for sale....Kind of pricey. ~$17 for a 4-5inch piece.

I have a few sets of antlers saved over the years of hunting. If i sand and cut the points off, Would there be anything bad about letting my lab naw on a set and treat it like a regular bone?

[Baitchaser]

yeah they can get pretty expensive in the stores. FF has some actual small deer antlers for around $20 I believe (I think the "pieces" you saw at the pet store are probably elk horn pieces). You'll be fine giving your dog a normal antler, no need to cut/sand off points. Good thing about them is they last forever. My pup chews on hers daily and we've had the same one for over 8 months. I would suggest save the money and give your dog one you have at home. Play fetch with the antler too! maybe you dog will surprise you with an antler on a walk one day...

[brian6715]

I have been wanting to get my dog into chewing on antlers, for the purpose of bringing him shed hunting. Anyone have any experience with that?

[leech~~]

At what point is something to hard or good for a dog to chew on? Aren't Antlers harder then bone?

[Cheetah]

I recently met some people who buy those antler pieces from the pet store. Looked to me like cut up smaller elk antlers. The price seems kinda high. I must have a few hundred dollars worth in my garage right now...

[Vlasin]

Might be a silly question...but, think there is a difference between fresh 2012 antlers vs 2011 or other past years?

[Ufatz]

Awright you guys!! Lets be a little more clear in our subject headings in the future!

I about fell out of my old creaky rocker when I saw Antlers For Dogs?

First thing I thought was " Now they've gone too far. Antlers on dogs would just be ridiculous!!"

[leech~~]

Awright you guys!! Lets be a little more clear in our subject headings in the future!

I about fell out of my old creaky rocker when I saw Antlers For Dogs?

First thing I thought was " Now they've gone too far. Antlers on dogs would just be ridiculous!!"

Well you did post after lunch so I guess it's ok!

[mainbutter]

At what point is something to hard or good for a dog to chew on? Aren't Antlers harder then bone?

The first question: I don't know, but our vet says the beef bones we give our dog seem to do his teeth some good, he's got very good dental health.

The second question: Antlers are pretty much the same hardness as bone from what I understand, just no section for marrow (though they are porous and filled with canals for blood delivery). I do know that elk are relatively soft while mule and whitetail deer have harder antlers.

[nubbin]

Start them young. My lucy loves her bone. They are her favorite toys. I started her out finding the bone in a hallway and moved up to in a differant room before she was 3 months old. She quickly learned to find them in bushes and tall grass. I descent them and put some "rack wax" and hide. My biggest problem is getting access to great land that doesn't get pounded. She has found about 10 sheds in 2 years, one matched set. Her first find was a 5 inch spike.

She will chew on them before a pigs ear and they last forever.

[setterdude]

I was letting my dogs chew on antlers until I read somewhere they can break their teeth on them. Not sure how much truth there was to this but I felt it was better not to take a chance.

[cavalierowner]

I have been giving my dogs deer antlers for years. They come from deer I or my hunting buddies have shot. Some of the dogs love them, some couldn't care less. BUT, they do last almost forever! I boil the antlers for about 5 minutes when I get them home; probably not necessary, but I don't want to take a chance. I also grind down the points after having stepped on one once! As for broken teeth, we haven't had any. I am on a Cavalier forum where a doggie dentist posted warnings, but no one else reported any broken teeth either. It may be more of a breed specific thing, maybe some breeds are more aggressive chewers than others.

[TylerS]

My wirehair freaking LOVES antlers. My wife found a shed while we were pheasant hunting a few years back, and on a whim, I hid it for Remy when he was a pup. I created a monster. He whines incessantly at least three times a day for me to take the shed off the mantel and hide it for him. It's a "treat" for being good, and after a short chew session, back it goes on the mantel. I'm hoping to get him out this spring to see if he finds any sheds for me. You never know...

[TruthWalleyes]

My brother is getting a new lab in january, he was telling me that he wants to train it to find sheds...I had never heard of this before, but sounds logical...Poor fool has his first kid popp'n out the same month...He doensn't know what he is getting himself into with a newborn and new dog

[slimngrizzly]

Anyone that wants to pay $20 for a 4 inch peice of fresh whitetaile antler.... PLEASE PM ME!!!!

[cavalierowner]

Anyone that wants to pay $20 for a 4 inch peice of fresh whitetaile antler.... PLEASE PM ME!!!!

NO, don't PM him, PM me! I'll only charge $19

[CC Hurl]

$18.00 from me.

I too have a shed hunting Lab. He will be two years old this March and it is his most favorite thing to do. I don't bird hunt and the sole purpose I bought him was for shed hunting and companionship. His first toy was one of those $17.00 antlers your talking about. We have 8 antlers for training and many others on the shelf that are not for training. I will let him chew on an antler after a training sesion or if I want him to be busy for a long time. As stated before...they last forever and I feel it cleans his teath well. Never had him chip a tooth and one we train with is a heavy 8 point.

For training I boil the antlers, wear rubber gloves when hiding them,put some rack wax on the burr after boiling,stash the dog so he can't watch you,crack a beer and bring the dog out and tell him to get the bone. It is how it goes for us these days.

He found two last year for me and many other leg bones a coon skull and other bone type things. You teach them to get the bone and they will bring you bones along with antlers. I hope to learn how to post pictures here in the near future and will put some up of him.

It is great when they bring you that first one.

[Scott K]

Picture posting made easy.

Step 1- click this

Step 2- this screen will pop up, click this

That will open your computer to search the area you have your pictures stored at, such as this-

Then click on the picture you want to add, then click

and repeat these steps to add more pictures, when you are done adding pictures, click

Then click submit on the bottom, and your pictures will be in the post.

[slimngrizzly]

I too have a dog in training for sheds... So im curious... Are many of you guys into the ATL's or "as they lay" photots? One thing that bothers me with shed dogs is the dog picks it up and I never got to see how it was laying! Thats half the reason I shed hunt is for THAT moment! The ATL pictures are some of my favorite and most artistic pictures to page through year after year! The dog takes that whole element away.... maybe its just me!

[LABS4ME]

easy fix... get when of them thar' "shed Pointers"! Locked up all staunch on a shed... steady to the photo op and release him to 'hunt' on!

Good Luck!

Ken

[slimngrizzly]

easy fix... get when of them thar' "shed Pointers"! Locked up all staunch on a shed... steady to the photo op and release him to 'hunt' on!

Good Luck!

Ken

NOW YOUR TALKIN!!! The sick thing is... thats probably very do-able! Just not with my dog training abilities.

[Eric Wettschreck]

My Jeffrey loves antlers. He normally gets to chew on a couple sets a year, along with some legs and various parts. I don't know if it's good or bad for him but he likes em so he chews on em.

TW, Luke's gettin a pup.............and a pup???????????? Good luck to him !!!!!!!!!! I've been down that road and it aint pretty.

[CC Hurl]

Thanks 4wanderingeys, I will give this a shot in the next day or so and see how it goes. Looks like some nice direction anyway.

Slim, you are right, the two Boyd got for me last year I did not get to take pictures until he brought them to me. I always took pic,s to. Last year was my first with the dog and I now take pictures of him out in the woods with them. The pictures look cool with your dog in them too. Other than LABS4me's plan, I am not sure how a guy could get the pic. first. I will say the trade off of having my new buddy out there with me is worth it.

That would be awsome to see Boyd point out a shed for me to photo first and him to pick up.

Once I figure out posting pics on here I will post shed pics in the shed forum.

[Todd Caswell]

mine love them safest chew there is.. And no mess. Elk antlers are sold at AKC dog shows for about $50.00 a foot. Deer work fine and they don't have to be that big either, basket racks work great.

[CC Hurl]

Nice pic's of your Lab Todd. Keep your pup at it and you never know what they will bring you. Thanks 4wandering for the photo tip's. Got it down now and have posted some on the shed hunting thread.

Thanks a million. I am one of those guys you need to show a picture too.