Deer Antlers Make A Great Chew Toy
September 30, 2020
2 min read
The destruction leftover after a dog chews on a piece of furniture, shoes or other household item is often extremely frustrating for dog owners. Chewing is a way dogs are able to clean their teeth, relieve discomfort and boredom. The damage may be repeated if pet owners do not find a solution to prevent these occurrences. The most often used solution to this behavior are chew toys such as bones, rawhides and antlers. The chew toys are able to meet the behavioral and nutritional needs of a dog.
Options such as bones and rawhide are not as effective and healthy when compared to antlers. Even though bones and antlers are very similar in composition the antlers are softer. Rawhide also offers numerous benefits; however the material does not last as long as deer antlers. In addition, rawhide can be divided into smaller sections and swallowed by a dog which can cause problems with the intestines.
Antlers are bony structures that are exclusive to the deer family. The antlers are composed of bone like material which generates annually from the frontal skull of a deer. Produced by 60 kinds of deer, antlers are grown on reindeer, caribou and elk. Male deers are the only members of a herd that grow antlers as a weapon to defend their mate from other males within the herd.
Deer antlers originate as a layer of cartilage material that slowly materializes into bone. Antlers are composed of calcium, phosphorus and up to 50% water. These antlers are able to regrow at quite a high rate and are well-known for their fast cell growth. As part of a natural cycle the antlers grow, shed and regenerate annually. The chews that are utilized by the dogs are the portions that are shed from the deer. Most dog chews are created from the deer and elk antlers. Moose antlers are another option, but they are not considered an ideal dog chew due to their flatness.
There are several benefits to using antlers compared to other forms of chew options. The antlers are natural, odor free and have a long lifespan as a chew toy. Homeowners will enjoy the fact that the antlers have no odor that will be left on furniture or carpet. The antlers are also able to keep the teeth of the dog clean. The durability and longevity of the chew toys are also higher compared to other items that are made of starch and rawhide. The softer composition of the antlers allows dogs to safely chew without causing harm to their teeth.
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