Deer antlers

Basenji Feeding

  • We have been buying them for a year or so and Kaiah loves them. But in the beginning the store owner was telling us about them and how wonderful they were and that she didnt know a dog that could chew through them. So we bought one and she ate the antler so small in 45 minutes that we had to throw it away. Next time we were in the store we told the store owner about it and come to find out the antler that we bought was split so now we are just careful to buy the whole antler and she has 3 or 4 that she works on but it is a slow process.


  • Oakley love deer antlers, moose antlers, and elk antlers!! This only but the split ones that have the marrow exposed, dogs seem to go wild over that part and they last forever! They also provide a good source of vitamins and minerals not usually present in a regular diet. I've been buying those over bully sticks and te reactions the same, he can't get enough. Certainly worth the money and more


  • Butu loves his too, and has managed to get about 1/4" of marrow out…


  • After I found out what a Bully Stick was I could not buy another.


  • I think it may depend on what type of deer, elk, moose, etc the antler came from. I bought two, I can't remember what they are, and they are hard as rocks. Mine have not penetrated them yet. The ends are just ground down a bit. It may also depend on what time of year they are harvested.


  • From what I know, if the antlers are naturally shed in the late fall/early winter they will be hard because they no longer had a blood supply and were dry and dead when lost, but if cut off while they still had a blood supply the antlers will be softer.


  • @tanza:

    What kind and from who did you get them? I have quite a few of them and they have never been able to do that

    One deer and one elk both were split pieces from Petsmart.


  • I don't get the split ones…. so maybe that is why I have not had a problem


  • This is so good to know! I've never offered antlers, but I'm going to give them a try. After pig's ears and snouts, the gross factor kinda recedes. Where's the best place to buy ones that don't/aren't split– online?



  • Great– thank you! That's where I get bully sticks. Do you think the large size would be good for a puppy?


  • My babies chew on the large size…. :-) but you could get 1 or 2 of the medium ones to start while he/she still has puppy "razors"...... I like the other place too, as my adults like the Junior Jack Chaws too and have not been able to break them apart.


  • They are great I bought my girl one and she loves it !! , cost me about $14 for a smallish one and I was told they are edible as well
    Same goes with a "rawhide" I got her a Bosleys ,it's made %100 out of potato so it's also totally edible :)
    It's lasted her a good week and a half maybe two since she's got a quarter of it left ;)
    But I love love the deer and or elk antlers whole or split lol she decided which one

  • First Basenji's

    @Elscodobermann:

    Well Tilly certainly likes Deer atlers too - last time we took her a walk in the woods directly behind our house she disappeared into some bush, and appeared with some antlers in her mouth - unfortunately they were still attached to a well-rotted head…. so she didnt get to keep them...

    Haaahaaa! just gotta love the canine heart!/stomach!!! better she trotted off with them rather than just rolled in it and have you wonder why she smelled so bad while she was up on your couch/bed….!:)

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