aussielover Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 My dog who is one of the greediest dogs there is- refuses to eat deer antlers! This is a dog that eats her own vomit amongst other disgusting things. I have had several attempts to try to get her interested but none successful. They are quite expensive so it is frustrating. I'd like to use them as a longer lasting chew. Pigs ears and the like only last her about 2 minutes. Bully sticks can last up to 5 minutes depending on size. Chicken carcasses last 10 minutes, maybe 15 if they are frozen- and they can't be inside. Her teeth are in perfect condition so I doubt it is pain holding her back. Is there a way I can get her to eat them or a long lasting alternative? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara8430 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 (edited) Can you put a bit of peanut butter on them just to entice her? Only a little bit just to get her interested. Edited January 1, 2015 by Tara8430 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yonjuro Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Maybe try boiling in some chicken stock and leave the antler to sit for a while. It may impregnate enough flavour to get the ball rolling. For a longer lasting chew I use frozen beef neck and place an old towel on the floor so Ronin can safely chew for around and hour inside. Nothing else that is safe works as well for me. I get the butcher to saw a whole neck into pieces around 10cm long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I think my dog finds them frustrating. The only time she chews them (or the dog that originally gifted the antler to her) is if they perceive a bit of competition. I worry that something that hard - may actually break her teeth. Cow hooves last a bit longer than bully sticks. And I got some with dried liver? packed into the hoof bit - but I'm not game to try that inside. I do put a tarp with a towel on top inside when I leave her with a stuffed kong or three when I go out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Mine wouldn't eat deer antler but will eat goat horn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightstar123 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I have the same problem with my lab - she's not interested either, even if I avoid the harder tip sections and go with the softer bits. She liked the cow hoof a bit more but not a lot, although the liver-stuffed one sounds more appealing. For both she had a bit of a chew then gave up after 5 min or so. I haven't found any long lasting (non-raw) chews she will eat, likewise bully sticks last only 5 min, also beef tendons etc. She likes to chew on raw meaty beef vertebrae as Yonjuro said - they do last a while and she will keep coming back to them, but that's more of an outdoor thing in our house as she keeps moving them around lol :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yonjuro Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 The inside meaty bone thing was a bit concerning to us at first - especially with a wilful breed like a husky and my wife who is a clean freak :) especially as we have a young daughter. It is really quite funny how perfectly obedient he is with this though. Our routine is... towel comes out and put on the floor, he is given the "on your mat" command. I bring the bone, then use "drop" command. I put bone down between his paws the say "release" and thats it. I can honestly say that this took only one go and it was imprinted :laugh: The easiest training I have ever done :laugh: I must also state that we taught the "on your mat", "drop" and "release" (BTW "release" for us means food is his) right from the word go but never as fail safe as when it is bone time. :D We also have hardwood floors which is easy to give quick a wipe over if any juice manages to get through the towel - but this seldom occurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Amber thinks Deer antlers are the best thing ever! Poppy really isn't fussed, she has a gentle chomp for a couple of mins and then stops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Neither my Cavaliers or my Rottweilers have been interested in deer antlers either. They were a complete waste of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Mine like them when they're young and silly but lose interest as they get older. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottsmum Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 My boy hates antlers but of office dog loves loves loves them...ive heard of soaking them in broth (as suggested above) but i think its juat a personal choice. I dont think they look very appealing... no meat. No marrow... cant blame them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) My 2 used to love them but now they won't touch them. I used to dip them in peanut butter to get them started. Don't buy them here anymore. Edited January 2, 2015 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flame ryder Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I bought some for my dogs for Christmas. They chewed on them till hollowed out, then lost interest. Yes they were really overpriced, too expensive if you ask me, considering that deer supposedly naturally shed their antlers every year. So one would only assume all the deer farmers would need to do is go for a walk around their paddocks and pick them up, and as far as I know there is no other use for them. I doubt I'll ever buy them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I think the other use is to grind them up and sell in "chinese medicine" and similar. The velvet - furry stuff - is highly prized for that but the deer antler I've got doesn't have any of that. My sister in law likes deer antler - the full set of horns as household decoration - so she would take quite a few if she had a source. Can't be that hard to get - they're feral down the Coorong way and in the Brindabellas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Deer antlers seem to be one of those things they either really like them or have zero interest in them. Idiot Dog is not overly excited by them, Shitty Whippet would shank her own mother for one. As an alternate, perhaps try cow hooves? They're entirely dry and clean and they seem to last a decent amount of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 The deer antlers I bought turned out to be about 14cm in length round, and as hard as the hardest bone. The dogs sniffed them and walked away. I eventually threw them out. What a waste of $$ they were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 The deer antlers I bought turned out to be about 14cm in length round, and as hard as the hardest bone. The dogs sniffed them and walked away. I eventually threw them out. What a waste of $$ they were. I think that's sort of the point of them. Shed antlers have a very high mineral content so they won't rot or get smelly, which is useful for people who can't feed bones outside for whatever reason. How fresh they are probably also makes a difference- antlers that have sat in some warehouse accumulating foreign smells are probably not very appealing to dogs. I get mine from a friend who does commercial shooting on farms down in the midlands and the dogs seem pretty keen on what they're smelling. In my opinion, fallow deer antlers are probably best because you can cut up the cups, which seem softer and provide a larger area for the dog to grasp. The coronet section (with the brow tine cut off) would also be good, depending in how thick the main beam is coming off it. Thicker there is better because then the dog can get its teeth into the softer core. That said.. some dogs just aren't into them, as with any food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagittarian Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 We've started stocking Aussie deer antlers after a lot of requests. Super fresh, extremely well received by a high percentage of dogs so far. We find that starting them off on a split antler is good, as they have access to the very slightly softer marrow inner. What we love is that they are a renewable product and that no harm comes to the source animal. Sags :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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