Giving your dog deer antlers can seem like quite an unconventional thing to do but it serves a purpose. Dogs are very active animals who always move around so they love chewing up stuff, and can basically chew anything at any time. At times, dogs chew up so much stuff that they mostly end up destroying some of their owners’ belongings. To effectively catch a dog’s attention, give the dog a chew toy or just something safe that it can chew on, and the dog will stay captivated for a very long period of time.
How to Care for Dogs Teeth
The kinds of dogs that chew up things the most are puppies, puppies are very young growing dogs so every bit of them keeps on developing. One of their features that develops rapidly is the growth of its teeth and when a puppy starts teething, it can get so enthralling with the idea of having teeth that it will immediately begin to exercise its teeth strength in any way possible. For a puppy to exercise its teeth strength, it entails the puppy using its teeth to chew on anything it can find, this aids the growth, strength, and sharpness of the puppy’s teeth.
In order for a dog owner to effectively care for their dog and in turn, protect his or her belongings from getting damaging, he or she will need to find a common ground. For the dog owner to find a common ground, there will need to be a plan already devising that will accommodate both the needs of the dog while protecting the dog owner’s belongings. In order to get this process done, the dog owner will need to get an item that will readily and easily catch the attention of their dog and keep the dog preoccupying for a long while; in this case, a deer antler.
This is one of the reasons why most dog owners get deer antlers for their dogs; deer antlers are strong and dense enough to withstand the high tension and force of a dog’s teeth. With the hard nature of a deer antler, this poses a challenge to dogs who will keep going back to chew on the deer antlers in an attempt to break or crack them.
Benefits of Giving Deer Antlers To Your Dog
Unlike humans, after chewing up stuff or eating, dogs are unable to brush or properly clean their teeth and it is well known that good dental hygiene is necessary for optimal health. This is where the deer antlers come into play; aside from the fact that deer antlers can help to keep your dog busy for a while, deer antlers also offer certain benefits to dogs.
Some of the benefits that can be gotten from giving dogs deer antlers include:
- The provision of good oral health: Giving dogs deer antlers to chew on has been observing to improve the overall oral health of dogs in general. This occurs because when a dog chews on a deer antler, regardless of the fun the dog is having; its teeth are getting a cleaning and even whiter. When a dog has healthy teeth, this fact plays a major role in the prevention of the dog contracting periodontal infections. Good oral health in dogs entails a reduced amount of tartar and plaque buildup; deer antlers help to achieve this.
- High nutritional value: Deer antlers are made up of various nutrients such as zinc, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and magnesium. These nutrients have been observing to be highly beneficial in the provision of nutrients to the dogs, and there will be improved oral health as well.
- The long-lasting nature: When chewing on, deer antlers are seen to be so strong that it is highly unlikely that a dog will be able to make such a noticeable dent in any one of them. Unlike bones and chew toys, deer antlers do not get easily splintered or cracked. This unique feature makes the deer antlers last for a long time while still being able to function well and serve their purposes which involves getting the attention of dogs.
- The hypoallergenic nature: Just like humans, dogs are different irrespective of their species or age ranges and some dogs have highly sensitive tummies while others do not. Most dogs with sensitive tummies face certain problems involving digestion so not every kind of food is compatible with them. This is why this particular featuring found in deer antlers is unique; deer antlers are hypoallergenic so even if you have a dog with a sensitive tummy, the deer antlers will not pose any trouble to it.
- It possesses no odor: Deer antlers are naturally grown and in spite of this fact, they are seen to have no odor. This makes it easy for a dog owner to be very comfortable while his or her dog is munching on a deer antler. In addition, the dog’s owner will not withhold or hide the deer antler from it.
- It does not leave a mess: Balance is very important and even though a dog owner would want to please their dog, it is only right that he or she benefits in one way or the other. When a deer antler is chewed on by a dog, it does not degrade in a way that particles are spread or scattering around the area. This feature tends to increase the compatibility level and the level of accommodation the dog’s owner relays when the dog is chewing on the deer antler.
With these features associated with deers antlers, at the end of the day, the dog stays happy and preoccupied for a long period of time.
Steps You Can Use To Cut Deers Antlers For Dogs
When getting a deer antler for your dog, there are various retailers (brands) that you can reach out to, but aside from this, there are also various steps you can implement if you would like to cut the deer antlers yourself. If you have decided to reach out to a retailer that sells deer antlers, you will need to carry out some research to know the exact details of the kinds of deer antlers sold by that particular brand. On the other hand, you could decide not to get deer antlers from a brand but rather cut the deer antlers yourself; this is very possible. If you have already decided to procure and cut deer antlers by yourself, this process will involve a series of steps.
To successfully cut deer antlers for your dog, you will need to follow these steps:
- Get your tools ready: Almost every activity or process worth doing requires a plan and handy tools. It is not advisable for you to decide to cut deer antlers then show up without any tools to actually cut the deer antlers. To be successful in cutting antlers, you will need to get some tools which include a hunting knife, a hacksaw, and extra saw blades for the hacksaw.
- Start to saw the antlers off the deer’s head: To start this process, you will need to properly position the deer’s head and this should be done so that the jaw of the deer is set firmly on the ground. After this, begin to use your hacksaw to saw off the deer’s antlers in a horizontal manner moving from the front all the way to the back. The antlers should be cut vertically about three inches behind the base and about two and a half inches away from the rear part of the skull. When cutting the antlers, make sure that there is sufficient space placed between the hacksaw and the antlers, and then cut in a perpendicular fashion so that both the first and the second cuts meet.
- Extract the deer antlers: Even after both the first and the second cuts have met, it is possible for the antlers to still remain connected. When this happens, you may possibly need to make extra efforts to break open the deer’s skull in order to free and extract the antlers. If you do not want to go through this process, you can get the antlers extracted by making further cuts. After you have freed and extracting the antlers, you can use your hunting knife to remove any flesh that is still attached to the antlers.
After you have followed these steps and have been able to cut your deer antlers, you will need to further cut them down to the size that will be suitable for your dog. It would not be right that if after going through the process of cutting deer antlers, they would turn out to not be a correct fit for your dog. Further steps after cutting the deer antlers include cleaning the antlers and cooking (or blanching) the antlers. When cooking the antlers, try not to leave them on the fire for too long because the antlers being naturally grown parts have the tendency to become highly brittle if overcooking.
Final Verdict
Deer antlers are a good option for dogs who are excessive chewers, but in all things moderation is key. If you notice that your dog has been chewing extremely on a deer antler, it will be best if you take away the antler just for a period of time. This is done so that you can let your dog’s teeth and gums rest from the hard chewing process they have been observing. Doing this will help to prevent your dog from getting tooth injuries that can stir up from worn-out tooth enamel. After you have observed this break for a while and you are sure that your dog is ready to start chewing again, then you can release the deer antler back to your dog.