all about dogs

The best treats for your dog are ones that will treat his body right, which is why elk antlers for dogs are treats that are getting more attention these days. Antler dog chews will keep your dog occupied for days, as these last much longer than other dog treats and chew toys. That rawhide bone may not stand a chance against your dog’s chewing appetite, but antlers for dogs will keep up.

As a bonus, elk antler dog treats don’t have any smell that a human can detect (dogs can sure smell it though!), unlike rawhide bones which start to smell gross after your dog has gnawed and slobbered on it for a bit. Now when your dog wants to chew on something, you won’t have to kick him outside just to get away from the stench.

Rawhide bones do have a long shelf life, which is a bonus for the dog owners who buy them. Whether you give the chew bone to your dog an hour or a year after you buy it, your dog will still enjoy it if it stayed dry. Fans of the rawhide treats may ask if elk antlers for dogs have the same benefit — the answer is yes, somewhat.

The bottomline is that elk antler dog treats taste better to dogs when they are fresh, but they still like them when if the antlers have aged somewhat before your dog gets to eat them. Freshness is a factor in a few ways when it comes to antlers for dogs — the look and the nutrition both degrade over time, but they always make good dog chews. If all you are looking for is a dog treat that will keep your dog occupied for a long time, antler dog chews are a great choice no matter how old they are. But if you also hope to give your dog the most beneficial nutrients from the antlers, then how fresh they are does matter.

Elk antlers for dogs are grown exactly where you think they are grown: on an elk’s head. Elk shed their antlers naturally so they can begin growing them all over again. After they fall, the antlers are collected off the ground, cleaned up a bit and then they get sent to chew-happy dogs all across the U.S.

How fast these are pulled off the forest floor makes a difference as well. The minerals and vitamins that occur naturally in the elk antlers for dogs degrade over time, and if they get bleached in the sunlight, that means there is little to no nutritional value left. Those nutrients are what make these so good for your dog, so try to get them fresh for just this reason alone!

There are other benefits from picking up the freshest antlers for dogs you can find. When the antler first falls off the elk, there is a layer of velvet on the outside — this is called velvet. Chalk full of even more nutrients, the freshest elk antlers for dogs have this layer of velvet still intact so your dog can get the best flavor and the best benefit from the treat. Sometimes they cost a little extra or you need to make a special request for this type if you’re buying online or in a physical store, because these are always the first to go (and the velvet expires rather quickly so they can’t be stored in a giant warehouse).