The Pet Parents® Guide to Antlers for Dogs

Updated: July 24, 2024

Antlers for dogs are becoming increasingly popular as a chew for our furbabies. We’re sure you’ve seen some antler chews in your local pet store. Maybe you weren’t so sure about what they are. Are antlers safe for my pup? Were any animals harmed for their antlers?

In this article, we’ll talk about what antler dog chews really are (specifically Pet Parents® Gnawtlers®), why they’re the best chew choice in the market, and their many use cases you didn’t think of before.

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"Antler chews are exactly what they say they are: antlers! Yes, they are antlers from wild animals that are turned into chews for your furbaby."

What are Antlers Chews?

Antler chews are exactly what they say they are: antlers! Yes, they are antlers from wild animals that are turned into chews for your furbaby. But worry not – these antler chews were naturally shed in the wild and no wild animals were harmed. Antler chews may come from elk, deer, and moose. Giving dogs antlers is not a problem as long as you monitor which ones you are giving.

Remember, not all antler chews are the same. Antlers are actually graded according to their shape, weight, density, color, and age.

  • Grade A: Top of the class, premium
  • Grade B: Hard white
  • Grade C: Old, easily breaks and splinters
  • Grade D: Cheap and unhealthy

The more leading the grade of the antler is, the more costly it is. This is because only a few high-quality antlers are available in the market, as premium antlers are come do not come by often. Only a few elk and deer in the United States will shed their antlers each year.

Note: When it comes to giving your antler dog chews, one of the greatest things that you can do is present them with all-natural antler chews which hold real bone marrow. Aside from bone marrow being delicious and being what most dogs want from antler chews, bone marrow is so nutritious and can have exceptional results on the way your dog lives their life.

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The Different Kinds of Antler Chews for Dogs

The most common types of antler chews are the following:

  • Moose Antler Chews. Among the many types of antlers chew, moose antler chews are considered to have the most marrow content, but are one of the softest types of antlers. While it is true that many dogs love the taste of moose antler chews, they do not last that long and can quickly break into pieces, especially if your dog is an aggressive chewer.
  • Deer Antler Chews. There are a few different kinds of deer antler chews. Whitetail deer antler chews are known to be the densest, with a lower marrow ratio and the hardest antler chews in the market. There are also mule deer antler chews that are less harder than the whitetail chews and are darker in terms of color.
  • Elk Antler Chews. Elk antler chews can weigh up to 10 pounds and even more. These also make suitable antler chews for dogs as they are fit for splitting into split elk antlers or leaving as whole elk antlers. Split elk antler chews are a superb chew selection for dogs in their golden years, dogs with sensitive teeth, or with oral issues.

Moreover, Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® include whole deer antler chews and whole & split elk antler chews.

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Split Elk Gnawtlers® are split elk antlers, which means the bone marrow is already out in the open, making it faster for your furbaby to chew on and enjoy the good stuff. Split Elk Gnawtlers® are good for puppies, senior dogs, and the first-time antler chews users. These are available in Small (4”), Medium (4.5”-5”), and Large (6”-7”).

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Whole Elk Gnawtlers® are best if your furbaby is just the ordinary, average chewer. These whole elk antlers for dogs are soft but hardwearing enough to last from your furbaby’s everyday chewing habits. These are available in Small (4”), Medium (4.5”-5”), Large (6”-7”), and Extra Large antlers for dogs (7”+).

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Whole Deer Gnawtlers® are the hardest among all Pet Parents® Gnawtlers®. If your furbabies are aggressive chewers and seems to love chewing more than anything else in the world, then you might consider giving dogs deer antlers. For super chewers, whole deer Gnawtlers® are their perfect match! These are available in Small (4”), Medium (4.5”-5”), and Large (6”-7”).

Note: To determine which Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® is best and safest for your dog, it is a must to know what kind of chewer your furbaby is.

Your Dog’s Chew Personality

There are numerous things to consider in choosing the right chews for your furbaby. According to Animal Wellness Magazine, you’ll need to take into account the quality, the type of protein your dog favors, the softness or hardness that fits their age or health condition, the size suitable for their breed, and a lot more. But the fundamental step – and probably one of the most significant – is classifying to what chew personality your dog belongs.

  • Personality 1: An aggressive chewer that is able to devour chews fast; chews anything and everything! Suitable chew: Whole Deer Gnawtlers®
  • Personality 2: A selective chewer that enjoys some chews and ignores others. Suitable chew: Whole Elk Gnawtlers® or Split Elk Gnawtlers®
  • Personality 3: A nibbler that takes their time; chews slowly and sometimes loses their interest. Suitable chew: Split Elk Gnawtlers®
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Why Pet Parents® Gnawtlers®?

We’ve mentioned that there are only a few premium Grade A antlers available in the market –that includes Pet Parents® Gnawtlers®!

Here are a few reasons why Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® are the best options for your furbaby:

  • Gnawtlers® offer a safer chewing option. Most pet parents opt for dog bones and plastic chew toys for their dogs as these are easily available and cheap. But the downside? Cheap dog antlers can either be very hard and may break off your dog’s teeth or can be very brittle and may easily splinter, prompting choking hazards and harm to your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® are not too hard and not too soft. They’re just right - making Gnawtlers® a safer chewing option.
  • Gnawtlers® last longer. Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® give your dog a different kind of chewing experience as they don’t break off easily into pieces, last longer, and prevent you from purchasing new deer or elk antlers every week.
  • Gnawtlers® are all-natural. Probably one of the best things about Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® is that these antler chews are all-natural! These are odorless and free from any artificial dyes, fragrances, and flavoring. So even if your dog has been binge chewing on Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® all day long, your mind is at peace as these are odorless and do not stain your carpets and furniture at home.
  • Gnawtlers® are jam-packed with nutrients. We know it makes you nothing but happy knowing that your furbaby’s chewing and gnawing does not only keep them entertained and mentally stimulated, but keeps them healthy as well! And that’s what Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® offers you. These premium antler chews contain calcium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.

Case Uses of Pet Parents® Gnawtlers®

Aside from keeping your dog entertained and satisfied, Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® can be very helpful in many situations, too. Gnawtlers® can be used with:

Excessively barking dogs. As one of the ways they communicate and express themselves, it is natural for dogs to bark. But when barking becomes excessive, this can be a cause of concern. Excessive barking of your furbaby may be because:

  • a person, an animal, or another dog is in their territory
  • they are barking for attention
  • they are lonely and bored
  • they are threatened, scared, and stressed out
  • they are excited
  • they are too full of extra energy

Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® can be given to your furbaby during episodes of excessive barking to help keep them occupied and mentally & physically stimulated.

Teething dogs. The gums of your teething pup will feel very sore and this is why they have this strong urge to chew on almost everything that lands on their mouths. To prevent your furbaby from destroying your things at home and to help you safely manage this life stage of your pup (instead of just giving them things to bite on that may cause harm), offer them Gnawtlers® instead as puppy teething toys.

Dogs that chew excessively. Chewing is an innate behavior of dogs, excessive chewing is not. Excessive chewing includes chewing inappropriately, causing home-wide destruction all the time. This is a behavior concern you’ll want to curb. According to the experts at The Humane Society of the United States, excessive chewing can be directed onto appropriate items (like Gnawtlers®) so your dog isn't destroying things you value or putting at risk everyone’s safety.

Play biting dogs. Some puppies love to play-bite, specifically during playtimes or every time they want to be playful. Play-biting is when your dog jumps at somebody, teeth-first! As The American Kennel Club notes, it's always smart to have a chew at hand, so you can expect your furbaby’s play-biting behavior and immediately change your hand to the chew. This is where Gnawtlers® will come in handy.

Your dog’s dental care. Gnawtlers® are premium antler chews that play a significant role in helping maintain your furbaby’s dental health. Dogs that chew regularly have lesser plaque build-up. These antler chews are best at cleaning & strengthening your dog’s teeth and mentally stimulating them, too.

"Only a few premium Grade A antlers are available in the market, and that includes Pet Parents® Gnawtlers®!"

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A Lifesaver!

Pet Parents® Gnawtlers® are more than just antler chews. These chews are also a life-saver for pet parents dealing with furbabies who are: teething, aggressive chewers, suffering from dental problems, filled with too much energy, building up destructive & undesirable behaviors, and many more.

Yes, these antler chews are tested to be safe, all-natural, and nutritious. It’s time you throw away those unhealthy and unsafe pile of chew toys you have for your dog and provide only premium chews, like Pet Parents® Gnawtlers®.