How To Soften Deer Antlers For Dogs

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This is Post #3 (The Best Antlers For Dogs) in a series of articles summarizing the pros & cons of 12 Long-Lasting Dog Chews.

Antler dog chews are naturally shed from both elk and deer — and they make fabulous dog chews!

How Do I Soften a Deer Antler For My Dog?

Below are steps to soften the deer antler to avoid your dog breaking its teeth or having bleedings gum.

Make sure to get a clean dog pan big enough to contain the antler. People will typically use a buck for whole deer antlers or a pot for smaller deer antlers.

Fill it with clean water or a dog safe broth to make the antler tastier. Many people will use some type of chicken or beef broth to soak the deer antler in.

Put the deer antler in the water or broth to soak. Make sure the antler is submerged in the water or broth.

Leave the deer antlers to soften for a day or two, depending on how aggressive your dog chews. We typically leave it in the water for 24 hours.

Remove the antler from the water or broth and leave to dry up before serving your dog.

Boiling a Deer Antler to Soften it

For faster results, you can opt to boil a deer antler in water. Although this option is a much faster way of softening the antler, it is not advisable. This is because the deer antler oftentimes gets too soft will splinter just like cooked bones. If the deer antler splinters when your dog is eating it, they will need surgery for gastrointestinal blockage.

However, you can boil a deer antler to kill off bacteria. Deer antlers from the woods need to be properly sanitized. You can boil the antler in water for about an hour before soaking it in cold water. This will make sure the antler gets rid of any bacteria.

Soaking Antlers for Dogs

Yes, if you happen to have spent time ample with your Grandma while growing up, you can recall how she had a solution of softening almost anything by soaking them in water hours. And, this method is applicable for softening deer antlers as well!

In fact, this is the simplest way. Just soak the antlers in water for approximately 24-48 hours. This will soften deer antlers for dogs to a certain extent. Consequently, they will be much easier for your dog to chew and will help him/her avoid gum bleeding as well.

FAQ

How do you prepare Deer antler for dogs?

Once harvested, the antlers are cut down to size and the sharp points are removed or sanded down. They are then blanched to sanitise them. (Bone products should never be fully boiled as it can make them brittle). That’s all the processing which is done, so they are truly natural products!

Are Deer antlers too hard for dogs?

Here’s why antlers are NOT safe for dogs: Antlers, regardless of how they are cut or what animal they come from, pose a hazard for dogs for three reasons: Antlers can cause painful fractured teeth. Smaller antler pieces could pose a choking hazard.

How do you soften antlers?

The Benefits of Deer Antlers – A Natural Dental Chew

Gnawing at the antler helps to remove plaque off your dog’s teeth and therefore keep them clean and white. It is shown that if a dog chews on an antler for thirty minutes per day it can reduce the plaque on their teeth by 70%.

How long should you let your dog chew on an antler?

The Benefits of Deer Antlers – A Natural Dental Chew

Gnawing at the antler helps to remove plaque off your dog’s teeth and therefore keep them clean and white. It is shown that if a dog chews on an antler for thirty minutes per day it can reduce the plaque on their teeth by 70%.