Dutch Shepherd Forum

have new bed for Odin - check
have crate - check
have food/water bowls - uncheck
have long line/leash - check
kong for stuffing - uncheck

have chew toys - uncheck. Can moose/deer antlers withstand being chewed on by a dutch? Should I get some?

Someone on here (cannot remember who) recommended goughnuts - I am def going to try those.

anything else I may need?

I better hurry and get those unchecked items

I remember reading on here that antlers were the only chew toys someone (sorry, can't recall who) recommended for a DS. I'm curious to hear others' experiences with them too as I have an elk antler sitting on the kitchen counter and I can't decide whether to give it to Zane or bring it to my parents' house for their less ferocious chewers (standard poodles).

For those of you who give antlers, have you ever had the dog chew off a swallow-able chunk? Do they tend to gulp those down, and will they pass through without incident? Zane is remarkably good about not swallowing small bits of toys, but will swallow anything edible whole, so I do worry that the antler will cross the line into theoretically edible and therefore something that should be swallowed whole.

My guys haven't been able to crack one yet, they just end up gnawing on them. My female crunches bones like terminator and she hasn't been able to dent an antler yet.

how big an antler do you give your guys?

I am also glad you asked. I have one for Xena. It is not her favorite, but she will occasionally chew on it. It does not fall into the "So good I have to bury it" catagory which is a plus for me...

She REALLY likes bully sticks. And the beef marrow bones in the freezer section. But I am a little worried that the antlers and marrow bones might chip her new beautiful teeth???

Antlers are the best thing I ever decided to give my dogs, including Ku who can pulverize anything else in about 5 seconds flat. I like them because they don't splinter, stink and the bits that do come off are small enough to pass through. I do take them away when they get to a certain size because he likes to scare Mom by putting the whole thing in his mouth at once and tilting his had back to chew...I get visions of him choking or swallowing what is left whole, so into the trash it goes.

I buy them large and all the dogs seem to like the bigger ones better. I would advise staying away from any that are split. While it exposes the interior of the antler, I find these kinds too flimsy for aggressive chewers. No teeth issues and in fact, Ku had a lot of staining on his teeth when we got him (at only 18 months!) but now his choppers are pearly white and healthy.

I stay away from recreational bones now, since my little darling broke off one of her top incisors on a (i think) rib bone. It was dried out, and that may be the problem, but I'm just very cautious now. Depending on what kind of chewer Odin turns out to be, the antlers may be just fine.

Hey, think about adding a hollee roller ball to your list. I love them. Very interactive, you can tug with them or fetch, they are great for kicking, too...just love them. I don't leave ours out, but keep it for us to work with, as my Geyser is a horrible chewer and is very hard on these balls even without being able to have one at will .

And the blue whistle ball for the "chuck it" ball launcher is a great ball to have!

it must be so exciting for you getting all the stuff together.

Can't wait to see pics!

The only chew things my girls have are moose antlers, I get them from elkusa.com . They LOVE them !!! They cant break them.

Lauren wrote:She REALLY likes bully sticks.

Hmmmmm. A bitch, I presume? (so sorry. Could not resist)

vneerland wrote:

Lauren wrote:She REALLY likes bully sticks.

Hmmmmm. A bitch, I presume? (so sorry. Could not resist)

don't ask, don't tell....

vneerland wrote:

Lauren wrote:She REALLY likes bully sticks.

Hmmmmm. A bitch, I presume? (so sorry. Could not resist)

*pretends not to read this*

vneerland wrote:

Lauren wrote:She REALLY likes bully sticks.

Hmmmmm. A bitch, I presume? (so sorry. Could not resist)

I give Koda deer antlers and bones all the time. Actually that's what he recieved for xmas. Eventually he gives up on the antler and likes throwing it around.