theirOf all the bones and treats I’ve purchased, the two I like the most for my dogs are also the most expensive: antler bones and Himalayan yak treats. These treats last much longer than most dog treats and pose no choking threats. They also don’t smell or stain floors or carpets.
I think these are good for dogs’ teeth, unlike many “dental” chews, and these long and hard bones settle dogs down, calm them and keep them focused on their stuff, not our stuff.
But they are costly.
An individual antler bone can run as high as $21 apiece; small ones sell for less. The Himilayan treats can cost nearly as much for three sticks. (I do almost all of my treat shopping on chewy.com, the best dog site I’ve yet seen.
They answer the phone 24 hours a day, and the orders arrive the next day most times. (They do not advertise here, and I get no money for mentioning them, in case anybody wonders.)
Over the last few years, I’ve assembled a bunch of these high-quality bones and chews. Now and then, I put some beef broth in a cooking bowl and boil them and let them seep in the broth for an hour or so.
This gives the bones two or three times their normal life. Many people have much cheaper ideas, but I think these treats work well for my dogs and me.
They give the dogs a second, even third chance to chew on these bones, the beef flavor goes in deep. Today, I cooked about a dozen.
I wanted to share this idea with you; I didn’t think of it, a lot of people do it.
It makes the high cost of high quality, non-caloric, and natural treats more manageable. I think I saved about $100 today.
Of course, I could save a lot more by not buying them at all, but these have been useful for health, teeth, and training. And the broth and water are pretty cheap.
Great idea. Thanks for sharing.
Chewy has very good customer service. I use them too. They make you feel important.
You have to befriend a deer hunter. Antlers are also used to make knife handles and letter opener handles. If you’re really lucky you’ll find antlers in the woods.
The antler bones are the only ones I give my lab Quincy. Yet I never thought of soaking them in broth. What a wonderful idea and an extra treat for Quincy! Thank you, Jon.
I agree with you about Chewy.com however not about antlers. They are said not to splinter but the one I bought did just that and broke my dog’s tooth.
What a great idea! I’m glad that I read your blog today:)
What a great tip! Many thanks, and I know my daughter’s dogs would thank you, too. They have a special surprise in store for them.
I walk in the pasture in February and pick up antler sheds from the deer. You could train Zinnia to find them with you. Or at least some folks do train their dogs to find sheds every year with them.