Antlers are so interesting, aren't they? Keep reading to learn about how the elk grow them in just a few months, to how they use them for survival, to how we pick them up and turn them into the worlds best dog treat!
Every year mature male elk grow and shed a set of antlers. As the antlers begin to grow in the springtime they are soft, filled with vessels, and covered in a skin called velvet. As the animals’ hormones fluctuate with the mating season, the antlers start to harden at the base where the antler meets the skull. This hardening cuts off the blood supply to the velvet and causes it to fall off.
During mating season, the fully hardened antlers are used to mark the animal's territory and spar with other males; both of which help determine male dominance within the herd. After the mating season ends in winter these antlers are shed naturally by the animal.
If left in the wild, these antlers are chewed on by squirrels, chipmunks, birds, mink, beaver, and even wolves who all enjoy the nutritional benefits antlers have to offer.
We then head out into the woods with our shed dog and find these shed antlers. Hiking in and searching with a dog helps ensure that we do not disturb the animals or their habitat, making our product very ecofriendly.
Picking up sheds also helps ensure that our dog chew supply is sustainable.
We then cut each antler into different sizes that are appropriate for dogs of all different sizes. To shop our antlers by breed size, click here.
Each Summit Antler Chews antler is a cut piece of 100% all-natural shed antler from North American elk. These chews are all-natural and unprocessed with no chemicals, dyes, or preservatives.
Better than raw or cooked bone, these chews are more durable and longer-lasting to stand up to even the most energetic chewers and will not split.
Unlike rawhide, these chews are not only 100% digestible, they also provide nutrients unparalleled in any manufactured product.
To shop our selection of all-natural antler dog chews, click here.
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