Split Antler Chews 101- Everything you want to know about split antlers and more!

As the Owner, at Mountain Dog Chews, I have been asked this question multiple times-" Why should I pay just as much to buy a split antler when I can get the whole version for virtually the same price?"

The answer is simple, you shouldn't! But, to be fair Mountain Dog Chews Center-Cut Split antlers are not "Halves" of the full version...Again, our split antlers typically weigh as much or more as our whole antler chews of the same size.

So to be clear, for example, a Large-Split elk antler chew is NOT half of a Large-Whole Chew.

A large Split Elk antler chew is an antler chew having been split and fits in our large category. So a medium split is not half of our medium whole chew, but is sized such as we have classified the split chew as Medium. Again, you will find that a large-split chew weighs an average of 10-12 ounces, you may also find the Large whole antler chews average right in that same range.

So, hopefully that clears up some basic questions about our split antlers, there are antler supplies out there that are indeed taking their "Large-Whole" antler chew, splitting it in half then selling it as a "Large Split". Not a good program at all. Not only does that result in a less safe antler chew, but obviously the portion is only half so you are buy a less satisfying chew that will not be long lasting and can cause you other problems along with wasting your money.
A little more info about elk antlers.... A typical naturally shed elk antler weighs around 8-10 pounds. The elk antler will normally have 6 tines, or points, contrary to popular belief, an elk does not add a point for every year of life.

About density, an elk antler's density varies naturally, and is not the determining factor of Quality. Density of antler typically is determined by the age of the Bull, his genetics, and the conditions of His environment or feed. The last factor in density is what portion of antler the chew was taken.

An elk's antler will have a thicker outer wall and more dense marrow from the mid-point down, towards the base or "Burr" as its is called. The Burr is where the antler was attached naturally to the elk's skull, at the top of the Bull's Pedical, which is the term for the stud, or stub on the skull where the antler is attached, and from which it grows.

Choosing Antler, there is a place or use for all types of antler densities, some dogs will be intimidated by an antler chew that is too dense or is just too thick in the outer wall, and basically give up. The idea of an antler chew is that it is not a Toy, but a chew, you want your Dog to be able to make progress chewing the antler,but of course the only factor limiting consumption is simply the density or hardness of the antler, so therein lies your dilemma, there are multiple options of antler chews that are right for your Dog but its up to you to find out what works. If the Chew is too light or thin walled, it may not last, if it is too dense, your dog may give up and not receive the healthy benefits of chewing and consuming antler.

There has long been a campaign against giving split antlers to Dogs, and for good reason! There are quite a few companies out there that are splitting antlers that simply should not be split. These thin, poorly proportioned, chip like, fillets of antler are not sufficiently thick for their width so therefore can be a hazard, not to mention a waste of money. When you buy an antler you really need to buy something that is safe and has the potential to last a little while. Most all of the split antlers I see out there on the market are way too thin and lightweight to be of much use.

With any antler Dog Chew, I always advise a consumer to buy as big as your Dog can handle, the simple reason behind my logic is VALUE, once an antler chew is worn down to possibly fit inside your Dog's mouth it presents a hazard and should be taken away, since this remnant of antler is always about the same size each time it is to be discarded, isn't it best to start with the largest portion you can? In doing so you reduce overall the wasted antler remnants because your Dog is chewing longer before wearing out the antler chews. So in my opinion, that is the best way to get the most Value out of your antler investment.

OUR SPLIT ANTLER PORTIONS ARE GENEROUS! I will also typically only split the heavier, more dense and thicker walled antlers for our large and Mammoth sized splits, this produces a chew that is durable, as well as sufficiently thick for the width, the resulting product is a well proportioned chew, that will not only last but will be much more more safe, while still offering access to the delicious antler marrow, that can only be achieved by giving your Dog a split Antler.

About our Split-Antler Chews, Our Mammoth Center-Cut Split elk antler dog chews are made by splitting the first 10-12" of a mature bull elk shed, usually this is a jumbo sized 10-13 pound antler, so you are getting the most dense marrow and thickest walled portion of an elk antler in a split variety, with the Mammoth-Split. A very small percentage of elk antlers are even large enough to make our Mammoth Split Elk Antler Chews.

The Large-Center Cut Split Elk Antler Chews come from the same base section of an elk antler as well, but likely an 8-10 pound antler, that is still a very large antler. The Large-Split elk antler chew has the more dense constancy and have a great amount of rich Marrow as well.

Our Medium Center-Cut Splits, come from the mid section or main beam of the elk antler, where the wall can begin to somewhat thin and the marrow will start to begin to open up and be more porous.

Small/Petite Elk Antler splits are made from the upper portions of the elk antler as well as split portions of the tines.

I hope you find this informative and educational, please feel free to share this Blog post with your Friends and Family that may find it useful.

Thanks for Reading! More information on Antlers for Dogs to come later so stay tuned!

Best regards,

The Mountain Dog Chews Crew

Questions? Bark at us: mountaindog@mountaindogchews.com