Deer legs look a bit archaic at first glance. A whole lower leg from a roe deer, with hoof, fur and bone. But that is exactly the point. For a dog, such a leg is the most natural thing you can give it, and for the owner one of the chews that last the longest. Still, there are a few things you should know before you put one down for the first time.
What exactly is a deer leg?
The dried lower leg of the roe deer, in other words the part below the hock. It contains bone, tendons, skin with fur and the hoof. All together that makes a chew a dog works on for a long time, because every layer is different. First the fur, then the tendons, at the end the bone. Our deer legs come in a pack of two and are only dried, with nothing added.
Are deer bones dangerous?
That is the question I hear most often. Deer bones are smaller and softer than beef bones and splinter less. But they remain bones. Hence three rules:
- Only for calm chewers. A dog that bites bones off in one piece and gulps does not get a deer leg. It gets beef head skin or chew wood.
- Only under supervision. Do not put it down and drive to work.
- Take the rest away. As soon as the piece is so small that it fits into the mouth, that is the end.
Deer legs are not suitable for puppies, for dogs with brittle teeth and for dogs that tend towards constipation. Bones bind the stool, for some dogs that is too much of a good thing.
Why with fur?
The fur is not digested. It travels through the gut and takes everything with it that has accumulated there. Many owners use fur chews precisely for that, as a kind of natural gut brush. You see the hairs later in the stool, that is normal. If you do not want that, reach for roe deer ears without fur or the roe deer skin without fur.
For which dogs?
Medium to large dogs with a strong urge to chew that chew calmly and persistently. For a 25 kilo dog a deer leg is a project for several days. Small dogs under 10 kilos are better off with roe deer ears, which are softer and finished faster.
Roe deer for allergies
Roe deer is one of the animal species hardly any dog has eaten before. That is why game is one of the first alternatives in an elimination diet. Our deer legs consist 100 percent of roe deer, there is nothing else on them. If you are switching your dog to game, you will also find deer ribs, deer skin, deer ears and wild boar skin in the category game for dogs.
How often a deer leg?
One per week is perfectly enough. It lasts several days anyway. Put it away in between when the dog leaves it lying, and bring it out again. Stored dry it does not spoil. If it starts to smell or gets greasy, throw it away.
