A rawhide chew softens as a dog works on it. An antler does not, and that single difference is the reason some owners buy nothing else once they find one their dog will stick with.

This is a Highland Antler from fallow deer, sold whole rather than processed into a shape. Antler is naturally rich in minerals and calcium, and because it is unprocessed it does not carry the odour that some chews develop as they are worked on — there is very little mess either, since the dog grinds it down gradually rather than breaking it apart. It comes in three sizes, so you can match one to the size of dog chewing it.

• 100% natural deer antler, sold as a single piece
• Rich in minerals and calcium
• No odour, and very little mess as the dog wears it down
• Comes in three sizes
• Suitable from 12 weeks, with supervision

On sizing. Antler is a genuinely hard chew, harder than most rawhide, and colour and exact shape vary piece to piece because it is a natural product rather than a manufactured one — no two will look quite alike. Choose the size against your own dog rather than their breed alone, and take away any piece that splits small enough to swallow.

Who it's for: owners of a keen, persistent chewer who has already worn through softer options, and who want something that lasts rather than something eaten in one sitting.