Deer Tracking Services - Preparing raw food for the hounds

A fresh Ox tripe that has just been washed an is drying off.

For many years we have been feeding our dogs and hounds a variety of different types of foods and brands. From wet tinned type foods to dry complete foods and semi complete foods, we've pretty much tried them all. Now we have now decided to stick with a mainly raw base for our hounds meals.

The hounds are now fed a mix of raw Ox tripe with a little biscuit. We have found that they not only enjoy the tripe but keeps them internally and externally healthy giving them a good healthy coat with plenty of shine. 

We also strongly believe that as a tracking hound the scent link between the raw food (tripe) and tracking a wounded animal increases their drive to track, especially when training.

Not quite sure why this is but can only think that the hounds believe that there is a connection between the raw smell of their food and the 'raw' smell of an injured animal, especially if it has been gut shot.

This is obviously only our opinion but they definitely seem to show more drive when training. A small amount as a reward at the end of a training track really seems to get them excited.

This excitement is so important as the next time you lay a track for them it is what they remember from the end of their last track that encourages them to work so well on the next one,

Starting to cut the tripe into small pieces to be frozen down and used later.