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FREEZE-DRIED RAW FEEDING GUIDE

How to feed a Otterhound

The Otterhound is a big, powerful, water-loving scenthound built to trot all day and swim cold streams — a working frame that burns real fuel and carries one of the deepest, most bloat-prone chests in the dog world.

Here is exactly how to feed an Otterhound on freeze-dried raw: by weight and life stage, with the protein, joint support and coat nutrition a large, athletic packhound actually needs.

  • Adult weight65–120 lb
  • SizeLarge
  • EnergyHigh
  • Lifespan10–13 years
  • CoatRough, oily double coat — water-repellent, sheds seasonally
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A healthy Otterhound
iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

What a Otterhound's body needs

Every Otterhound trait comes back to one thing: how you feed them. Here's what matters most.

  • Large, athletic packhound build

    Needs: High-quality animal protein

    83% meat, organs and bone fuels lean muscle and the steady, all-day stamina a working scenthound was bred for — without the carb fillers that spike and crash.

  • Deep chest, bloat (gastric torsion) risk

    Needs: Calm, measured, twice-daily meals

    A calorie-dense freeze-dried raw meal is smaller in volume than a big bowl of kibble. Splitting the day into two measured, unhurried meals helps avoid the gulping and gorging that strain a deep-chested dog.

  • Hip & elbow dysplasia risk

    Needs: Joint support + a lean frame

    Real meat, organ and ground bone supply natural glucosamine and chondroitin; omega-3s calm joint inflammation, and staying lean keeps load off a large dog's joints.

  • Dense, oily, water-repellent double coat

    Needs: Omega-3 fatty acids

    Whole-food animal and fish fats feed that shaggy double coat and the skin barrier from the inside, supporting the natural oils that keep an Otterhound weatherproof.

  • Born swimmer, big working appetite

    Needs: Clean, nutrient-dense calories

    Minimally processed raw delivers dense energy from real food, so an active Otterhound gets what it needs to work and recover without bulky, filler-heavy portions.

How much to feed a Otterhound

Quick answer: a healthy adult Otterhound (65–120 lb) needs about 9.8–18.0 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split across two meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry — so it's much less by volume than kibble. Feed to a lean waistline and adjust every few weeks.

Ideal adult weightFreeze-dried per dayPer meal (×2)
65 lb 9.8 oz 4.9 oz
79 lb 11.9 oz 5.9 oz
93 lb typical Otterhound 14.0 oz 7.0 oz
107 lb 16.1 oz 8.0 oz
120 lb 18.0 oz 9.0 oz

Starting points for a moderately active adult (~0.15 oz of freeze-dried per lb of ideal weight). Active dogs need a little more, couch companions a little less — always adjust to body condition, not the bag.

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What to feed a Otterhound

For an Otterhound we recommend complete freeze-dried raw as the daily base — real meat, organs and ground bone with no heat-processed filler — or as a topper while you transition. It is dense, real-food nutrition that suits a big working hound.

Richer recipes like Beef or Salmon suit hard-working or harder-keeping Otterhounds, while leaner Chicken is an easy everyday base. Salmon's omega-3s are a natural fit for that oily double coat. Just add water and serve.

Recipes for Otterhounds

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Daily support for Otterhounds

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Treats Otterhounds love

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Feeding a Otterhound by life stage

  • Puppy: Otterhounds are a large, slow-maturing breed, so puppies should grow steadily, not fast — rapid growth raises hip and elbow dysplasia risk. Feed roughly 5–8% of current body weight across 3–4 smaller meals and keep them lean and unhurried.
  • Adult: Feed two measured meals a day to a lean, hands-on body condition — calm mealtimes matter for a deep-chested breed. Use the chart below as a starting point and adjust to the dog, not the bag.
  • Senior: A senior Otterhound slows down but its appetite often does not. Trim portions to prevent weight gain, keep protein high to preserve lean muscle, and lean into joint-supporting nutrition for those big, hard-working joints.

Common Otterhound concerns — and the diet connection

  • Gastric torsion (bloat)A real risk in deep-chested breeds. Smaller, calorie-dense freeze-dried meals fed twice daily, calmly, mean less gorging on bulky food and less air-gulping at the bowl.
  • Hip & elbow dysplasiaLargely genetic in this breed, but a lean body plus joint nutrients (natural glucosamine from bone and cartilage, plus omega-3) help support comfort and day-to-day mobility in a large dog.
  • Skin & coat upkeepThat shaggy, oily double coat depends on healthy skin. A whole-food, omega-rich, low-filler diet supports the skin barrier and the natural oils that keep the coat weather-ready.
  • Energy & lean muscleA working scenthound runs on clean animal protein and fat for sustained stamina and muscle maintenance — not on carbohydrate fillers.

Diet supports health but doesn't replace veterinary care — ask your vet about any specific condition.

Feeding a Otterhound: what to know

The Otterhound is large, deep-chested and enthusiastic about food, which puts gastric torsion (bloat) squarely on the radar. Feed two measured meals a day rather than one big one, keep mealtimes calm, and avoid hard exercise right around eating.

Feed to body condition, not to the bowl: on a dog under all that coat you should still be able to feel the ribs and find a waist. Weigh portions instead of eyeballing them, and re-check the amount as activity rises and falls with the seasons.

Otterhound feeding questions

How much should I feed my Otterhound?
A healthy adult Otterhound (65–120 lb) needs roughly 10–18 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split between two meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry, so it is far less by volume than kibble — feed to a lean body condition and adjust every few weeks.
What is the best food for a large, active Otterhound?
A complete freeze-dried raw diet of real meat, organs and bone gives a working hound clean, dense energy and the protein it needs for lean muscle. Richer Beef or Salmon recipes suit hard workers; leaner Chicken makes an easy everyday base.
How do I lower bloat risk when feeding my Otterhound?
Feed two measured meals instead of one large one, keep mealtimes calm, and avoid vigorous exercise right before and after eating. Calorie-dense freeze-dried raw helps because the same nutrition comes in a smaller, less bulky portion.
How do I switch my Otterhound to raw?
Transition over 7–10 days, mixing a little more Land Animal into the old food each day. Because raw is rich, start at the lower end of the range and watch the waistline under all that coat.
Does an Otterhound need joint and coat support?
Most large hounds benefit from both. Freeze-dried raw with real bone and organ provides natural glucosamine, while whole-food and fish omega-3s support both the joints and that dense, oily double coat — and keeping the dog lean protects the joints further.

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  • "Knowing exactly how much to feed took all the guesswork out. He's leaner, with more energy on our walks."

    — Jenna & Cooper

  • "My picky rescue finally runs to the bowl — and cleanup in the yard is a fraction of what it was."

    — Priya & Luna
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Portions are starting points for freeze-dried raw and AAFCO complete-and-balanced recipes. Always feed to your individual dog's body condition and ask your vet about specific health needs.