I went to the butchers today to get some supplies. We only have one in Swindon that does a big range of meaty bones and other stuff. I got absolutely loads of stuff all cut up into correct weights and bagged for me! He then threw in some extras like pigs ears.
The queue was all the way out of the shop and he often closes early afternoon as he sells out.
What a shame there aren't more like him offering excellent service and delivering what the customer wants. He even asks if there is anything special he can get in for next time. He did make me blush though when he asked what did i want doing with my breasts! (lamb)
Does anyone else have a problem sourcing a good butcher?

you are very lucky I think. Ive been looking for a good helpful local butcher for over a year now, with no success So far Ive tried 15 businesses in a 3 mile radius of me, still no joy

Typical butcher's sense of humour!!!

I agree though there aren't enough around because of all this health and safety rules and regs. Up to 20 years ago I bought all my dogs tripe (from the back door bins) and my own family's meat straight from the slaughter house (which also had a thriving shop next to it) but because of all the e coli and salmonella hoo haa we can't do that nowadays!

my butcher sells tripe but i cant stand the smell so didnt get any. One butchers that i tried before this looked at me in horror when i asked for rabbit, pigs ears belly pork etc. He only seemed to sell chicken and pies. His shop was , understandably empty.
Speaking to the butcher today about feeding dogs RAW he said he is seeing more and more dog/cat owners coming in for their food and he is going to aim his market at both humans and animals. He will even mince anything you want if you are sqeamish about giving whole bones!

I married one! (Well, sort of ) He is an IT guy now, but regularly threatens to buy half a lamb or pig and butcher it on the kitchen table. When he was still working in retail, the dogs used to line up to clean the scraps off his shoes in the evening.....

We have some brilliant butchers around here, don't know if its a Yorkie thing and they always throw stuff in if you mention the dogs

Yep agree with this

I've tried quite a few local butchers cos I tend to be a bit scatterbrained and as I'm driving through a town and I spot a butchers I think 'oo doggies', throw the car in a parking spot and venture in... Most of them are great when you tell them that it's for the dogs, and I get plenty of meaty bones, trotters and pigs ears/tails for free - esp from the farms, they're great!

I do find the local-est butcher in the town where I live is expensive - to feed the dogs on his products would be way too extravagant and would bankrupt me in no time, which is a shame cos I would like to support the local guys... The market tho is half the price and whilst the butcher is better quality for human consumption, for the dogs the market stuff is fine (if that makes sense?!)... what I mean is whereas I'd prefer to eat the butchers stuff personally cos its top quality, the market stuff is ok and suits the dogs needs and saves my pennies too...

My dream tho would be to find somewhere local that supplies rabbits... farm, butchers, market all sell rabbit a very small tray of one or two pieces costs £3, it's very expensive in comparison to everything else... am so so envious when I read on here of people buying whole ones for as little as £1!!

I've still to find that special butcher with the special service here.

I count myself lucky that I found some regular suppliers of minced beef and poultry here- just had a delivery of 5 kg each of chicken cracasses (varying from perfect to meager to things with one leg still attached) and turkey necks. Green tripe, liver and beef heart I get from another source - but this is a mainly horse butchery, so I only go there for doggy stuff.

The new EC regulation are no help either to the local butcher who would like to sell any butchery by-products for pets: completely different processing facilities must be used, which often just does not make it worthwhile for the local butcher.

We are extremely lucky, our neighbour shoots 'em and our dogs eat 'em for free!

<very jealous in yorkshire>

I found a brill butcher when I started feeding the girls raw 2 years ago.
I buy our meat from him and he throws in loads of extras for the dogs.
He never weighs anything properly If something costs 2.50 he always says lets say 2 quid lol
I do buy lots of our food from him though and prob pay 20 to 30p over the odds for goods.

I buy potatoes from him and could prob get them from the big supermarket chains cheaper same with eggs/bacon/etc
I do have to put up with the cheeky banter though
He puts a box of really good meaty bones outside the shop everyday with a note on them saying Free bones help yourself. Not many peeps do but he still puts them out each day.
I would be gutted if he went out of business but it is prob inevitable.
We all need to start shopping from local again to get good service or it will soon be gone and then we will all be sorry and held to ransom by the supermarket chains

This is so true - in central Bath we now have just one butcher and no trad fruit/veg shops other than supermarkets! Of course there are countless clothes, gift shops etc ...

My butcher is lovely. I get mince for the dogs for 20p a lb, and he keeps the ribs for them, 50p a bag. They look nice enough to cook!

Id like to try them on rabbits, but havent found any cheap ones yet

I asked my favorite grocery store if they could get raw pig ears for me. They have a butcher counter, but they don't slaughter.

They said I would have to buy a thirty pound box and it would be $3 a pound!! I can get pork meat (good eating stuff) for half the price!!! Arghhh!

I've got a few possibility so I will keep trying.

Our butcher is great. I'm sure he doesn't charge us for the bones we get Drake or if he does then it is pennies.

It's funny cause we never used to buy our meat from the butcher till we got Drake and started getting his bones. Now we have started buying bit's and pieces so our dog has helped out our local meat man