Huntaway

The Huntaway was developed in New Zealand in the late nineteenth century. Shepherds working vast hill stations needed a dog that could drive huge flocks with a booming bark, not a collie's silent stare. It has always been bred for working ability rather than looks, so type varies more than in show breeds. New Zealand celebrates it in sheepdog trials, while in Britain it remains a working rarity.

The Huntaway's name comes from its job of driving sheep away from the shepherd using a deep, insistent bark. That heritage shows in a confident, hardy dog happiest with a clear task, space and a consistent handler. Without enough outlet, that drive can turn into restlessness, escaping or constant barking.

Bred for practical stockwork, Huntaways tend to be sociable, even-tempered and tolerant of people and other dogs when properly introduced. They are easy to motivate with food and praise, which makes training straightforward provided the household can match their stamina. A bored Huntaway is a much harder dog to live with than a tired one.

A working-bred Huntaway burns through calories fast, so an adult kept genuinely active needs an energy-dense, meat-rich food with portions reassessed regularly. Most in UK homes do far less than a hill farm day's work, though, and their hearty appetite makes it easy to overfeed them into a heavier dog than the breed is meant to be.

Because the breed is prone to bloat, feeding style matters as much as amount. Give two or three measured meals a day, slow the pace at the bowl, and keep quiet time either side of exercise. Given the breed's tendency towards hip dysplasia, a joint-support food and a lean body condition are the most useful things an owner controls. Our Food Finder can narrow down suitable options.

Every dog is different — weight, age and activity all shift what a Huntaway needs. The Food Finder turns these breed tendencies into a shortlist matched to your dog’s age, size, budget and needs.