Dog food for working dogs
A dog working all day — herding, gundog work, or simply covering long distances on a farm or a shoot — burns a lot more energy than a dog whose exercise is a couple of walks a day. Working dog food answers that with more calories and protein per bowlful, so the dog can eat a manageable amount and still meet what the day has actually asked of them.
What actually changes in a working dog food
The main difference is calorie and protein density. A working recipe typically carries noticeably more protein and fat per 100g than a standard adult food, because a dog doing hours of hard physical work each day needs more fuel than one having a couple of walks. Feeding a standard food at a much larger portion to make up the calories is not the same thing — it dilutes the protein and vitamin balance the dog also needs.
Working foods are also usually formulated with the coat and joints in mind, since a dog out in all weathers and covering rough ground puts more strain on both than a dog pottering round a park. That shows up as named oils for the coat and, in some ranges, added glucosamine for the joints.
It is a working-day question, not a breed question
What decides whether a dog needs a working food is the actual job they do, not the breed on their vet card. A collie doing school-run walks and a spaniel out shooting three days a week have very different energy needs even if people commonly picture both as "working breeds". Match the food to the hours of real activity, and adjust with the season — most working dogs need less in summer downtime than they do through a full shooting or lambing season.
Sudden changes in workload are worth watching for too. A dog who has just started proper training or a new job will need a gradual step up in food to match, rather than a switch to a working recipe overnight.
What we stock
Our working dog food range includes options such as Field & Trial Skinner S Field Trial Junior for younger dogs starting out, and Red Mills Xcel Dog Food and Nw Classic Work Lamb for dogs already in full work. Autarky's Adult Tasty White Fish & Potato Grain Free recipe is worth a look if your working dog does better without grain in the mix.
We also stock a wider range of dry dog food for dogs whose workload sits between a pet dog and a full working dog, where a standard adult recipe fed at a slightly larger portion is a more sensible fit than a dedicated working formula.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Harringtons Adult Dog Salmon & Potato
Complete salmon and potato dry dog food with 21% protein in a 1.7KG bag
£6.25
Common questions
- How do I know if my dog needs working dog food?
- It comes down to how many hours of real physical work your dog does each day, not their breed. A dog covering long distances outdoors, herding, or in gundog work most days is a better fit than a dog having a couple of standard walks, whatever breed either of them is.
- Can I just feed more of a normal food instead?
- You can increase the portion, but it dilutes the protein and vitamin balance relative to calories rather than matching what a working recipe is built to provide. A food designed for higher activity levels is usually the more efficient way to meet the extra demand.
- Should working dog food change with the season?
- Often, yes. Many working dogs need less food outside a full working or shooting season, when their activity drops back closer to that of a pet dog. Watch their body condition and adjust the amount fed rather than sticking to one fixed portion year-round.
- Is working dog food suitable for puppies?
- Some ranges include a specific junior or puppy option, such as Field & Trial's field trial junior recipe, built for a young dog starting training. A full adult working formula is usually too calorie-dense for a puppy who is not yet doing an adult workload.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.