How much to feed
Should I increase food for a working or sporting dog before a busy season?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Yes, if your dog's activity genuinely increases for a working or competition season, increase food gradually in the weeks leading up to it, roughly 10 percent at a time, rather than waiting until the season starts and increasing all at once. This gives the body and digestive system time to adjust smoothly alongside the ramping activity.
Why to increase ahead of time rather than during
Matching a food increase to the actual start of increased activity, rather than anticipating it too early or reacting too late, keeps body condition steadier through the transition, and a gradual ramp up avoids both a hungry, underfed dog early on and a sudden large food increase that can cause digestive upset.
If training itself ramps up gradually before the season, such as building toward a hunting or working season with progressively longer sessions, match the food increase to that same gradual training build up.
How much to increase
Depending on the intensity of the season's work, total daily food may need to increase by 20 to 50 percent or more above the off season baseline, so plan for a meaningfully larger amount rather than a small tweak.
A higher calorie performance formula can help deliver this increase without requiring an impractically large volume of food at each meal.
Reducing again after the season
Once the busy season ends and activity drops back to normal, reduce food gradually over a similar timeframe, rather than continuing the higher amount and risking weight gain during the off season.
Weigh your dog every two to three weeks through both the ramp up and the wind down to catch any adjustment needed in either direction.
Key takeaways
- Increase food gradually in the weeks leading up to a busy working or sporting season, not all at once.
- Total food may need to rise by 20 to 50 percent or more depending on the intensity of the season's activity.
- A higher calorie performance formula can help manage the increase without an impractically large meal volume.
- Reduce food gradually again once the season ends and activity returns to normal.