A hunting dog needs more food during the season than the rest of the year, but not automatically double. The amount is adjusted by watching its weight, the change of dry food is made with weeks to spare, the main meal is given well away from exertion and, when the season ends, the dog goes back to its usual serving.
When does the 2026-2027 hunting season start?
It depends on the country and, within each country, on the region or department. These are the general dates published for the 2026-2027 season in Galicia, France, Italy and Germany:
| Where | General season 2026-2027 |
|---|---|
| Galicia | From 18 October 2026 to 6 January 2027, on Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays. Wild boar has its own periods. |
| France | It's set by each department's prefecture. In Hérault, from 13 September 2026 to 28 February 2027; in Savoie, from 13 September 2026 to 31 January 2027. |
| Italy | General opening on 20 September 2026, the third Sunday in September, and closing on 31 December or 31 January, depending on the species. Each region publishes its own calendar. |
| Germany | There's no common date: federal law sets the hunting season for each species and each federal state can shorten it. |
The dates change every year and there are exceptions by species, so before you make plans, check the dates for your area in the official calendar.
How much more does a hunting dog eat in season?
More than a house dog, but less than people tend to think. According to guidelines for working dogs by a vet who is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition, a dog doing short or moderate-intensity work rarely needs more than twice the energy of a companion dog. Endurance dogs, which cover many kilometres over several hours, can need quite a lot more.
That's why there's no single figure for all hunting dogs: the amount depends on the hours and kilometres of each day out. What works is to start from the feeding table for the dry food, weigh the serving and check the dog's weight often. You'll find how much a dog eats on a normal day, depending on its weight, in the table of how much dry food a large dog eats a day.
A dog at the right weight has ribs that are easy to feel without pressing and, seen from above, a defined waist behind the ribs. If during the season you start to see its ribs from a distance, it needs more food; if you can't find them, it's getting too much.
When should you change the dry food before the season?
In good time. If the dog eats a different dry food out of season, veterinary guidelines for working dogs advise switching back to the in-season food at least six weeks before hunting starts.
The switch of food is made gradually, mixing a little more of the new food with the old each day for at least a week, so that the digestive system can adjust. That's the recommendation of the veterinary nutritionists at Tufts University, who add that some dogs need quite a bit longer.
When should you feed a dog on hunting days?
Well away from exertion. For intense exercise, veterinary guidelines for working dogs advise feeding more than four hours before starting. And in large, deep-chested breeds, avoiding exercise right before and right after eating is one of the veterinary recommendations against bloat and stomach torsion.
A simple way to manage this is to give the main meal at the end of the day, once the dog has finished its day's work and cooled down, and in the morning, at most, something light, with hours to spare before heading out.
Water, on the other hand, isn't rationed: a hunting dog needs clean water to hand before, during and after the day out.
What should you do about food when the season ends?
Gradually go back to the usual serving. A hunting dog that keeps eating the same as at the height of the season, with much less exercise, puts on weight.
The end of the season is a good time to check the dog's weight with the vet and adjust the serving to the new routine. If you're also changing dry food, make the switch just as slowly as before the season started.
How do you organise meals for several dogs in a kennel or on a smallholding?
With several dogs, the hard part is usually the routine: making sure they eat on time even if you head out before dawn or get back late. An automatic feeder takes care of the timing and repeats the serving every day, but it doesn't adjust the amount on its own: when the season or the dry food changes, you have to change the settings.
A Producan automatic dog feeder holds around 15 kilos of dry food in a galvanised steel hopper with IP65 protection, and can be set to up to 30 feeds a day. If the kennel or the shed has no power, the Producan P3 feeder runs on its 12 V battery for around three months with four feeds a day.
For two dogs that eat the same food, the double version gives both of them the same serving at once, each on its own side. If each dog needs a different amount, what you need is two single feeders. It's explained on the automatic dog feeder for two dogs page.