Although there have been many studies examining the requirements and needs of working dogs, most is either unpublished commercial data, or focuses on racing dogs, such as greyhounds and sled dogs. A substantial number of the world’s working dog population are farm dogs used on cattle, dairy or sheep farms. The majority of dogs in New Zealand fall into this category, making them a useful population for examining factors affecting their performance. In this initial study, information from more than 3000 working dogs was obtained by questionnaire to establish an accurate picture of the average working dog and to identify feeding practices and areas that could be improved to ensure health, welfare and longevity.