Get notified when a Huntaway is listed in New Zealand
We will email you the moment a Huntaway becomes available in New Zealand, from a rescue or an owner rehoming.
2 rescue Huntaways are available for adoption across New Zealand right now. Every listing links straight to the rescue.
We will email you the moment a Huntaway becomes available in New Zealand, from a rescue or an owner rehoming.
The Huntaway was bred in New Zealand to work sheep. Te Ara describes huntaways as big, strongly built dogs used for everything: heading, hunting, forcing sheep into pens, backing (jumping onto the backs of sheep packed in a yard or race) and working them in yards and woolsheds. Dogs NZ lists the NZ Huntaway in its Working group.
What sets the breed apart is its voice. Every Huntaway is bred to bark, and working dogs are selected for a loud, deep bark on command rather than yapping, because a Huntaway moves stock with sound. A heading dog, by contrast, is bred to work silently.
Huntaways vary a lot in size and shape, and their coats can be long and shaggy or smooth, usually black and tan. Te Ara describes them as generally good-natured and anxious to please. Many rescue Huntaways in New Zealand are crosses, often with a Collie, Kelpie or Labrador.
That working background is what to plan for. A Huntaway needs a lot of exercise and a job to do, and the bark that makes it a good farm dog does not switch off in town, so think about space and how close your neighbours are. An adult rescue Huntaway whose energy and temperament are already known is often an easier fit than a young dog.
Breed and regulatory information cross-checked against Te Ara: Heading dogs, huntaways and all-purpose dogs.
Huntaways in New Zealand are listed by a range of local rescues and shelters. Applications, home checks and adoption decisions are handled by the rescue directly. LocalPetFinder brings the listings together so you do not have to check each rescue separately, and does not take a fee.
Prefer to search closer to home? Jump straight to Huntaway listings in each New Zealand city.
As of October 2026, Huntaways are uncommon in New Zealand rescue, only 2 are listed right now across 1 rescue on LocalPetFinder. They are usually adopted quickly, so it is worth applying early or setting an alert.
LocalPetFinder lists Huntaways available for adoption from rescues across New Zealand and New Zealand. Every listing links straight to the rescue that has the dog, and the application is handled by them, not by us.
Not for sale, for adoption, which is usually the better deal. Every Huntaway here comes from a New Zealand rescue or shelter, not a breeder, pet shop, or classified seller. If you searched "huntaway for sale new zealand" or "huntaway puppies for sale", adopting gets you a healthy, vetted dog for a fraction of the price.
You can buy from a registered breeder, but it is worth weighing against adoption first. If you do buy, insist on seeing where the puppies were raised and getting vet records, and check the breeder against your local pet-sale rules. For most families in New Zealand, adopting a rescue Huntaway is cheaper, faster, and gives a dog in need a home.
Both, but adults far outnumber puppies, and it is worth knowing that before you start looking. Most Huntaways arriving in New Zealand rescue are adolescents and adults, because that is the age at which first homes tend to give up. Puppies do come through, usually as accidental litters or with a surrendered mother, and they are typically spoken for quickly. Setting an alert beats refreshing the page. It is also worth asking whether you actually want one: an adult arrives with a temperament a foster has already observed and described, where a Huntaway puppy is a prediction, and for this breed in particular knowing what you are getting is the more useful thing.
Start with the listings on this page, which pull from New Zealand rescues and shelters and are refreshed regularly, so what you see is what is genuinely available rather than a stale directory. If nothing suits today, that is normal for this breed: rescue intake is intermittent rather than steady, and a breed with none listed this week often has several next month. Setting an alert beats checking back, and it is worth widening to nearby suburbs and towns, since most rescues serving New Zealand will adopt out across a reasonable driving distance rather than only inside one council area.
Yes, it is what they are bred for. Huntaways are selected for a loud, deep bark, and on farms they bark on command to move sheep. In a suburban home that instinct stays, so plan for plenty of exercise and training and think about your neighbours before you adopt.
They can be. Te Ara describes them as generally good-natured and anxious to please. The bigger questions are space, exercise and noise, because a Huntaway is a working dog with a lot of energy and a strong bark. An adult rescue Huntaway is often the easier match.
Te Ara lists inherited defects seen in New Zealand working dogs, including hip dysplasia, which excess weight makes worse, jaw faults (undershot or overshot), cleft palate, and retina problems that can lead to early blindness. Keeping a Huntaway lean helps its hips, and your vet can check its joints and eyes.
It varies a lot. Te Ara notes that huntaway size and shape varies widely, and Dogs NZ describes the breed as medium to large. Each rescue listing gives that dog its own size or weight, which tells you more than a breed average.
If you are on the other side of this page and need to find your huntaway a new home, we have a breed-specific guide: the rescues worth contacting first, realistic timelines, and how to screen adopters. Listing on LocalPetFinder is free.
How to rehome a Huntaway responsibly →