Sporting Dogs... gun and bird dogs

Sporting Dogs were developed to work closely with people hunting birds and small animals. They generally have a very highly developed sense of hearing. Sporting dogs enjoy being around people, are active and alert, and they make very good family pets.

Breeds of sporting dogs include the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, Curly-Coated Retriever, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, the German Pointers, Golden Retriever, Irish Setter, Labrador Retriever, Pointer, Spanish Water Dog and the Weimaraner to name just a few.

Sporting dogs are naturally active and alert. They have a keen sense of sight and smell, and in some breeds hearing. The vast majority of the sporting dogs are what are commonly known as bird dogs, or gun dogs. They include the Retriever, Spaniel, Setter and Pointer breeds.

Griffons (Wire-haired Pointing)
Pointers
Pointers (German Short-haired)
Retrievers (Chesapeak Bay)
Retrievers (Curly-coated)
Retrievers (Flat-coated)
Retrievers (Golden)
Retrievers (Labrador)
Setters (English)
Setters (Irish)
Setters (Gordon)
Spaniels (American Water)
Spaniels (Brittany)
Spaniels (Clumber)
Spaniels (Cocker)
Spaniels (English Springer)
Spaniels (Field)
Spaniels (Irish Water)
Spaniels (Sussex)
Spaniels (Welsh Springer)
Weimaraners

In sporting dogs there are just a few special breed characteristics to consider. All the pointers, setters, Griffons, and Brittany's point their game when found, and hold it for the hunter to flush.

Among the retrievers there is little other than individual selection to consider unless you hunt wild fowl. In that case you may develop strong convictions for one breed or another. All retrievers are natural water dogs - with palm to the Chesapeake. Though some of the other retrievers, as the Labrador, are often rated over the Chesapeake for retrieving from land. any of the Spaniels take naturally to retrieving from either land or water. They differ from the retriever breeds in not having coats to adapt them for use in icy water on a typical duck day All Spaniels (except the Brittany) work similarly and quarter the ground ahead of the hunter, always within gun range, and flush game when found. The pointing breeds work wider and hence must "hold" game for arrival of the gun. This is not an essential with the Spaniels, since they are supposed never to "raise" game beyond reach of the gun. Knowing these few fundamentals, and after consulting local authorities, select the breed of dog you want - then concentrate on getting the right individual dog.