Gun dogs (gundogs) or bird dogs are types of hunting dogs developed to assist hunters in finding and retrieving game, typically various fowls that are shot down on the wing (in flight). The term hunting dog is broad and includes all breeds and skills of hunting canines, but "gun dogs" refers to canines that are trained to work alongside a loud firearm while hunting or retrieving game. Gun dogs are divided into three main categories: pointers and setters, retrievers, and spaniels.
Types There are several breeds used as gundogs with varying instinctive skill sets for each one. Gun dogs are divided into three primary types: retrievers, pointing breeds, and water dogs. Main categoryTypeExampleRetrieversGolden RetrieverPointingPointersEnglish PointerSettersEnglish SetterWater (flushing) dogSpanielsEnglish Cocker SpanielWater dogsStandard Poodle
List of gundog breeds
Barbet Bracco Italiano Braque du Bourbonnais Brittany Burgos Pointer Drentsche Patrijshond Cesky Fousek Corded Poodle German Longhaired Pointer German Shorthaired Pointer German Spaniel German Wirehaired Pointer Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla Kooikerhondje Lagotto Romagnolo Large Münsterländer Pointer Portuguese Water Dog Portuguese Pointer Pudelpointer Chesapeake Bay Retriever Curly Coated Retriever Flat-Coated Retriever Golden Retriever Labrador Retriever Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever English Setter Gordon Setter Irish Setter Irish Red and White Setter Small Münsterländer American Cocker Spaniel American Water Spaniel Boykin Spaniel Clumber Spaniel English Cocker Spaniel English Springer Spaniel Field Spaniel Irish Water Spaniel Sussex Spaniel Welsh Springer Spaniel Spanish Water Dog Spinone Italiano Stichelhaar Standard Poodle Vizsla Weimaraner Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Wirehaired Vizsla
Kennel club classification When competing in conformation shows most kennel clubs, including The Kennel Club group pedigree gun dog breeds together in their own gun dog group, whilst some such as the American Kennel Club group them in a sporting group. The term "sporting" more accurately reflects historical hunting and fishing styles for which many pointers, setters, flushing spaniels, water dogs, retrievers and decoy dogs were developed to work in conjunction with nets, traps, hawks, sighthounds, arrows and bolts rather than firearms.
See also Field trial
References
de:Schießhund