Best Hunting Dogs: - Sports - Other Sports

English Springer Spaniel

The English springer spaniel has all of the qualities required be be a top hunting breed. Best used as gundogs or bird dogs, this medium sized dog get their name from the ability to flush out - or springing - birds from their hiding places, allowing the hunter to take his shot.

The Springer Spaniel is smaller than other gundogs at 40 - 50 pounds (18 - 23 ki lograms), and 20 inches (51 cm) tall. however, what spaniels lack in size they make up for in energy.

Their energy, and strong legs make them an ideal companion for long hunting days. While their dense short undercoat covered with a long top coat can easily withstand a variety of weather and climate conditions.

Although bred primarily to flush out game, the Springer Spaniels gentle grip is ideal for retrieving prey without damage. A combination of all these qualities make the Springer Spaniel one of the best hunting dogs.

Hounds

Hound dogs make hunters job much easier, with their noise to the ground, relying on their nose to track scent rather than sight to locate the prey.

The hounds usually chase after the smaller animals like rabbits or fox, chasing the animals and barking until the hunter arrives. Hounds are around 2 feet (0.61 meters) high to the shoulder, and full of courage, making them a helpful dog even when hunting larger game like deer.

There are various breeds of hounds used in hunting including Bloodhounds, Foxhounds and Coonhounds, the later a result of breeding the first two together, combining a great sense of smell with improved speed and stamina.

The hounds thick coat also allows them to tolerate a wide range of weather conditions, comfortable in both hot and cold.

English Setter

English setters were originally bred as bird dogs in England, a combination of the best qualities of spaniels and pointer dogs. They will silently track down the prey using their excellent sense of smell, the English Setter will then crouch down in wait for the masters approach rather than flushing out the birds.

Like any good hunting dog, English setters are easy to train well, and have plenty of energy, their large muscled legs let them run quickly and effortlessly across the terrain.

As English setters are such an energetic dog, they require plenty of long walks, hunting is the perfect outlet to entertain their enthusiasm. The English setters, are closely related the the Gordon and Irish setters, and are all a popular hunting dog choice.

German Shorthaired Pointer

German Shorthaired Pointers are for their versatility in the hunt, working equally as well on the land or the water. Pointers are primarily known as bird dogs, however they are also skilled trackers of land game, including hare, wild pigs and deer. German Shorthaired Pointers are highly intelligent, making them obedient and easy to train.

Pointers are a medium dog ranging from 55 to 70 pounds (25 to 32 kg) and 23 to 25 inches (58 to 64 cm) tall to the shoulder. The pointer's energy is apparent as they bound far ahead to locating the prey for the hunter. Pointers have the best sense of smell of all the bird dogs. Like the English Setter the German shorthaired pointer does not flush out the prey, rather it finds it and points it out to its master - hence its name.

This dog origin comes from crossing breeding the best hunting dogs, the Spanish pointer with German scent hounds.

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador retriever, like pointers, is a well rounded hunting dog. Labradors are perhaps best known as water dogs due to their moisture repellent coats, and also have weblike feet helping propel them quickly through water fetching prey.

Labrador retrievers are also well equipped with intelligence and good temperament making them ideal for training. All these qualities mean Labradors, along with golden retrievers, are among the most popular breed of hunting dog.

Like the spaniels, retrievers have a gentle grip in their mount, meaning they can 'retrieve' prey without damaging. Their eagerness to please means they are keen to apply themselves to other tasks for their master, also making good trackers and pointers.

Labradors, weighing from 55 to 75 pound (25 to 34 kg), are a real all round dog, as at ease hunting quail in the fields, as they are fetching ducks from icy ponds, makes them ideal hunting dogs, for all seasons.

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