Hunting dog

"For the species known as the African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, or painted hunting dog see African Wild Dog"

A hunting dog refers to any dog who assists humans in hunting. There are several types of hunting dogs developed for the many tasks hunters require that they fulfill. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, curs type dogs, and gun dogs. Among these categories further divisions can be made based upon the skill sets that the dogs possess.

Hunters may put a bell on the dog's collar so that they can keep track of the dog. When the bell stops ringing that means the dog is on the point.

For a list of breeds of each type, see the detailed articles for each category:

Details about some types

Flushing spaniels combine fine hunting, flushing, and retrieving skills. English Springer Spaniels are popular gundogs for a variety of cover but are closely followed in popularity by English Cocker Spaniels. Both breeds are adept at finding and flushing game out of thick cover, then retrieving fallen game to the hunter. Clumbers, Sussex, and Field Spaniels are also increasingly popular for their slower, methodical hunting pattern. And, while all flushing spaniel breeds are good retrievers, including water work, the American Water Spaniel and the Boykin Spaniel are especially noted for their water work.

When trained, Beagles are particularly adept at chasing through thick briars and brush after rabbits. However, spaniels are also excellent rabbit hunting dogs. In fact, spaniel field trials in the UK are ran on both game birds as well as rabbits as can be evidenced in [http://www.spanieljournal.com Spaniel Journal] . Many hound breeds are excellent at treeing raccoons during hunting season.

Sighthounds are quite different from scenthounds in their methods and adaptations. The long lean head of the sighthound gives them a greater degree of binocular vision, a characteristic shared by wolves and other wild carnivores. Their great speed, agility and visual acuity are particularly adapted for coursing game on open meadows or steppes. They are highly independent in nature, and are worked either singly or in a "brace" of two or three dogs, rather than as a pack. Sighthounds do their work in silence and are quiet, placid dogs compared to other hunting breeds.
Retrievers are good swimmers and love to get wet, they are good hunting dogs for retrieving game shot down into the water. Retrievers skin secretes an oily substance that sheds water. Retrievers are good at retrieving birds on land or in water.

Hounds have really sensitive noses that are usually used for hunting small animals like rabbits and squirrels. Bugles work well for hunting game bird instead of small animals. Hound breeds include the bluetick, red tick, walker, and redbone.

Flushers dogs like the springer are popular for pheasant hunting, they are trained to work within gun range. There are other breeds like the cocker, the Boykin and several types of spaniels. These type of dogs pursue game until it goes for cover.

Gallery

References

* [http://www.asc-cockerspaniel.org American Spaniel Club]
*Deeley, Martin. "Working Gundogs: An Introduction to Training and Handling. (1990,reprinted 2002) The Crowood Press. ISBN 1-85223-764-3.
*Fergus, Charles. "Gun Dog Breeds, A Guide to Spaniels, Retrievers, and Pointing Dogs", The Lyons Press, 2002. ISBN 1-58574-618-5
*Roettger, Anthony Z. and Schleider, Benjamin H. III. (2004) Urban Gun Dogs: Training flushing dogs for home and field. The Writer's Collective. ISBN 1594110506

ee also

*Hunting dogs constellation Canes Venatici
*Hunting

External links

* [http://www.spanieljournal.com Spaniel Journal] Provides comprehensive information and articles on training, hunting, field events and other topics of interest to flushing spaniel owners.

* [http://www.asc-cockerspaniel.org/The American Spaniel Club] Parent club in the United States for Cocker Spaniels.