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Dogs have helped humans hunt and live as members of their community for at least 14,000 years, and we can trace the breeding of certain types of hunting dogs back to the early civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome. This sophistication has only expanded over time, and now there are a number of hunting dog breeds designed to fulfill specific roles. Here’s everything you need to know about the different types of hunting dog breeds in the world, from shooting and hunting dogs to hounds and terriers.
1. Terriers: for hunting small game.
Most terrier breeds originate from the United Kingdom, but these squirrel dogs were originally bred not to help people hunt for prey, but to eliminate troubles at home and on the farm. Their tenacity and ferocity made them a fox-sized threat to prey, while remaining small enough to crawl through narrow spaces and tunnels in pursuit of rats, hares, possums, or other nuisances. Today the variety of terrier breeds is noticeable. Larger breeds, such as the Bull Terrier, can destroy wild boar-sized game, but were originally bred for dog fighting.
Today terriers are often chosen as practical dogs for urban life, but many people continue to use them as squirrel dogs. There are even toy varieties of the main breeds, such as the Manchester and Yorkshire, that have been bred specifically for companionship. But no matter what breed of terrier we are talking about, they are driven by the same powerful instincts. Since hunting dogs are accustomed to going into the ground after burying prey, the compulsion to dig is inherent in them. This is combined with a strong prey instinct and incredible agility. Where other hunting dogs tire their prey, terriers will use their short and stocky body to outrun them and knock them down as quickly as possible.
Terriers were raised to fill a specialized niche as hunters, but they continue to be valuable and beloved breeds, despite the fact that their main occupation is largely out of date. You can read more about them here.
2. Retrievers: for the return of the game.
Retrievers fall into the category of “hunting dogs” – varieties of avian dogs from breeds that arose out of the special needs of hunters using firearms. Most of them are intended for hunting birds rather than big game. Different types of dog birds fulfill different roles, but the retriever species are among the most popular dog bird species due to their incredible usefulness. Their main task is to return birds shot by hunters, but this requires more specialized skills and a sharper mind than you might imagine. Retrievers need to be able to spot prey, but they also need to remember where several birds have fallen at the same time.
Memorizing several hit points and keeping them in memory for several hours is a significant feat, but retrievers also have the patience to remain stationary for several hours without disturbing potential prey. They are highly intelligent dogs with an ardent sense of loyalty, making them highly adaptable to training. Retrievers can learn behavior based on a wide range of communication signals, and they are some of the hardest working dogs. Retriever breeds, from Labrador to Golden, feature a wide snout, uniquely designed to capture and carry prey without damaging it.
Other breeds of retrievers include the Siberian and Curly Coated Retrievers, which you can learn about here and here.
3. Pointers: for detecting prey.
Although they are generally considered one of the various types of avian dogs used today for rifle hunting, pointers have played the role of hunting dogs even before the advent of firearms. Instead, the pointers will work in unison with the greyhounds — the former will spot and point to hares and other small game that the greyhound can then pursue. This talent is well adapted to hunting with a gun, as it gives the hunter himself all the need to both scare away the prey and shoot it.
Among the various types of avian dogs, pointers are some of the most versatile. They are quiet and patient, but they have a lot of stamina, so they are well suited for both long days, quietly waiting for the deer, and for traveling long distances, tracking down these deer. Dog-bird types rarely possess both of these qualities, but pointers are competent retrievers as well. Don’t expect these avian dogs to identify and then retrieve multiple ducks at once. Most modern markers are believed to have evolved from a breed introduced from Spain to England in the 18th century. Since then, they have included many breeds such as the English Pointer, the German Shorthaired Pointer, and the rare Wirehaired Pointer.
Pointers are great hunting dogs and companions, and you can learn more about them here.
4. Greyhounds: for tracking prey
Although hunting dogs work with human hunters and sometimes other animals, hounds are bred to do most or all of the work for themselves. Greyhounds naturally rely on superior vision to track their prey and speed to catch them. Functionally, most greyhounds act in the same way as most predators in the wild: stalk and chase prey until they can overpower and disable it. Depending on the breed, the game can be as large as a deer, a rabbit, or even a squirrel.
The greyhound category includes a variety of breeds ranging from the woolly Irish wolfhound to the generously pubescent Agana and the short-haired Italian greyhound. But regardless of the breed, all these dogs have a similar physiology – thin, long and strong. These dogs are large and solitary hunters, which means an ounce of wasted energy can mean the difference between life and death in the wild. This means that while their prey instinct is strong, these dogs usually have enough intelligence and discipline to get close before jumping on prey. This high energy and independent temperament means that greyhounds can be difficult pets, but they can become loving family members with enough patience.
5. Hounds by smell: for tracking prey
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best tracker dogs in the world.
Like their greyhound cousins, greyhounds are capable of independently identifying, tracking, killing and retrieving their prey, but they use completely different methods to bring down prey. Their primary tracking method is their nose, which often allows them to identify and follow prey from significantly greater distances than greyhounds with their eyes alone. Generally stocky and stocky, these breeds are not always able to outrun fast prey such as deer. Instead, they will rely on their exceptional stamina to simply follow their prey until it is cornered, trapped in trees, or exhausted.
Smaller hounds are often squirrel dogs, but hounds are often capable of killing surprisingly large game. This is especially true of breeds such as hounds and hounds that hunt in packs. They often coordinate their actions and use tactics to defeat their prey. In many cases, these dogs do not kill the animal themselves, but instead corner it so that human hunters can shoot down their prey. These dogs tend to bark or howl throughout the hunt – a trait that has become an easy way for hunters to follow them into the wilderness. Among the smallest hounds is the Dachshund, a breed bred to hunt small game such as foxes and raccoons, but which in packs can become capable wild boar hunters.
6. Spaniels: for flushing prey
Although now considered hunting dogs, spaniels have existed long before the invention of the pistol. The first breeds appeared before the signs, and they played two roles in the hunt. Set spaniels today will serve as traditional setter breeds – sneaking up on game to point out to hunters and then laying them down so the nets can be thrown at the game. Spaniels chase birds such as pheasants, which can then be caught by falcons or greyhounds. Today, the latest skills make them exceptional hunting dogs that can pull prey out of hiding for their hunting companions. Water spaniels usually chase waterfowl and use smart tactics to lure ducks and other birds into traps.
The modern breed of spaniels originated in Spain, although they are believed to be descended from Asian hunting dogs such as the Pekingese and Pug. Spaniels continue to be versatile hunting companions because they combine compact size with strong athleticism and intelligent attentiveness. They are capable of deftly navigating steep slopes and dense thickets, and they are alert dogs that can perform difficult tasks with their human hunters. These same personality traits also make them popular pet breeds. English Springer Spaniels and American Cocker Spaniels are popular, but there are also a number of rare breeds such as the Kooikerhondje.
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