Hunting dogs come in various shapes and sizes…from the small gritty German Teckel used to hunt down and dig out badgers and foxes to the world famous and highly popular Labrador Retriever. A good definition of a hunting dog would be any dog that aids or assists its owner in the hunting down, tracking, or recovery of game. Throughout the years, hunting dogs have developed to fit the needs of the modern hunter. Today these dogs can be divided into several categories and sometimes there is even a little crossover between these categories. Through the years hunting dogs have always added to the enjoyment and success of the hunt. Often times a good hunting dog is the difference in coming home with game instead of coming home empty-handed. The amazing ability of dogs to smell is what sets them apart and causes them to be so successful at recovering game that their human partners might have tried unsuccessfully to find. The following is an attempt to help you see the dogs for their strengths. The categories are as follows:
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Trackers
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Bird Dogs
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Retrievers
These dogs are the jack of all trades. Many of them originated or were developed in Germany where the hunting needs were very diverse. A hunter might hunt ducks, stag, boar, squirrel, foxes and rabbits all with the same dog. While they might not be the best at one particular task they are adequate at all and make great hunting partners. Examples are the Weimaraner, Pudelpointer, Dratthaar, and Visla.