| A hunting dog is any type of dog who helps humans | | | | and can follow commands from a long distance away. |
| when they go hunting. Each breed of hunting dog has | | | | They are renowned for their 'soft mouths' which |
| their own particular skill, so a hunter would choose | | | | means that they don't leave a mark on the game |
| their dog according to which kind of hunting they | | | | that they have retrieved. |
| prefer. True hunting dogs get huge satisfaction from | | | | Spaniels are excellent for finding game and flushing it |
| what they do and a good dog can make all the | | | | out of any hiding place. They are also greats |
| difference on a hunt. Let's take a look at the | | | | swimmers, good family dogs and fiercely loyal. |
| different hunting dogs. | | | | Pointers are also loyal. They're happy and |
| Hounds | | | | affectionate dogs. Although they are bred to hunt, |
| There are three main kinds of hunting hounds: | | | | they make great pets as long as they get sufficient |
| Sighthounds, scent hounds and lurchers. | | | | exercise. When they are hunting, they literally point! |
| Sighthounds, like the Whippet, have amazing eyesight | | | | They find the game and then stop dead, letting the |
| and are extremely fast runners. Their way of hunting | | | | hunter know where it is. Once they are commanded, |
| is called 'coursing'. They see their prey - often from a | | | | they flush the prey out for the hunter to shoot. |
| huge distance - then they stalk, chase and kill it. | | | | Setters are good pointers. |
| These dogs are athletic, fast, very quiet and | | | | One of the most famous pointers was Judy, a ship's |
| extremely independent. They are very affectionate | | | | dog during the Second World War. Her special skill |
| and loyal to their owners and are good with small | | | | was to point where Japanese planes were coming |
| children. They make hopeless guard dogs as they're | | | | from - long before any of the humans on board |
| so trusting! | | | | could even hear their engines! Judy was awarded the |
| Scent hounds, as you would imagine, use their sense | | | | animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross (the Dickin |
| of smell for hunting. Beagles, Basset Hounds and the | | | | Medal) in 1946. |
| American Coonhound all use their noses to track the | | | | Terriers |
| prey. They very often hunt in packs and can chase | | | | Most of the animals that terriers help to hunt for are |
| game for a very long way before cornering it or | | | | pests. For example, Jack Russells go after ground |
| killing it. These dogs have characteristic booming | | | | hogs and foxes in America and Terriers hunt badgers |
| barks and soulful expressions. | | | | in the UK (legally and illegally!). Hunters who work with |
| Lurchers are primarily some kind of sighthound bred | | | | these dogs are called terriermen. |
| with a working dog. | | | | Curs |
| Gun Dogs | | | | These are used in a similar way to terriers but the |
| Hunters take a gun dog along with them to bring | | | | game that they hunt is usually larger, such as boars, |
| back whatever has been shot. Retrievers are very | | | | raccoons and even cougars. Staffordshire Terriers |
| good at remembering where prey has fallen and love | | | | and any other kind of hunting dog are often bred |
| to retrieve ducks or geese that have been shot and | | | | together to produce hunting curs. |
| landed in water. A typical gun dog is very well trained | | | | |