List of Sporting Dogs

Hunters for centuries have employed breeds of dogs in the sporting group to aid them in the field. These dogs locate game, flush it from its hiding place and then retrieve the animal, on land and in the water. The same qualities that make sporting dogs so useful at such tasks allow them to make excellent family pets.

Spaniels

Spaniels make up much of the sporting group. The breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club are the English cocker and springer spaniels, the American cocker and water spaniels, the clumber spaniel, the field spaniel, the Sussex spaniel, the Irish water spaniel and the Welsh springer spaniel. The American cocker is the smallest member of the sporting group and is an offshoot of the English cocker spaniel, bred as a flusher and retriever of birds.

Pointers

Pointers locate an animal and then freeze with their tail outstretched and their head pointing in the direction of their quarry. The pointer, the Brittany, the German shorthair and wirehair pointers and the wirehair-pointing griffon comprise this group of sporting dogs. Of these, the dog with the best-documented history is the wirehair pointing griffon, with bloodlines that trace back to Holland in 1874.

Retrievers

The breeds that hunters take with them to bring back downed game are the retrievers. One is the Chesapeake Bay retriever, a sporting dog capable of swimming in cold waters and fetching ducks. The curly coated retriever, the flat-coated retriever and the Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever are adept in the water or on the land. The golden retriever and the Labrador retriever are two of America's most popular breeds, according to the American Kennel Club.

Setters

The setters acquired their name from their training that led them to crouch when they came upon a bird or a hare. The oldest of the setters is the English setter, which goes back as far as the 1300s. The Gordon setter, a black and tan breed, gets its name from the Scottish fourth Duke of Gordon. The Irish setter has a striking red coat of long hair and at one time was one of the United States' most popular breeds.

Other sporting dogs

The spinone Italiano is an ancient breed of dogs and is popular in Europe--Italy in particular. The vizsla came from Hungary in the Middle Ages. It spread throughout the world when Russia occupied Hungary during World War II, making its way to America when fleeing citizens brought their dogs along. The weimaraner was bred as a hunter and has endurance as well as speed. It gained recognition from the American Kennel Club in 1943 after originating in Germany in the 1800s.

References

• Animal Planet Website
• American Kennel Club Website

Resources

• Sporting Dogs