Dogs have been with humans forever. Back in the olden times, hunting was a means of survival because agriculture wasn’t yet a thing. After all, getting a dog to help you out in the bushes didn’t seem so bad.
No wonder why dogs are called a ‘man’s best friend.’ They’ve been a part of our lives for centuries.
With time, humans even dedicated themselves to teaching and training a dog to meet their specific requirements for hunting. The American Foxhound was trained over time to become the perfect breed for hunting in the terrain.
However, when looking for the right hunting dog breed, what matters is; the kind of hunting. There are a few factors to make the ”best hunting dog’ decision a bit easier for you.
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Factors To Consider
Before we dive into the world of different dog breeds for hunting, let us consider the aspects of our hunting conditions so; we can better understand our requirements for the perfect hunting partner.
- What are you planning to hunt? A bird or a bear? Different breeds specialize in different kinds of animal hunting.
- The size of your game. Deer, rabbits, and boars are common categories but highly variable sizes. Not to mention, bigger games require larger dog breeds and vice versa.
- Temperament is one of the main factors to consider. You don’t want an aggressive dog hunting for you; they might scare the prey away (or you, aggressive dogs are scary) rather than hunt them down.
- Easy-to-train dogs can be beneficial in hunting as you can teach them the lacking skills. A well-trained dog can make the hunting experience more enjoyable for both of you.
- Your allergies. Are you allergic to dogs? Then you can hop on to the We Love Doodles website to get the right hunting dog that doesn’t shed.
- Lastly, assess your lifestyle. We’ve said it before; choose a dog that matches your lifestyle. If you like hanging out and exercising a lot, select a breed accordingly. Don’t pick an active dog when all you can afford to provide them are indoor activities.
Now that we’ve discussed the factors that can affect your choice of selecting the perfect dog for your hunting, time to dig deep into the various hunting dog breeds.
Hunting Dog Breeds
There are seven breeds categories present, classification based on their qualities and the game of hunting.
- Sighthounds: have brilliant eyesight to spot prey and sprint toward it.
- Scent hounds: have sensitive noses and can follow a scent or smell to the game.
- Setters: smell the quarry and stand firm while pointing their muzzle toward the prey.
- Gundogs: Gun dogs can point out the game or bring out the game, so the owner hunts it down with their guns.
- Pointers: A subtype of gundogs, they show their owners where the prey is hiding by pointing their muzzle.
- Retrievers: Another type of gundog: the one that retrieves the hunted quarry back to the owner.
- Flushing: Third subtype of gundog that helps the person aim the birds locating them and putting them in the air quickly.
Overall, the kind of hunting dog you want depends on what you want to hunt.
Are you going bird hunting? Take a gundog with you. Are you still looking for a partner to begin your boar-hunting experience? A scent hound is the one for you.
Once you’ve decided on the one, you can visit Breeder Best to find the nearest breeder of your favorite dog.
German Shorthaired Pointer
An obedient, easy to train, and versatile hunting dog: safe to say that German Shorthaired Pointers are the best hunting dog breeds out there.
They can hunt anything! Want a bird? Be right at it. Do you want to chase a deer? Look no further because GSP got your back! Not even a rabbit is a problem for them.
Because of their versatility, they are popular among experienced hunters. Besides, they are friendly around children, so a best friend for all we believe?
Bloodhound
You know you’ve got a good hunting dog when the breed is popular in tracking people and solving crimes.
Yup, you heard it right. Bloodhounds are dogs that originated a millennium back; hence have quite an experience in hunting a deer down.
A large dog with extensive skeletal structures and strong bones, this breed can help you with the bear hunt. Gentle and mild temperament makes them great family dogs. And let’s not forget Pluto, Micky Mouse’s pet; he was a Bloodhound, too.
Labrador Retriever
A dog breed that loves people and can’t get enough of people. As the name ‘Retriever’ suggests, they come in handy while hunting birds or fishes to retrieve catches of the day.
They can withstand cold temperatures; hence hunting a duck down in the cold water is a piece of cake for them. They are easy to train and famous for hunting in water. We’d suggest this dog breed as the easiest for new hunters.
On the other hand, their loyal, social, and enthusiastic personality makes Labrador Retriever a wonderful family pet.
English Springer Spaniel
Apart from their beautiful looks, they are good at hunting birds. Flushing out or casing the birds, their small size supports the hunting experience to fit in smaller spaces. They’re easy to train and have friendly dispositions, making them terrific family pets and ideal for new hunters.
Beagle
Besides their cute appearance, they make up for excellent rabbit-hunting dogs. They have a loud voice and fantastic sense of smell and are one of the best-renowned scent hounds.
Irish Setter
This lush, mahogany-furred breed is all good for hunting. Irish Setters are great gundogs that are determined to track birds. Their agility, enthusiastic work ethic, and love for running make them good bird hunters. Although we understand the rightfully famed mahogany coat of Irish Setters is a pet parents’ nightmare when it comes to tangles, there’s nothing to worry about when you’ve got a dog detangler at hand.
Now all you are left to do is choose the dog breed that fits right in your criteria for hunting dogs and prepare for the hunt!
Conclusion
There are so many great hunting dogs out there. Apart from the ones we’ve mentioned, we have;
- Azawakh
- Barbet
- Weimaraner
- English Setter
- Bluetick Coonhound
- German Wirehaired Pointer
And many, many more. Nonetheless, it all depends on your hunting about what dog breed works best for you.
Not to forget, not all hunting dogs are equal; you can’t pick a Labrador Retriever because of their sociability but expect them to hunt down a bear for you.
Research your requirements and the dogs in your region and get the perfect hunting partner. Happy Hunting!
