Author: Terry Roberts
Hunting dogs, as their name suggests, are simply those dogs
that have been bred - and trained - to assist human hunters in
their activities. Originally, these dogs were responsible, at
least partially, for bringing home the meat for the family's
dinner and, without them, the job of hunting was much more
difficult. The dogs assist the human hunter to scent and track,
retrieve, flush, point or even chase down game. The skills
developed will be specific to each breed, depending on the type
of game that the dog has been trained to hunt, and the hunting
style used with that particular type of game. Hunting dogs love
to be outdoors and work with their owners. They usually become
noticeably excited and active when they notice that
preparations for the hunt are getting under way.
Since each breed of hunting dog has unique skills and
attributes, we shall look at each general type of hunting dog
separately. It is important to remember that hunting dogs are
not aggressive by nature and are actually some of the best
natured and calm mannered of all the breeds of dogs.
Hounds
Hounds, used as hunting dogs, can be subdivided into two types:
scent or sight hunting dogs. They are used to hunt many types of
mammals such as raccoons, coyotes, and other larger mammals. As
you might imagine, sight hounds hunt by visual contact with the
game. They are very fast and tend to be relatively smaller than
scent hounds - although this does not mean that all of the
breeds of sight hunting hounds are small dogs. Sight hounds
include:
· Whippets
· Greyhounds
· Rhodesian Ridgebacks
· Saluki
· Afghan hound
· Basenji
· Irish Wolfhound
Scent hounds tend to be heavier-set, deeper-chested hunting
dogs that excel for their endurance rather than their speed.
Their voices tend to be deep and baying and in this way hunters
can follow them to where they have treed or cornered the game.
Scent hounds include:
· Bloodhounds
· Bassets
· Beagles
· Coonhounds (all varieties)
· Foxhounds
· Scottish Deerhound
Some hounds are versatile and can track using both sight and
scent.
Water Dogs
The name "water dogs" is the original name for a large group of
hunting dog breeds that are now often referred to as gun dogs.
These dogs were bred to go into the water and retrieve or bring
back game, to flush and point, and to show where waterfowl may
be located on the shore areas in rushes and weeds. Some of them
are also used for on-land game bird shooting, a type of hunting
in which setters and pointers have become specialized. These
dog breeds are very patient and will wait, without moving, for
long periods of time until they are finally told to do so by
the hunter. They are also used to swimming great distances into
the water and back to retrieve a duck or goose without damaging
the bird or even piercing the skin with their teeth.
Dog breeds included in the group of gun or water dogs are:
· Retrievers - Labradors, Golden, Chesapeake Bay
· Spaniels - English, Cocker, Water, Brittany
· Setters - English, Irish, Gordon
· Pointers - Pudelpointer, German Short Haired, English
It is interesting to note that the standard Poodle is an
excellent gun and hunting dog, although nowadays it is rarely
used as a hunting dog anymore.
Terriers
Terriers are a group of hunting dogs, mostly developed during
the industrial revolution, in the United Kingdom and Europe, to
kill the vermin in houses, factories and farms. These small- to
medium-sized dogs are energetic, lively and very independent.
These dogs are a little different, in that they are actually
trained to kill their prey, unlike the hounds or water dogs
listed above. For that reason they tend to be a bit more
aggressive towards other animals if not socialized properly.
The most common terrier breeds include:
· Jack Russell
· Cairn
· West Highland White
· Skye
· Boston
· Yorkshire
· Fox
· Airedale
· Scottish
However, there are many other types of terriers, all with
unique coat colors and characteristics.
If you are looking for a hunting dog, you need to bear in mind,
first, exactly which breed is best suited to your requirements.
As a hunter, be sure to research each breed and talk to dog
owners to find which will most closely match your needs.
However, remember that you needn't be a hunter to own one of
these dogs - hunting dogs can make excellent, good-natured
companions. If that is the case, simply make sure that the
breed you choose fits in with your present - and projected
lifestyle.
About The Author: Terry Roberts is a professional translator
and linguist, with a wide range of interests. To read more
about hunting dogs - and about dogs in general - visit his
website http://www.livingwithadog.com
No comments:
Post a Comment