Gun dog

Last updated February 14, 2025

Gun dogs (gundogs) or bird dogs are types of hunting dogs developed to assist hunters in finding and retrieving game,^[1] typically various fowls that are shot down on the wing (in flight). The term hunting dog is broad and includes all breeds and skills of hunting canines, but "gun dogs" refers to canines that are trained to work alongside a loud firearm while hunting or retrieving game.^[2] Gun dogs are divided into three main categories: pointers and retrievers, setters and spaniels, and water dogs.^[3]^{[ failed verification ]}

Types
List of gundog breeds
Kennel club classification
See also
References

Types

There are several breeds used as gundogs with varying instinctive skill sets for each one.^[4] Gun dogs are divided into three primary types: retrievers, pointing breeds, and water dogs.

Main category	Type
Retrievers		Golden Retriever
Pointing	Pointers	English Pointer
Pointing	Setters	English Setter
Water (flushing) dog	Spaniels	English Cocker Spaniel
Water (flushing) dog	Water dogs	Standard Poodle

List of gundog breeds

Kennel club classification

When competing in conformation shows most kennel clubs, including The Kennel Club group pedigree gun dog breeds together in their own gun dog group, whilst some such as the American Kennel Club group them in a sporting group.^[6]^[7]

References

↑ "Definition of GUNDOG". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
↑ Lumontod, Patrick (2017-10-03). "12 Types of Hunting Dogs and Which One You Need". Top Dog Tips. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
↑ "Gundog Breeds: Sizes, Personality & Behaviour | Purina". www.purina.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
↑ "Gun Dog Care - Caring for Different Dog Breeds". Purina. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
↑ "Breed Profile: Braque d'Auvergne - Gun Dog Magazine". 1 June 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
↑ "Gundog Group". The Kennel Club. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
↑ "Sporting Group". American Kennel Club. Retrieved 17 December 2019.

v t e Gundogs
Pointers and setters	Ariège Pointer Blue Picardy Spaniel Bracco Italiano Braque d'Auvergne Braque du Bourbonnais Braque Français Braque Saint-Germain Brittany Burgos Pointer Ca Mè Mallorquí Cesky Fousek Drentse Patrijshond English Setter French Spaniel German Longhaired Pointer German Roughhaired Pointer German Shorthaired Pointer German Wirehaired Pointer Gordon Setter Irish Red and White Setter Irish Setter Large Münsterländer Old Danish Pointer Pachón Navarro Picardy Spaniel Perdigueiro Galego Pointer Portuguese Pointer Pudelpointer Saint-Usuge Spaniel Slovakian Roughhaired Pointer Small Münsterländer Spinone Italiano Stabyhoun Vizsla Weimaraner Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Wirehaired Vizsla
Retrievers	Chesapeake Bay Retriever Curly-coated Retriever Flat-coated Retriever Golden Retriever Labrador Retriever Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Spaniels	American Cocker Spaniel Boykin Spaniel Clumber Spaniel English Cocker Spaniel English Springer Spaniel Field Spaniel German Spaniel Kooikerhondje Pont-Audemer Spaniel Russian Spaniel Sussex Spaniel Welsh Springer Spaniel
Water dogs	American Water Spaniel Barbet Cantabrian Water Dog Irish Water Spaniel Lagotto Romagnolo Poodle Portuguese Water Dog Spanish Water Dog Wetterhoun
Extinct breeds	Braque Dupuy English Water Spaniel Norfolk Spaniel Old Spanish Pointer Tweed Water Spaniel

v t e Dogs
Types	African village dog Free-ranging dog Pye-dog Street dog Hairless dog Herding dog Collie Livestock guardian dog Sheep dog Hunting dog Cur Feist Lurcher Gun dog Pointer Retriever Setter Spaniel Water dog Hound Scenthound Basset Coonhound Foxhound Sighthound Longdog Terrier Bull-type terrier Pinscher Schnauzer Mastiff Bulldog Spitz Husky Laika Tugou Toy dog Bichon Turnspit dog
Breeds	List of breeds List of crossbreeds Mixed-breed dog Crossbreed Extinct breeds Most popular
Roles	Assistance dog Autism dog Guide dog Hearing dog Medical response dog Seizure dog Mobility assistance dog Therapy dog Psychiatric assistance dog Attack dog Bay dog Carriage dog Catch dog Companion dog Detection dog Fighting dog Guard dog Lap dog Meat dog Mercy dog Police dog usage by country Search and rescue dog Sled dog War dog
Behavior	Communication Barking Body language Howling Intelligence Dog–cat relationship
Human–dog interaction	Animal testing Baiting Breed-specific legislation Cynanthropy Dog bite Dog beach Dog daycare Dog fighting Dog food dog biscuit 2007 recalls Dog grooming Dogs in religion Dogs in space Dog licence Dog meat Dog park Dog show Dog theft Dog sports Dog walking Fear of dogs Human–canine bond Origin of the domestic dog Therapy
Health	Aging (List of longest-living dogs) Anatomy Breeding Coat Conformation Diseases Dog food Odor Rabies in animals Rage syndrome Reproduction Skin disorders Vaccination
Training	Clicker Crate training Housebreaking Socialization
Related	Domesticated silver fox List of individual dogs List of fictional dogs Lists of dogs
Category Portal

v t e Hunting topics
History	Ancient Egypt Hunter-gatherer Medieval hunting Imperial hunt of the Qing dynasty North American hunting technologies
Forms	Bat-fowling Beagling Bowhunting Big–game hunting Coursing Game stalkering Gigging Green hunting Falconry Eagles Field sports Fowling Handgun hunting Internet hunting Layout hunting Montería Muttonbirding Persistence hunting Pest control Plume hunting Spotlighting Trophy hunting Trapping Trail hunting Treeing Upland hunting Varmint hunting Venatio Waterfowl hunting
Equipment	Camouflage Game call Duck call Ghillie suit Hunting bag Hunting weapon Air gun Assegai Bow and arrow Bear spear Boar spear Boomerang Blowgun Crossbow Pistol Punt gun Rifle Spear-thrower Shotgun Sword Throwing stick Silencer Shooting brake Shooting sticks
Game	Alligator Bear Big five Bison Boar Raccoon Deer Stalking Fox Hare Human Headhunting Jackal Mink Plains game Rabbit Rook Tiger Turkey Turtle Lion Quail Wolf With dogs Seal Squirrel Poaching Whale Aboriginal Dolphin drive hunting Subsistence hunting of the bowhead whale
Infrastructure	Buffalo jump Buffalo pound Chase (land) Deer park (England) Deer forest Desert kite Game larder Game reserve Game farm Guest ranch Hunting blind Bird hide Salter Sporting lodge Jagdschloss Wolf trap
By location	Australia Dugong Kangaroo Azerbaijan Tiger Cambodia Chad Elephant Greenland Reindeer India Tiger poaching Rhino poaching in Assam Kenya Elephant New Zealand Helicopter-based hunting in Fiordland Pakistan Trophy Hunting Russia Romania Spain Switzerland Federal hunting reserves Tonga Pigeon United States Alaska United Kingdom Driven grouse shooting
Regulation and conservation	Bag Bag limits Conservation officer Deer management Game Act 1831 Game law Game preservation Hunting license Hunting Act 2004 Hunting season Poaching Sustainable hunting
Culture	Bambi effect Blooding Canned hunt Car hawking Duck ague Falconry training and technique Fair chase Field dressing Gamekeepers in the United Kingdom Gillie Hunting dog Gun dog Hunting magic List of hunting deities List of big-game hunters Opposition to hunting Parahawking Professional hunter Killing of Cecil the lion Raptor persecution Safety orange Safari Take Tracking Wild Hunt White hunter
Organizations	Boone and Crockett Club Countryside Alliance Ducks Unlimited Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU Finnish Hunters' Association Hunt Saboteurs Association Humane Society of the United States League Against Cruel Sports North American Falconers Association People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Safari Club International
Other	Bowfishing Bounty hunter Blood sport Drag hunting Field trial Fur trade Ghost hunting Hunting hypothesis Hunting strategy Honey hunting Insect collecting Mushroom hunting Orchid hunting Overview of gun laws by nation Pearl hunting Spearfishing Wildlife farming

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

Gun dog

Contents

Types

List of gundog breeds

Kennel club classification

See also

References