"Nature and books belong to the eyes that see them."Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Great Danes - Their Origin And Temperament
The origin of Great Danes, like that of many other varieties of dogs, is so obscure that all researches have only resulted in speculative theories, but the undoubted antiquity of this dog is proved by the fact that representatives of a breed sufficiently ...
Saving the Iberian Lynx
Of the 32 remaining species of big cat left in the world, the Iberian Lynx is the most endangered, even more so than the Siberian tiger. Western Europe’s last remaining big cat is in serious trouble, recent estimations place the number of lynx’s remaining ...
Training a Cat to do Tricks
Are the tricks that your cat are doing, are these tricks that you approve of your cat doing or are they bad habits or behaviors? Did you know that you are able to teach a cat the difference between good tricks and bad tricks? Teaching tricks to your cat ...
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Dogs have been bred for the purposes of hunting with humans for centuries. Whether hunting for food or sport, various breeds of dog have been used to help flush the hunted animals out into the open, to retrieve downed animals (especially ducks, pheasant, and other birds), and to sniff out and track animals for the hunter. It is with these potential duties in mind that a hunting dog should be chosen.
When choosing a dog for hunting purposes you may want to evaluate your needs and base the choice on what you want the dog to do, how easily it can be trained, whether it is likely to be "spooked" by the report of a weapon being fired, and how good its nose is.
Hunting Breeds
There are several breeds of dog that have a natural aptitude for assisting in various aspects of hunting. Hounds, for example, make excellent trackers, especially bloodhounds. They have a very acute sense of smell, even for a dog, and have no problem following several scents at once. Retrievers are quite keen at, well, retrieving. And make excellent bird-dogs.
Hunting breeds are separated into four general groups. These are the general hunting dogs, gun dogs, retrievers, and bird dogs. Some specific dog breeds may fit into more than
one category.
Retrievers
Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are experts at finding and fetching fallen prey. They are especially useful on duck hunts because their oily coats help them move effortlessly through water to find and retrieve the fallen waterfowl.
Pointers and Setters
These dogs are useful in hunting because they let the hunter know when prey is nearby. They are most often used in bird hunts and are trained to freeze and point their bodies in the direction of the hunted bird (pointers) or hunker down low to the ground when they locate a bird (setters). Spaniels also make good pointers.
Hounds and Trackers
Bloodhounds and other dogs with heightened senses of smell are used to track all manner of animals. Whether it is their traditional use in the British fox hunt or their usefulness in tracking down deer, bears, and other such game for hunters in the US, they serve their purpose exceptionally well.
About the Author
Kirsten Hawkins is a dog lover and animal expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.doghealth411.com/ for more information on dog health, the care of dogs, and dog travel.
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