Kinds of Dogs

During the early times the dog was bred into a variety of races or breeds, depending on climate, certain environmental directions of selection, and the preferences of its masters.

A breed may be defined as a group of animals bred by man to possess certain inheritable qualities, including a uniform appearance, that can be distinguish from other members of the same species.

Sporting Dogs are subdivided according to the manner in which they hunt.

• Pointing Breeds. These are breeds that follow wind-borne scents and are always used in the hunting of upland birds. This breed stops, points it muzzle in the direction of the bird, and holds this position until the hunter arrives to flush out and shoot the bird. Many pointing breeds are also required to get the fallen bird.
• Retrieving Breeds. Since pointing breeds are not always good at retrieving the fallen bird, and because certain kinds of hunting do not require game-finding dogs, hunters have developed the retriever. Retriever is typically a very obedient dog that waits quietly by its master's side until instructed to bring in killed game.
• Flushing Breeds. These breed search bushes and reedy areas to find and flush game themselves and do not wait for the arrival of the hunter. They are close-ranging dogs, who stays as near to the hunter as possible. In many instances, these flushing breeds are not required to retrieve the game.
• Scent Hounds. These are breeds with an excellent sense of smell, and they generally trail ground-borne scents. They usually keep the game running and circling toward the hunter or bring it to bay to await the hunter's gun. Though scent hounds may be used on ground-running birds, such as pheasants, they are primarily used in the tracking of mammals. Some breeds are held on long leather leashes while following the blood trail of a wounded animal.

• Sight Hounds. These dogs depend upon their vision rather than their smelling ability to locate and follow game. Their high, narrow, flexible bodies are built for speed. They were developed as hunters of swift-footed mammals.
• Terriers. These are courageous, lively dogs that were originally developed to enter the habitat of foxes, rabbits, and other animals and drive them out to the hunters.
• Mastiffs. These are very large, heavily built breeds that were formerly used for a variety of purposes, but now mostly serve as guard dogs or pets.
• Herders. This is the largest and most comprehensive group. For many centuries man has used these dogs to guard sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs, and many of them has trained to actually guide, or herd, groups of animals. Today the able herding dogs, like the German shepherd, have been singled out and trained to do a variety of tasks.
• Toys. The modern toy dog is not a dwarf but a correctly proportioned miniature form developed from almost any one of the previously named breed groups the pug, for example is from the mastiff.
• Northland-Type Dogs. This is a breed group includes the sled dogs, the laikas, and the spitzes. These breeds all have stiff, erect ears and carry their tails curled up over their backs. Its relationship with the wolf is very evident in the sled dogs, but the laikas, which are used as hunters and watchdogs, are lighter in build. The sled dogs make as little use of their voice as do the laikas, but the European spitzes-old, has a watchdogs-like tongue.

Hunting Terminology:

• Game - is wild animals or birds hunted for sports or food.
• Flushing - is the practice of scaring animals from concealed areas.