Perfect Hunting Dog: The Best Breed for Your Hunting Style
The bond between man and dog forms strongest when you and your furry partner share interests. Here are types of...
The bond between man and dog forms strongest when you and your furry partner share interests. Here are types of hunters and the breeds that fit them. Generalizations help, but to predict a pup’s personality, meet its parents.
Part-Time Upland Hunter
English setter
Photograph courtesy of Scarlett2308/Flickr
You hunt grouse during an all-too brief season. You want a hunter in the fall and a family dog the rest of the year.
Dog: English setter
Teach them to come when called and to stop when you say “whoa” and they’ll do the rest. They’re also loving and lovable.
Year-Round Hunter
Drathaar Hunting Dog
Photo by Mark Palas/Windigo Images
Birds, rabbits, coons, waterfowl, and deer—is there anything you don’t hunt?
Dog: Drathaar
The pure German variety of the wirehair has an all-weather coat and mind-boggling tracking ability. Drathaars can be aggressive around strangers.
Hardcore Waterfowler
Chesapeake Bay Retriever Waterfowl Dog
Photo by Denver Bryan
You will hunt anything with webbed feet anywhere.
Dog: Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Hardy enough to fetch divers in big water and nasty weather, they have a reputation as mean dogs, but it’s undeserved. They’re merely protective of their owners.
Duck and Pheasant Hunter
Labrador Retriever Hunting Dog
Photo by John Eriksson/images on the Wildside
You hit ponds for ducks, then switch to pheasants.
Dog: Labrador Retriever
America’s gun dog: affectionate, trainable, loves to hunt on land and water. Be careful where you shop to avoid hereditary health problems.
Apartment-Dwelling Hunter
Hunting with Cocker Spaniels
Photo by Dale Spartas/Corbis
A small space needs an efficiency-size hunting companion.
Dog: Cocker Spaniel
You have to search to find a hunting cocker, but it’s worth it if you want a 25-pound flushing dog. Cockers are athletic, easy to train, and eager to please.