The hunting instinct of dogs is innate in many breeds. Over the years, some of them have been enhancing their hunting skills and others have been developed to help humans in related tasks, learning specific skills very useful to ensure that hunting activity is carried out successfully.

It is important to note that not all hunting dogs are created equal. Some breeds have characteristics more suitable to be trained in hunting birds and small animals, capturing prey under the responsibility of the hunter, while other hunting breeds have a very powerful sense of smell and track their prey, locate them and catch them until the arrival of the hunter. To discover the different types of hunting dogs that exist and their main characteristics, in we recommend that you continue reading this article.

Greyhounds

Greyhounds are one of the dogs that most help to successfully execute the hunting activity. They have physical characteristics that allow them to reach high speeds, becoming for their speed in ideal dogs to catch prey that run very fast, as is the case of hares.

In fact, the maximum speed at which a greyhound can run is 72 km / h, a very outstanding record to help in hunting tasks along with its gentle, athletic, intelligent and quiet character. Among the greyhounds, there are different breeds, such as the Spanish greyhound and the Arabian greyhound.

Dogs of prey

This group of dogs is characterized by having a corpulent appearance and possessing a strong jaw. Historically, they have been trained to catch larger prey such as deer, wild boar, and even bears.

They have a determined and stubborn temperament, so they do not give up easily to the challenge of catching prey no matter how difficult it is. With an approximate height of 56 to 65 cm and a weight ranging between 50 and 65 kilos, they have a powerful physique for hunting. Within this group are the Dog Argentina and the Presa Canarian, among others.

Hounds

Hounds are dogs with a highly developed sense of smell, so they are an ideal companion to locate the trail left by the trajectory of prey. Usually, they help a lot in small game tasks, but they also have the ability to locate larger prey such as deer and wild boar. Among the hound dogs, there are different breeds such as the beagle and the basset hound.

Discover what are the care of a beagle.

Sample dogs

Known in English as ‘pointer’, show dogs are very effective in recognizing prey, as well as informing the hunter. They have an instinct that makes them show or point with their muzzle the place where the hunted animal is.

Among the most representative sample dogs are the English setter with an average height of 64-69 cm, the French pointer with a height of 47-58 cm and the Korthals griffon with a height ranging between 56 cm and 61 cm.

Terrier

Terriers are known as burrowing dogs. Due to their small size (they do not usually exceed 12 kilos and have a height ranging between 42 cm and 48 cm), they are very skilled companions for small game and small prey. Therefore, it is an ideal dog for hunting small animals, either above or below ground. Among the terriers are different breeds, such as the airedale terrier and the American pitbull terrier. Retriever

Today, the golden retriever breed is considered one of the best dog breeds to do rescue or auxiliary work. They also make excellent companion dogs thanks to their gentle character, as well as being affectionate and intelligent.

However, in their origins they were considered as hunting dogs due to their abilities to search and recover hunting pieces that had been injured or killed during hunting activity. With a height ranging between 51 cm and 61 cm and a weight between 25 and 34 kilos, they have a remarkable physical power for hunting. Another breed of retriever dog is the Labrador retriever.

We recommend you read this article about How to know if my golden is pure.

Spaniel

The spaniel was originally bred for the elimination of the thickness of small game pieces. These dogs have a great ability to quickly reconnoiter territory and to find downed prey with great ease. Because of these skills, the spaniel is one of the fundamental dog breeds for hunting. Within this group we find the Breton spaniel and the cocker spaniel.

Water dogs

Water dogs are highly valued by hunters as they have a great facility to make quick and agile movements both in and out of the water. Therefore, they are very good collaborators when it comes to catching waterfowl in rivers and swamps.

To these skills we must add the innate hunting instinct of this type of race. Therefore, they are one of the dogs that are most used for the montería. Among the water dogs are different breeds, such as the Spanish water dog and the Portuguese water dog. You may be interested in How to know if a water dog is pure.

Now that you know the types of hunting dogs, we invite you to read this other article about the calmest dog breeds.

If you want to read similar articles to Types of hunting dogs, we recommend that you enter our pet’s category.