Editing Hunting dog

{{Short description|Functional type of dog}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox
|title        = Hunting dog
|image        = [[File:Dealer the Labrador Retriever and a redhead duck.jpg|180px]]
}}
[[File:Black Lab Hunting.jpg|thumb|Black Labrador Retriever standing in cornfield while pheasant hunting in South Dakota.]]
A '''hunting dog''' is a [[Dog|canine]] that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different [[Dog type|types]] of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include [[hound]]s, [[terrier]]s, [[cur]] type dogs, and [[gun dog]]s. Further distinctions within these categories can be made, based upon the dog's skills and capabilities. They are usually larger and have a more sensitive smell than normal dogs.

== Breeds and capabilities used in hunting ==
For a list of breeds of each type, see the detailed articles for each category:
<!-- Add only categories of dogs here; add specific breeds to the low-level category pages. -->
{| class=wikitable
|-
!Main category||Subcategory||Example||Summary
|-
|rowspan=4|[[Hound]]s||colspan=3|[[Hound]]s are further divided into [[sighthound]]s and [[scent hound|scenthound]]s depending upon the primary sense used to locate quarry. Many [[mammal]]s such as [[jackrabbit]]s, [[raccoon]]s, [[coyote]]s, [[deer]], and other large predators are hunted with hounds.
|-
|[[Sighthound]]s
|align=center|[[Image:WhippetWhiteSaddled wb.jpg|none|100px]] [[Whippet]]||'''Sighthounds''' are tall and lean running hounds, adapted for visual acuity and speed. Their method of hunting is called [[coursing]], where prey is sighted from a distance, chased, and caught.<ref name=fogle />{{Rp|36, 102}}
|-
|[[Scent hound|Scenthound]]s
|align=center|[[Image:Memphis the Redbone Coonhound (7 Nov 2004).jpg|none|100px]] [[Redbone Coonhound]]||'''Scenthounds''' are [[hound]]s that primarily hunt by [[scent]]. Scenthounds are used to trail and sometimes kill game. They hunt in packs, leading the hunters on a chase that may end in the quarry being chased into a tree or killed. Some of these breeds have deep, booming barks and use them when following a [[Tracking (hunting)|scent trail]].
|-
|[[Lurcher]]s
|align=center|[[Image:Rocky, Lurcher.jpg|none|100px]] Lurcher||A Lurcher is a sighthound crossed with a working dog breed—usually a pastoral dog or terrier bred selected for working.
|-
|rowspan=6|[[Gun dog]]s||colspan=3|[[Gun dog]]s are used primarily by [[small game]] hunters using [[shotgun]]s. Gun dogs are classified as [[retriever]]s, [[spaniel]]s, and [[pointing breed]]s.
|-
|[[Retriever]]s
|align=center|[[Image:Chesapeakebayretriever01-l.jpg|none|100px]] [[Chesapeake Bay Retriever]]||Once classified as a water spaniel, a retriever's primary role is to find and return shot game to the hunter. Retrievers can spend long hours in a [[duck blind]] and visually spot and remember the location of downed birds. Upon command, they retrieve the birds. They may be able to follow hand, verbal, and whistle commands to the downed bird. They typically have large, gentle muzzles.
|-
|[[Setter]]s
|align=center|[[Image:EnglishSetter9 fx wb.jpg|none|100px]] [[English Setter]]||[[Setter]]s have a long history as upland gun dogs. They appear to have an innate ability to locate and point at upland game birds. They flush the birds at the hunter's command.
|-
|[[Spaniel]]s
|align=center|[[File:Kerygma Cockers Echo & Pheasant.JPG|none|100px]] [[English Cocker Spaniel]]||[[Spaniel]]s have been used as hunting dogs. Flushing spaniels are used to locate and flush game for a hunter.
|-
|[[Pointing breed|Pointer]]s
|align=center|[[Image:Duitse staande korthaar 10-10-2.jpg|none|100px]] [[German Shorthaired Pointer]]||Pointers are dogs trained to locate and point at small game, allowing the hunter to approach and flush the game. Pointing breeds have greater range than spaniels.
|-
|[[Water dog]]s
|align=center|[[Image:Bo the poodle retrieving a duck.jpg|none|100px]] [[Poodle]]||Water dogs are a subclass of retrievers. Typically, they are strong swimmers with great stamina, bred to hunt all manner of waterfowl.
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |[[Cur]]s
| align="center" |[[Image:CatahoulaRedWhitePair wb.jpg|none|100px]] [[Catahoula Cur|Catahoula Leopard Dog]]||[[Cur]]s hunt similarly to terriers, though usually larger game. Curs are used to hunt [[raccoon]]s, as well as [[feral pig]]s, [[cougar]]s and other large mammals.
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |[[Dachshund]]
| align="center" |[[Image:Short-haired-Dachshund.jpg|none|100px]] [[Dachshund]]||The standard [[dachshund]] was bred to scent, chase, and flush out badgers, foxes, and other burrow-dwelling animals, while the miniature dachshund was developed to hunt smaller prey such as [[rabbit]]s. In the American West, they have also been used to hunt [[prairie dog]]s. In Europe, dachshunds are widely used for hunting [[deer]], [[Wild boar|boar]], and smaller game such as rabbits and [[hare]]s. They are also excellent scent dogs and are often used to track down wounded animals after car accidents, for example. The dachshund is also the only breed of dog to hunt both above and below ground.
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Feist (dog)|Feist]]s
|align=center|[[Image:Acooldog.JPG|none|100px]] [[Feist (dog)|Feist]]||[[Feist (dog)|Feist]]s are small dogs that hunt small game, especially [[squirrel]]s, in a similar manner to large hounds hunting raccoons and large game. Feists may hunt in packs and "bark up"  trees to alert the hunter.
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Laika (dog breed)|Laikas]]
|align=center|[[File:KarelianBear3.jpg|100x100px]] [[Karelian Bear Dog]]||Laikas are hunting dogs from northern [[Russia]], with origins in [[Siberia]]. Laika breeds are primitive dogs that flourish with minimal care even in hostile weather and hunt in a variety of styles depending on the size of the game: they tree small game, point and bay larger game, and work in teams to corner [[bear]] and boar.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bergovoy|first=Vladimir|title=HUNTING WITH LAIKA|url=http://www.laikabreeds.com/content/hunting-with-laika/|url-status=live|access-date=|website=Hunting Laika of Russia|archive-date=2021-08-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831142323/https://www.laikabreeds.com/content/hunting-with-laika/}}</ref>
Several other [[Spitz|Spitz-type dogs]], such as the Norwegian Elkhound, Shiba Inu, and Taiwan Dog are also used for hunting.
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Terrier]]s
|align=center|[[File:Lakeland Terrier.jpg|none|100px]] [[Lakeland Terrier]]||[[Terrier]]s are used to hunt small [[mammal]]s, such as [[ratter_(dog)|rats]]. Terriers locate the [[Burrow|den]] or [[Sett|set]] of the target animal and then bolt, capture, or kill the animal. A [[working terrier]] may go underground to kill or drive out game. Hunters who use terriers are referred to as terriermen. Larger members of this type, such those of the [[bull and terrier]] family, are sometimes used to hunt larger game, like [[razorbacks]]: the hunter will send in scenthounds to corner the pig, and the more heavily built [[catch dog]] will charge at it, bite it, and hold it down until the hunter can come and kill it.
|}

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Medium loup.jpg|[[Wolf hunting|Wolf hunt]] depicted in a 12th-century bestiary
File:Medieval women hunting.jpg|Medieval women hunting, illustration from a period manuscript
File:Li Di-Hunting Dog.jpg|''Hunting Dog'' by [[Li Di]], 12th-century Chinese painting
File:37-svaghi, caccia,Taccuino Sanitatis, Casanatense 4182..jpg|[[Boar]] hunting, [[tacuinum sanitatis]] casanatensis (14th century)
File:Hunt16thC.jpg|Hunting the [[Hart (deer)|hart]] (16th Century) from [[George Turbervile|Turbervile]], copied from Jaques du Fouilloux.
File:Filas brasileiros de orelhas cortadas, acuando onça..jpg|[[Fila Brasileiro|Filas Brasileiros]] hunting a [[jaguar]].
</gallery>

== See also ==
* {{annotated link|Canes Venatici}}, hunting dogs constellation
* {{annotated link|Wolf hunting with dogs}}
* {{annotated link|Working dog}}
* [[Portal:Dogs|Dogs portal]]
* [[Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=fogle>{{cite book|last=Fogle|first=Bruce|author-link=Bruce Fogle|title=The Encyclopedia of the Dog|publisher=[[DK (publisher)|Dorling Kindersley]]|isbn=0-7513-0471-9|date=2000|orig-year=1995}}</ref>
}}

== Further reading ==
* Deeley, Martin. "Working Gundogs: An Introduction to Training and Handling. (1990, reprinted 2002) The Crowood Press. {{ISBN|1-85223-764-3}}.
* Fergus, Charles. ''Gun Dog Breeds, A Guide to Spaniels, Retrievers, and Pointing Dogs'', The Lyons Press, 2002. {{ISBN|1-58574-618-5}}
* Roettger, Anthony Z. and Schleider, Benjamin H. III. (2004) Urban Gun Dogs: Training flushing dogs for home and field. The Writer's Collective. {{ISBN|1-59411-050-6}}

{{Domestic dog}}
{{Working animals}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Hunting topics}}

[[Category:Dog roles]]
[[Category:Hunting dogs| ]]
[[Category:Working dogs]]