{{short description|Hunting dog type}} [[File:Man walking spaniel gun dog in tweed waistcoat after shooting.jpg|300px|thumb|Man walking a spaniel gun dog (East Riding of Yorkshire, 2018)]] '''Gun dogs (gundogs)''' or '''bird dogs''' are types of hunting dogs developed to assist hunters in finding and retrieving game,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of GUNDOG |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gundog |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref> typically various fowls that are shot down on the wing (in flight). The term hunting dog is broad and includes all breeds and skills of hunting canines, but "gun dogs" refers to canines that are trained to work alongside a loud firearm while hunting or retrieving game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lumontod |first=Patrick |date=2017-10-03 |title=12 Types of Hunting Dogs and Which One You Need |url=https://topdogtips.com/types-of-hunting-dogs/ |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=Top Dog Tips |language=en-US}}</ref> Gun dogs are divided into three main categories: pointers and setters, retrievers, and spaniels.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gundog Breeds: Sizes, Personality & Behaviour {{!}} Purina |url=https://www.purina.co.uk/find-a-pet/articles/dog-types/breed-groups/gundog-breeds |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=www.purina.co.uk |language=en-gb}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=April 2023}}
== Types == There are several breeds used as gundogs with varying instinctive skill sets for each one.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.purina.co.uk/dogs/dog-breeds/dog-types/gun-dogs|title=Gun Dog Care - Caring for Different Dog Breeds|website=Purina|access-date=6 July 2018}}</ref> Gun dogs are divided into three primary types: retrievers, pointing breeds, and water dogs. {| class="wikitable" !Main category !Type||colspan=2|Example |- | colspan="2" |Retrievers||none|100px||Golden Retriever |- | rowspan="2" |Pointing |Pointers||none|100px||English Pointer |- |Setters||none|100px||English Setter |- | rowspan="2" |Water (flushing) dog |Spaniels||none|100px||English Cocker Spaniel |- |Water dogs||none|100px||Standard Poodle |}
== List of gundog breeds == {{Div col|colwidth=20em}} *Barbet *Bracco Italiano *Braque du Bourbonnais<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gundogmag.com/breeds/breed-profile-braque-dauvergne/|title=Breed Profile: Braque d'Auvergne - Gun Dog Magazine|date=1 June 2016|access-date=6 July 2018}}</ref> *Brittany *Burgos Pointer *Drentsche Patrijshond *Cesky Fousek *Corded Poodle *German Longhaired Pointer *German Shorthaired Pointer *German Spaniel *German Wirehaired Pointer *Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla *Kooikerhondje *Lagotto Romagnolo *Large Münsterländer *Pointer *Portuguese Water Dog *Portuguese Pointer *Pudelpointer *Chesapeake Bay Retriever *Curly Coated Retriever *Flat-Coated Retriever *Golden Retriever *Labrador Retriever *Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever *English Setter *Gordon Setter *Irish Setter *Irish Red and White Setter *Small Münsterländer *American Cocker Spaniel *American Water Spaniel *Boykin Spaniel *Clumber Spaniel *English Cocker Spaniel *English Springer Spaniel *Field Spaniel *Irish Water Spaniel *Sussex Spaniel *Welsh Springer Spaniel *Spanish Water Dog *Spinone Italiano *Stichelhaar *Standard Poodle *Vizsla *Weimaraner *Wirehaired Pointing Griffon *Wirehaired Vizsla {{Div col end}}
==Kennel club classification== When competing in conformation shows most kennel clubs, including The Kennel Club group pedigree gun dog breeds together in their own gun dog group, whilst some such as the American Kennel Club group them in a sporting group.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/Default.aspx?group=GDGS |title=Gundog Group |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=The Kennel Club |access-date=17 December 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/sporting/ |title=Sporting Group |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=American Kennel Club |access-date=17 December 2019 }}</ref> The term "sporting" more accurately reflects historical hunting and fishing styles for which many pointers, setters, flushing spaniels, water dogs, retrievers and decoy dogs were developed to work in conjunction with nets, traps, hawks, sighthounds, arrows and bolts rather than firearms.
== See also == *Field trial
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Gundogs}} {{Domestic dog}} {{Hunting topics}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Gundogs Category:Hunting dogs