Bird Dog Breeds - Trained for Sport

There are several bird dog breeds that can accompany their masters on hunts, and who make excellent house pets too. They are usually medium to large sized dogs, and need plenty of exercise to stay fit. Bird dog breeds are highly intelligent and loyal, and usually easy to train. It is amazing even if they normally live in a city, how their instinct takes over in the country when they sniff or see birds!

Hunting has always been a very popular sport in the English countryside, and packs of dogs have been an integral part of the hunting team. Most of the bird dog breeds we see around anywhere in the world have probably originated from Great Britain or Europe. While it may not be a way of life for most of the bird dog breeds to go hunting regularly, their characteristics and instincts are very much unchanged.

Bird Dog Breeds That Make Good House Dogs

The most popular among the bird dog breeds seen today are the Pointers, Setters and Retrievers. Most of them live up to their names even if they have not been trained. Among the other bird dog breeds, Airedales are excellent working dogs. They have great hunting instincts, and tough weather resistant coats. They can go after water fowls in very harsh conditions. As pets, they are gentle affectionate, and excellent with children.

American bird dog breeds include the Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. They are not playful or over friendly dogs like Labs and Golden Retrievers. They need to be trained, but are loyal and sensitive. They are protective towards their owners, and want nothing more than to be near them! The Weimeraners are wonderful gun dogs that can be trained to be very swift pointers, flushers, and retrievers. They are loyal, easy to train, and highly intelligent. Their good tempered nature makes them very good house dogs and watch dogs.

English Pointers are extremely gentle but excellent on the field. They love children, but are too friendly to make good watch dogs. English Setters are intelligent, swift, and graceful animals. Their loyalty and gentleness makes them good house pets. They are companionable with children, and friendly towards other animals in the house. They are fun loving, and do not like to be left on their own. Golden Retrievers are beautiful animals with lustrous coats. Their temperaments match their looks, and they are friendly, trustworthy, and gentle with children. They work hard when in the field under adverse conditions too.