Gundogs - An Introduction.

Gundogs - A Guide.

• Not surprisingly Gundogs including Setters, Retrievers, Pointers and Spaniels have only been around (as the name indicates) since the invention of the gun or firearm.
• Gundogs are mainly used for hunting, retrieving and pointing.
• The group are very intelligent and extremely loyal and they need lots of stimulation.
• In recent times the group are used for flushing and then finding and retrieving game birds.
• They respond extremely well to training due to there energy and intelligence and make excellent service dogs.

A gundog is only allowed to crouch and scent the air and remain immobile until the the bird's location is given to the hunter. They are not allowed to chase or catch the prey. After the Bird has been shot, the dog is expected to stop and then retrieve the dead or wounded bird. The dog has been trained to keep a soft mouth - this stops the bird from being damaged by sharp teeth.? A gundog has had many hours of training and is expected to hunt with lots of energy but also show lots of self control.

Gundogs can be split into different kinds of groups depending on what they are needed for when out on a shoot. Some dogs are great all rounders such as the Weimaraner and others are particularly good at one area.

• Some dogs are used to flush out the game as they have really sensitive noses.
• Some just point and set.
• Another group will retrieve the game after it has been shot or wounded.

There are quite a few different types of gundog that you can choose for each specific purpose. For rough shooting a large and highly versatile English Springer Spaniel is ideal. If you have lots of open space where they are able to range then a Pointer or Setter is a good choice. If you are after a dog that is very easy to train and has a really soft mouth, then you may find a Labrador or Golden Retriever a good choice. Gundogs are easier to train than other dogs and very eager to learn. They also make an excellent companion as they are so loyal despite their eagerness to hunt.

English Pointer - A great gundog.

The English Pointer has a short and hard coat that coloured liver, orange or black. The Pointer is extremely obedient and easy to train as they are very even tempered.? The English Pointer is an Ideal family pet and also a great companion as they are adaptable and alert. This breed needs lots of stimulation and lots and lots of exercise.

The Pointer was initially brought into Britain from Spain in the 18th century to be used in the shooting field. The Pointer is a slow but very methodical dog but with an excellent nose. It's pace initially suited the slower muzzle-loading guns. When the technology advanced and sporting guns improved and became faster to load and faster a much more talented gundog was needed. When dog shows staretd in aprox 1859 the Pointer was classed as a classic breed. Although Pointers are not used as much as they were in women's jackets the UK - in the US they are widely used as a hunting dog and also in many field trials.