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| Breed of Hunting Dogs | A hunting dog can be defined as any dog that aids his
human master in hunting wild game. There are several
different types of hunting dogs, each suited for a
different type of game or style of hunting.
This is not to say that any breed of dog cannot be
trained to hunt any game, or in any style, just that
there are several breeds who are naturally
predisposition to certain styles. For instance, a
black lab's need to retrieve is strong, and will fetch
without being trained to do so.
Hounds are dogs that are used to locate quarry. They
are used primarily to hunt fur bearing animals such as
rabbits, raccoons, and coyotes. They can be broken
down into two groups: Sighthounds are dogs that, due
to their incredible sight, can stalk prey from a long
distance. The prey is then chased down and killed.
This is called "coursing." ScentHounds locate prey by
using their acute sense of smell. They are usually run
in packs, leading the hunter to a treed quarry. A
third group of hounds is the lurcher, which is a
sighthound cross bred with a working breed.
Gun dogs, also known as bird dogs, are used by hunters
to find game or retrieve game that has already been
killed by the hunter. This is especially helpful when
hunting waterfowl. They can be divided into three
classes: retrievers, flushing spaniels and pointing
breeds.
Terriers are used primarily to hunt pest species, such
as ground hogs, fox, and badgers. They are especially
adept at locating the dens of the quarry. Once they
locate the den, they are often employed to flush out
the animal or kill it. Curs are used in hunting in a
similar way to terriers, but employed against larger
prey, such as cougars, boars, or raccoons.
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