Top 10 Sporting Dog Breeds
Author: Mark Ransome
The Sporting Group includes pointers, setters, retrievers and
many spaniels. This group of fairly active dogs is composed of
a wide variety of breeds, which were developed to aid hunters
by finding, flushing out and retrieving game. Members of this
group all need a fair amount of exercise but you don't have to
be a hunter to own one of these dogs. Many breeds in this group
are usually very good with children and include the: English
Setter; Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Welsh Springer
Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel, and Flat Coated Retriever.
Dogs in this group range in size from small dog breeds like the
American Cocker Spaniel up to medium to large dog breeds with
the setters (English, Irish and Gordon) and the Weimaraner
being the largest The two most popular family dogs in the world
are the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever. The top ten
most popular sporting dogs in the US are the following.
1.Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dog in the US (#1) and
one of the best family dogs in the world. The Lab is gentle,
loyal, intelligent and extremely reliable with children. These
large-sized Retrievers are not apartment dogs but can adapt
well to city living if they are given sufficient exercise. The
Labrador is good natured and eager to learn and can be easily
trained to do everything from competitive obedience and field
trials to becoming a "seeing-eye" dog for the blind.
2.Golden Retriever
This Retriever is a good hunting dog, seeing-eye dog, obedience
and agility competitor, and outstanding family dog. The
extremely popular (#2) Golden is a gentle, confident and loyal
dog that is cheerful, trustworthy and responsive to training.
This breed makes a wonderful family dog that is friendly with
everyone – both human and other animals. This large-sized
Retriever does very well with children but toddlers should
always be supervised as young untrained dogs can be over
exuberant.
3.Cocker Spaniel
The American Cocker Spaniel is smaller than its English cousin
– the English Cocker Spaniel. This beautiful spaniel has a
luxurious thick and silky coat with trousered legs. This small-
to medium- sized gun dog can be used for hunting and retrieving
but is extremely popular (#15) as a companion and show dog.
Cockers get along extremely well with children and strangers
and can adapt to apartment living if exercised twice daily.
4.German Shorthaired Pointer
The German Shorthaired is a very athletic gun-dog that doesn't
belong in the city. This large-sized dog is loyal, intelligent
and eager to learn and can be trained for field, agility and
obedience competitions. This breed is extremely popular (#20)
but needs to be challenged both mentally and physically. The
breed makes a good family dog but may be too exuberant for
toddlers and small children
5.English Springer Spaniel
The cheerful medium-sized English Springer Spaniel is the
progenitor of the English hunting spaniels and the largest of
the spaniel dog breeds. These popular (#28) Spaniels make both
excellent hunting retrievers and good family dogs that get
along well with children. Some Springer bloodlines have shown
some aggression and dominance so early socialization and
obedience training for males should be a priority.
6.Weimaraner
The popular (#30) Weimaraner is a large-sized hunting dog
breed. This high-energy dog needs an athletic family that can
satisfy his demanding exercise requirements. The Weimaraner
needs an experienced owner who can manage and control this
headstrong breed and provide early socialization and on-going
obedience training. This dog doesn't do well with children
unless it is raised with them. Weims need to live indoors and
spend a lot of time with their families. Well trained
Weimaraners are a delight but poorly trained dogs can be
destructive, rambunctious, have a high prey drive and try to
dominate other dogs.
7.Brittany
The Brittany Spaniel is an active medium-sized dog that is
intelligent, loyal and easy to train. It makes a terrific
hunting dog or family pet and requires very little grooming and
does very well with all children. This popular breed (#30) needs
lots of exercise and makes a fairly good watchdog.
8.Vizsla
The Short-haired Vizsla is a popular (#44) medium- to
large-sized hunting dog breed with an elegant bearing and
strong and muscular appearance. The Vizsla is lively, sweet,
affectionate and somewhat sensitive. This athletic, sporty and
agile breed needs lots of exercise and lots of human
companionship. Vizlas must be socialized and trained early to
build confidence and prevent neurotic behaviour. This is not a
city dog and it needs to live with a very active family.
9.Chesapeake Bay Retriever
The Chessie is the strongest and most powerful of the sporting
dogs. This large dog loves hunting but also is a great family
dog and gets along well with all children. This intelligent
breed is quite popular (#49) and somewhat distrustful of
strangers and makes a good watchdog. Chesapeakes are not city
dogs and need a lot of regular exercise and love to go
swimming.
10.Irish Setter
The popular (#67) Irish is an exuberant, happy-go-lucky, goofy,
kind, charming and intelligent dog. This breed has no aggression
and welcomes everybody. These Setters can be somewhat
independent and easily distracted but are intelligent and eager
to learn and therefore can be trained fairly easily. The Irish
is a superb hunting dog and must have lots of exercise with
challenging field and retrieval exercises. If these dogs are
given early obedience training, they adapt very well to older
children. However this breed is so lively and impulsive when it
is young that it could knock toddlers over.
About The Author: Mike Mathews writes articles about dog
breeds, dog health, dog training and dog grooming. His articles
and reports on dog breeds can be seen at
http://www.dog-breed-facts.com/ .
many spaniels. This group of fairly active dogs is composed of
a wide variety of breeds, which were developed to aid hunters
by finding, flushing out and retrieving game. Members of this
group all need a fair amount of exercise but you don't have to
be a hunter to own one of these dogs. Many breeds in this group
are usually very good with children and include the: English
Setter; Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Welsh Springer
Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel, and Flat Coated Retriever.
Dogs in this group range in size from small dog breeds like the
American Cocker Spaniel up to medium to large dog breeds with
the setters (English, Irish and Gordon) and the Weimaraner
being the largest The two most popular family dogs in the world
are the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever. The top ten
most popular sporting dogs in the US are the following.
1.Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dog in the US (#1) and
one of the best family dogs in the world. The Lab is gentle,
loyal, intelligent and extremely reliable with children. These
large-sized Retrievers are not apartment dogs but can adapt
well to city living if they are given sufficient exercise. The
Labrador is good natured and eager to learn and can be easily
trained to do everything from competitive obedience and field
trials to becoming a "seeing-eye" dog for the blind.
2.Golden Retriever
This Retriever is a good hunting dog, seeing-eye dog, obedience
and agility competitor, and outstanding family dog. The
extremely popular (#2) Golden is a gentle, confident and loyal
dog that is cheerful, trustworthy and responsive to training.
This breed makes a wonderful family dog that is friendly with
everyone – both human and other animals. This large-sized
Retriever does very well with children but toddlers should
always be supervised as young untrained dogs can be over
exuberant.
3.Cocker Spaniel
The American Cocker Spaniel is smaller than its English cousin
– the English Cocker Spaniel. This beautiful spaniel has a
luxurious thick and silky coat with trousered legs. This small-
to medium- sized gun dog can be used for hunting and retrieving
but is extremely popular (#15) as a companion and show dog.
Cockers get along extremely well with children and strangers
and can adapt to apartment living if exercised twice daily.
4.German Shorthaired Pointer
The German Shorthaired is a very athletic gun-dog that doesn't
belong in the city. This large-sized dog is loyal, intelligent
and eager to learn and can be trained for field, agility and
obedience competitions. This breed is extremely popular (#20)
but needs to be challenged both mentally and physically. The
breed makes a good family dog but may be too exuberant for
toddlers and small children
5.English Springer Spaniel
The cheerful medium-sized English Springer Spaniel is the
progenitor of the English hunting spaniels and the largest of
the spaniel dog breeds. These popular (#28) Spaniels make both
excellent hunting retrievers and good family dogs that get
along well with children. Some Springer bloodlines have shown
some aggression and dominance so early socialization and
obedience training for males should be a priority.
6.Weimaraner
The popular (#30) Weimaraner is a large-sized hunting dog
breed. This high-energy dog needs an athletic family that can
satisfy his demanding exercise requirements. The Weimaraner
needs an experienced owner who can manage and control this
headstrong breed and provide early socialization and on-going
obedience training. This dog doesn't do well with children
unless it is raised with them. Weims need to live indoors and
spend a lot of time with their families. Well trained
Weimaraners are a delight but poorly trained dogs can be
destructive, rambunctious, have a high prey drive and try to
dominate other dogs.
7.Brittany
The Brittany Spaniel is an active medium-sized dog that is
intelligent, loyal and easy to train. It makes a terrific
hunting dog or family pet and requires very little grooming and
does very well with all children. This popular breed (#30) needs
lots of exercise and makes a fairly good watchdog.
8.Vizsla
The Short-haired Vizsla is a popular (#44) medium- to
large-sized hunting dog breed with an elegant bearing and
strong and muscular appearance. The Vizsla is lively, sweet,
affectionate and somewhat sensitive. This athletic, sporty and
agile breed needs lots of exercise and lots of human
companionship. Vizlas must be socialized and trained early to
build confidence and prevent neurotic behaviour. This is not a
city dog and it needs to live with a very active family.
9.Chesapeake Bay Retriever
The Chessie is the strongest and most powerful of the sporting
dogs. This large dog loves hunting but also is a great family
dog and gets along well with all children. This intelligent
breed is quite popular (#49) and somewhat distrustful of
strangers and makes a good watchdog. Chesapeakes are not city
dogs and need a lot of regular exercise and love to go
swimming.
10.Irish Setter
The popular (#67) Irish is an exuberant, happy-go-lucky, goofy,
kind, charming and intelligent dog. This breed has no aggression
and welcomes everybody. These Setters can be somewhat
independent and easily distracted but are intelligent and eager
to learn and therefore can be trained fairly easily. The Irish
is a superb hunting dog and must have lots of exercise with
challenging field and retrieval exercises. If these dogs are
given early obedience training, they adapt very well to older
children. However this breed is so lively and impulsive when it
is young that it could knock toddlers over.
About The Author: Mike Mathews writes articles about dog
breeds, dog health, dog training and dog grooming. His articles
and reports on dog breeds can be seen at
http://www.dog-breed-facts.com/ .
