Dog Breeds in the Sporting Group

Wondering who would be the Olympic athletes of the pet world? The dogs of the Sporting Group, of course!

Dog breeds in the Sporting group were developed over the years to work closely with people hunting birds. The various pointers, retrievers, setters, and spaniels are all in the Sporting Group. Each has a specialty. Pointers find the game and show the hunter where it is by freezing in place. Retrievers get it after it has been brought down by the hunter. Setters locate the game by freezing ("setting") near it. And Spaniels "flush" or "spring" the game from its hiding place by rushing up to it.

Many of the breeds in the Sporting group are able to perform several of these jobs. Sporting dogs have an excellent ability to locate by smell, and many are able to carry things gently in their mouths. Sporting dogs like to be around people and interact with them. They need company. They've always worked side by side with people, so they pay attention and are quick learners. They are active and alert, so they need a good daily workout of play and exercise.

The Sporting Breeds are:

• American Water Spaniel
• Brittany
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• Clumber Spaniel
• Cocker Spaniel
• Curly-Coated Retriever
• English Cocker Spaniel
• English Setter
• English Springer Spaniel
• Field Spaniel
• Flat-Coated Retriever
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• German Wirehaired Pointer
• Golden Retriever
• Gordon Setter
• Irish Setter
• Irish Water Spaniel
• Labrador Retriever
• Pointer
• Sussex Spaniel
• Vizsla
• Weimaraner
• Welsh Springer Spaniel
• Wirehaired Pointing Griffon