 |
Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms |
|
|
|
Sporting Group
This was probably the first group to gain recognition, the dogs in this group were bred for the purpose of assisting the hunter in all aspects of the sport of hunting. Some of these breeds were bred to retrieve game (e.g. the Labrador Retriever). Some of these retrievers were bred to retrieve game from water, while others were bred to retrieve on land. Others in this group were bred to “put the game up” so that the hunter could shoot at it; these dogs are often referred to as spaniels or flushers. Many of these breeds are all purpose hunters but they differ in what it is that they hunt, some hunt ducks and some hunt birds. Breeds in this group are often high-energy breeds who enjoy a good game of fetch, hence, the retrievers. They tend to have a high prey drive meaning that they like to chase. They are true companion dogs as they were bred to form a strong bond with their masters. They needed this strong bond in order to work with their master rather than against them. The largest breeds in this group are generally the retrievers; they have a great sense of smell and can locate fallen game. None of the breeds in this group are overly large or small. The smallest would be the American Cocker Spaniel. The most popular of all breeds is in this group and that is the Labrador Retriever with 9,984 dogs registered in 2001. The least common breed in this group is the Field Spaniel with one dog registered in 2001.
List of breeds to come.
