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There are many different breeds of hunting dogs, mostly used for bird hunting of different types. Each of them are unique in their own right. We’ll look at ten of the top breeds of hunting dogs.

1. Coonhound. Yes, the coonhound is actually used for hunting ‘coons’ or raccoons, and other small animals. They are believed to be a cross between two other tracking breeds, bloodhounds and foxhounds. They track animals by scent, rather than sight and will usually tree their prey and vigilantly call their master’s to the location.
2. Springer Spaniel. Smaller than many of the other hunting breeds, the Springer is a great bird dog. It is quick at flushing out birds and has a gentle bite when retrieving the animals after the kill.
3. Labrador Retriever. Labs, as they are often referred to, are the most popular dog breed, overall, in the United States. For hunting, they are primarily used for retrieving water fowl. Their coats have a water repellent nature, and their feet are webbed for swimming. They are very easily trained and use the same gentle grip on the birds they retrieve as the Springer does.
4. English Setter. Rather than flushing the birds out, like a Springer, the Setter tracks the birds by their scent and then quietly leads the hunter to the prey.
5. German Shorthaired Pointer This Pointer is one of the most versatile of the hunting breeds. It is an excellent bird dog, both on land and in the water. It doesn’t flush the birds but tracks by scent, like the Setter, and then comes to a standstill and ‘points’ towards the bird for the hunter. This breed is not limited to birding, however, its keen sense of smell makes it a great tracker for small animal prey, as well.
6. Golden Retrievers. Like the Labradors, this breed also has a water resistant coat. Their coat is longer and softer than a Lab’s, and of course has the bright golden color. They are strong hunters and easily trained. They are also very gentle and non-aggressive, which makes them a great choice for a family with children.
7. Airedales. These heavy coated Terriers do well in most any weather and have great stamina and endurance. They do equally well with the retrieval of water fowl as with land birds.
8. Foxhound. As noted by the name, this dog breed is most well-known for tracking and hunting of fox, but it is used for other small game as well. They are very social dogs and do well in packs, as is often portrayed in an English fox hunt. They are also very comfortable around the horses that participate in hunts, as well.
9. English Pointers. They’re great sense of balance and ability to stop and hold a point position, is the source of their name. Pointers are also very energetic dogs that will enjoy a full day’s hunt. They also have a very affectionate nature which makes them an excellent choice as a house dog, as well,
10. Weimaraners. These bird dogs are also excellent house dogs, and prefer to be wherever the people are. Their loyalty to their masters makes them easy to train for both pointing and retrieving. They set themselves apart from most of the other hunting breeds by their soft, shiny coat of bluish grey.

Each hunting breed has its own special strengths. All of them, however, carry the same common characteristic of being easily trained.