Gundog Dog Breeds
Gundogs are those which have been developed to aid hunters in alerting them to, flushing out and retrieving game. They are most frequently used for hunting birds of all types and different breeds show certain characteristics which can be more advantageous when hunting different types of birds. For example, dogs used for retrieving tend to have to wait until they need to fetch the shot bird for the hunter whereas pointers will be expected to run quite good distances and work the edges of fields etc.
Hound Dog Breeds
Hounds are a breed of dog which is bred to assist hunters through tracking game either by scent or by sight. Sight hounds tend to be extremely fast and are expected to be able to kill small game themselves. Scent hounds are those which have an extraordinarily good sense of smell and can pick up tracks of animals very well and thus alert the hunter to them.
Pastoral Dog Breeds
Pastoral dogs are those which are commonly bred for a working life in the fields such as herding livestock or even for protection of livestock. They tend to largely incorporate the different types of sheepdogs and are sometimes also known as the "herding dog" group.
Terrier Dog Breeds
Terriers are dogs which were developed for controlling vermin such as rats, foxes, rabbits and badgers. Although initially bred for hunting, the terrier breeds tend to become companion dogs and nowadays are generally bred as pets. Terriers don’t have a specific size group overall and can range quite vastly in size.
Toy Dog Breeds
Small dogs or Toy dog breeds generally come from Lapdog type breeds or miniature versions of hunting and gundogs which have been bred down in size. They are increasingly seen nowadays as companion dogs as they tend to suit apartment living much better than other dog breeds simply due to their size. They are not always less energetic than other dog breeds however and when choosing the right pet for your home it’s important to understand the different breed characteristics.
Utility Dog Breeds
Utility dog breeds are those which were once bred for a specific purpose but for which that purpose either no longer exists or simply does not fall into the other classifications of other dog types. Bred to run along horse drawn carriages, Dalmatians are a good example of a dog breed which has remained in existence despite the use of horse drawn carriages falling into decline.
Working Dog Breeds
Working dogs are those which are bred to perform tasks for their owners and family. They tend to be non specific tasks requiring a specific breed’s characteristic or those which are capable of learning a variety of different tasks to assist their owner. Working dogs are often seen as service and rescue dogs although more often nowadays tend to become companion animals.
