10 Best Hunting Dog Breeds

Every avid hunter needs a companion to help him find game, retrieve game, and keep his hunter company. There are many AKC registered dog breeds for hunting. If you are looking for a hunting dog, consider one of these best hunting dog breeds.

Brittany

The Brittany is a bird hunting dog. It is both a pointer and a retriever. Males and females both grow to between 30 and 40 pounds. The Brittany requires a great deal of exercise. It is a highly social dog that needs a lot of attention from its owner. They require very little grooming.

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers are popular family dogs, but they are also an excellent hunting dog breed. They are water retrievers and are experts at duck hunting. Male labs grow to between 65 and 80 pounds. Females grow to between 55 and 70 pounds. Labs are devoted and obedient, making them easy to train and one of the best hunting dog breeds. Labs need weekly grooming.

Vizsula

Vizsulas are fairly rare in the United States. Vizsulas are bird dogs that originated in Hungary. They are pointers and are used in pointing field trials. Males and females both grow to between 45 and 65 pounds. The Vizsula is an energetic hunting dog breed that requires a great deal of exercise. They are runners and must be allowed to run every day. Grooming is minimal for Vizsulas.

German Shorthaired Pointer

The German Shorthaired Pointer is another bird hunting dog breed. As their name implies, they are bred to be pointers. Males are between 55 and 70 pounds. Females are between 45 and 60 pounds. As with other breeds of bird dogs, the German Shorthaired Pointer needs plenty of exercise. An occasional brushing is all the German Shorthaired Pointer needs to be well groomed.

Golden Retriever

Another highly popular dog breed is the Golden Retriever. Like Labrador Retrievers, they are great dogs to have along on a duck hunt. Males are between 65 and 75 pounds. Females are between 55 and 65 pounds. They are obedient and easy to train. Both the mind and body of a Golden Retriever needs exercise, as they are highly intelligent dogs. The Golden Retriever’s coat should be brushed twice a week.

Black and Tan Coonhound

The Black and Tan Coonhound is used to hunt raccoons. They are members of the hound group. Males and females are both between 55 and 75 pounds. The Black and Tan Coonhound is a mellow hunting dog breed. Once its nose picks up a scent, it can be hard to get it to leave the trail. They drool a bit, so their faces will need to be wiped. The Black and Tan Coonhound’s coat requires only basic brushing.

Beagle

Beagles are used for rabbit hunting. Their noses can pick up the scent of a rabbit and trail it for the hunter. Males and females grow to between 18 and 30 pounds. Beagles are loving and good family dogs. They tend to wander off if they are outside and pick up a scent, so they need to be in a yard with a fence. A beagles coat does not require much maintenance.

Weimaraner

The beautiful gray Weimeraner is a pointer. Weimeraners love to run and need plenty of exercise. They grow to between 55 and 90 pounds. Weimaraners are a highly social hunting dog breed. The only grooming this hunting dog breed requires is an occasional brushing.

Pointer

Pointers are, obviously, pointers. This is a bird hunting dog breed. Males are between 55 and 75 pounds. Females range from 45 to 65 pounds. Pointers have a great deal of stamina, which will keep them hunting for hours. This means they need a lot of exercise. Like most bird dogs, Pointers only require minimal grooming.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a water retriever. Thanks to its coat, this hunting dog breed can dive into icy waters to retrieve game. These hunting dogs grow to between 65 and 80 pounds for males and 55 to 70 pounds for females. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever, or “Chessie”, needs daily exercise. A simple weekly brushing will keep this breed well groomed.