When man accepted the dog as a pet centuries ago, he may not have realized the amazing qualities that animal hid.

Over the years, due to various circumstances and inbreeding, numerous breeds have been created. Those breeds are now divided into several groups. Here, only the hunting dogs are discussed. These are divided into Standing dogs, Driving dogs, Earth and sweat dogs and Retrievers.

What should we expect from a continental upright dog?

The very first requirement for a good hunting dog is sufficient hunting passion (i.e. the inner urge to seek out game). This hunting passion is more or less latent from birth. And begins to develop from a certain age. A dog with a great hunting passion is said to be “high in the blood”. Training such a dog is usually not easy. But once he is trained, he really is a “top dog”.

The second requirement is that the dog is under call. This means that the dog must follow the commands of its master in all circumstances and not hunt for its own sake.
The floor dog must systematically hunt the terrain zigzagging and preferably against the wind. He must not skip any part of the terrain.

When the dog has caught the scent of the game, he starts to “draw” the game; He now goes even more intense and passionate. If the scent becomes even greater, he suddenly starts to stand in front. This is then the crowning glory: he shows his master where the game is.
The lead dog must wait until his master comes to him. According to the rule, the master must push up the game together with the dog.

Next, the dog must remain very calm and quiet so that the hunter can effectively place his shot. Staying calm also means that the dog must not chase the game as soon as it jumps away or flies up. Such a dog is called “Hazenrein.” “Hare clean” is when the dog does not go after a hare, “Steady” is when the dog does not go after spring game.

Only on command may the dog retrieve the shot game. If the game has fallen visibly to the dog, the command is simply “fetch.” If the game is hurt and running, or if it has fallen down invisible to the dog, the command is “lost retrieve.” The dog must search the designated area thoroughly. He must show clear willingness to search and must not give up too quickly. The hunter must wait calmly and give the dog time.
Once the dog has found the game, he must retrieve it correctly as quickly as possible, without “cutting” (biting) it. With proper training, we can also make some floor dogs into good sweat dogs.
A continental floor dog with purposeful training can thus do versatile work. He is rightly called ‘all-round’. Both before the shot (searching for game and standing in front) and after the shot (retrieving game) he is active. He is invaluable for hunting.

What can we expect from a floating dog?

A floating dog must search the terrain thoroughly, working more in width than depth. He should never hunt further than thirty yards from the gun. A good float should also take the heaviest cover.

Once the dog has driven out the game, it must not chase it so that the hunter has the opportunity to shoot the game. After all, if the hunter places his shot and the dog simultaneously stalks the game (especially hairy game), he could also hit the dog. Floating dogs should also be expected to retrieve the shot game. Given the small stature of some of these breeds, this is not always easy.

Proper training is also necessary with floating dogs. Because these dogs have an enormous hunting passion, keeping the dog steady (i.e., not chasing the game as it flees) is quite a job. Reliable retrieval is of enormous importance in that style of hunting. Because a lot of hunting with trackers is done in dense cover, not all shot pieces are likely to be found immediately. So a good search will be necessary.

What should we expect from a fetching dog (retriever)?

A fetching dog must without hesitation and with pleasure bring both cold and warm game, on land, on water and over water to his master as quickly as possible. By sufficient willingness to search, he should also be able to find game in dense cover.

He must be able to find the shot game on track and preferably hand it over alive. Consequently, a retriever must be soft in the mouth.
A retriever bred as a retrieving dog will naturally be softer in the mouth than a dog bred for sharpness.

In a drive hunt, a retriever cannot see all of the game’s trap sites. Therefore, he must be directed by his master. In other words, he must be “directed. The dog must carry out his master’s directions in order to reach the game’s trap site that way.

He must stop at his master’s command and follow his directions. Obstacles such as ditches, streams and hedges should not be a handicap. The dog must not show any initiative of his own while conducting. He must be completely directed. Only after the command “fetch” – when the dog has come close to the trap – , he may use his nose to find the game.

What can we expect from a Hog Dog?

A sweat dog must possess a strong-willed character to persevere in its work. Once deployed on the trail, the sweat dog must not be distracted by hot and fresh tracks crossing the wound trail. Thus, he must be “track steady. A sweat dog works with his nose to the ground. He must suck in to the track, so to speak! The sweat dog must work on a leash ( called a “sweat belt”) in order to bring his master to the game. In too dense cover, the dog can work freely. When the dog gets to the game, it either gives ‘loud’ or comes back to its master with in its mouth the leather leash it wore around its neck to indicate that it has found the game.
To get a dog this far, special training of both dog and master is required.

What can we expect from an Earthdog?

For hunting animals living underground, there are the earth dogs. Used mainly to chase rabbit and fox out of their burrows. To resist the cornered fox, these dogs must possess a large portion of independence and courage, or aggression if you will. By the way, it is usually not their intention to kill the game themselves.

Which hunting dog is best suited for me?

In classifying breeds, you have already clearly established that each breed is made to do a certain type of work (e.g., a pointer for field work, a retriever for retrieving, etc.).
So they are all clear specialists in their craft. They are particularly suited for work before or after the shot.
Our continental standing dogs are more all- round bred and very versatile. That is, they do excellent search work. They stand for and they retrieve!
On the other hand, you also have to consider the dog’s temperament. It has to fit your character. Some want a dog that has “spunk” in it, others like a quieter type.

It is not the external beauty of a particular breed that is important, but its hunting ability and character. Also don’t let diplomas and all kinds of certificates influence you too much.
The size of the dog also plays a role. The larger the dog is, the more exercise it needs, and the larger its kennel will have to be.
The final choice will depend on the hunting area (the biotope in which you hunt) and the hunting method. A forest hunt is very different from a field or water game hunt. The dog itself must also do different work for each method of hunting. Also look at the coat. In a rough terrain with lots of thorns, a well-haired dog fits.

TIP

Do not buy a dog bred at random. The risk of him disappointing is then very high. If you buy a dog with a pedigree, you still have some security.Don’t rush into anything. Ask for information and go to a trial match or a field trial. The hunting dog clubs are there to help you.

Never buy a dog bred for beauty if it is to be used for practice.
The master hunting dogs are described here. If you want more data on a particular dog, you can visit the FCI site. Next to each dog is its FCI number. This list is far from complete. If there are breeds that you would like to include, please let us know.