In most advertisements, the Labrador retriever is best known to connote cuddliness, playfulness and softness. Most people’s preference in dog owning is usually influenced by dog food ads or the best looking pup/ dog to model pet accessories or pet must-haves. For sure the sale of toy dogs shot up with pictures of Hollywood stars totting small dog breeds in complete pet accessories. Guilty as charged, my dog of preference was influenced by a bathroom tissue commercial.

Exploring the web made me browse about the Retriever. These dogs are part of a group of dogs that are Sporting Dogs. These include pointers, setters and spaniels.

For someone naïve about hunting, it would be easy to assume that they all serve the same purpose. As I read on, each breed has its own duty and innate or instinct function.

The Pointers are the dogs that point their body toward the game to guide the hunter. When seen in action, the pointer stands rigidly on the ground, tail straight while its nose acts like an “arrow”. These dogs also retrieve game when needed.

The Setters are dogs that also point out the game to their hunters. The difference is these breed of dogs are used in flushing out game too.

The Retrievers are known to flush out hiding game. After that they pick up and give the hunters a shot. Retrievers work on land as well as water.

The Spaniels are medium in size but full of pluckiness since they help out their hunter by diving into the bushes or brush to scare birds into flight. There is one Spaniel, the Irish Water Spaniel that retrieves ducks and other birds from the pond.

Most Sporting Dogs have been recorded to originate as early as 1000’s like the Vizsla and 1600’s like the Pointer. Isn’t it a wonder that centuries have long gone and still these breeds manifest the same aim and objective as their fore bearers.

The Sporting Dog breeds share the same gentle disposition, they are alert, clever, and they are very trainable. Since then, hunters or game stalkers have kept these breeds at home, earning them the distinction of being good family dogs too.