There are several different breeds of hunting dog and the type you choose would depend on the animal you are hunting. If you are hunting birds, you’ll probably need a bird dog. A dog trained to ignore, if not enjoy the sound of a shotgun. There are quite a few bird dogs from which to choose. Some of the best are Spaniels, Pointers and Retrievers. The Spaniel is great for flushing and waterwork, some breeds, such as the American Water Spaniel, are picked for their ability to recover birds from the water. Retrievers are companionable dogs that are bred for their memory as well as their ability to retrieve the kill. Another type of bird hunting dog, is the pointer. This dog will freeze when it sights or scents the prey and “point” with its nose to the spot where it’s hiding. It also can be useful in running, or flushing, the birds out of cover. The cocker spaniel is a great dog for flushing, or startling, ground birds from hiding.