Best hunting dogs
The pointers, retrievers and hounds bred to find, flush, retrieve and trail game — ranked by nose, biddability and stamina, and matched to how they hunt.
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The ranked shortlist
Hand-picked by our editors using breed trait profiles — scores are out of 5.
1. Labrador Retriever
5/5The world's favourite family dog.
2. German Shorthaired Pointer
5/5The all-terrain athlete — pointer, retriever and devoted shadow in one sleek package.
3. English Pointer
5/5Bred to find birds and freeze — pure athletic focus in a sleek frame.
4. Bracco Italiano
4/5Italy's Renaissance pointer — all ears, jowls and unhurried elegance.
5. Beagle
4/5A nose with a dog attached — merry, musical and mischievous.
6. English Springer Spaniel
4/5A merry engine of a gundog — sprung tail, busy nose, heart entirely yours.
7. Weimaraner
4/5The Grey Ghost — bred for nobility, built for the chase, devoted to a fault.
8. Brittany
4/5A compact, tireless pointing dog — all engine, easy to love.
9. English Setter
4/5The gentleman of the moors — feathered grace with the softest heart in the field.
10. Vizsla
3/5The golden 'velcro' gundog — elegant, affectionate, always touching you.
11. English Cocker Spaniel
3/5The merry cocker — a wagging tail with a bird dog attached.
12. Chesapeake Bay Retriever
3/5The duck dog that breaks ice for a living.
What makes a great hunting dog
A hunting dog is a match between three things and the quarry: a working nose, biddability (it hunts with you, within gun range), and stamina for a full day afield. Match the dog to the job — pointers and setters for upland birds, retrievers for waterfowl, scent hounds for trailing, terriers for going to ground — and remember every one of these needs a real outlet whether you hunt or not.