Waterdogs
As their name suggests, waterdogs are classified as gun dogs that work in a water environment. These dogs were specifically bred to flush and retrieve game in water and are popular among waterfowl hunters. Hunting game over water is one of the oldest styles of hunting using dogs as hunting partners. Waterdogs are smart, strong and easy to train dogs that simply love to swim.
Gun dogs bred for water use are strong swimmers with a have powerful muscles. Endurance and strength allows them to swim over long distances and for long periods of time. These types of dogs have specially designed paws with webbing to increase their swimming ability. They also display a variety of coat types that provide protection from cold water. These dogs are among some of the toughest and hardiest breeds out there. Cold, wind and rain don’t bother a waterdog.
Waterdogs are bred to have natural retrieval instincts and a willingness to please that makes them easy to train. A good water dog requires a lot of training to remain steady during the shot and quiet during the hunt. They have good memories and can be taught to mark or locate game birds in the water. They even learn to use whistles and hand signals from their handlers to locate downed game that they cannot see or to find more than one bird. Waterdogs work to retrieve game that may well be inaccessible to hunters or simply cannot be found without a dog’s sense of smell.
Waterdogs have been bred from countries all over the world and come in a wide array of breeds with different colors, sizes and coats. Waterdogs enjoy all types of waterfowl hunting and aren’t afraid to get dirty. The intelligence and willingness to please characteristics of waterdogs make them great choices for family pets and companions.
