Sporting Dogs, also sometimes called Bird Dogs or Gun Dogs, are naturally energetic and alert. They enjoy the outdoors and benefit from an active lifestyle. They can be excellent companion dogs.
Sporting dogs commonly participate in field trials, hunting tests, conformation shows, obedience, rally, agility, tracking, and lure coursing events. Learn more about these events, and others, from the AKC.
The AKC currently recognizes 32 sporting dog breeds.
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- American Water Spaniel
- Barbet
- Boykin Spaniel
- Brittany
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Clumber Spaniel
- Cocker Spaniel (A.S.C.O.B., Black, and Parti-Color)
- Curly-Coated Retriever
- English Cocker Spaniel
- English Setter
- English Springer Spaniel
- Field Spaniel
- Flat-Coated Retriever
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- German Wirehaired Pointer
- Golden Retriever
- Gordon Setter
- Irish Red and White Setter
- Irish Setter
- Irish Water Spaniel
- Labrador Retriever
- Lagotto Romagnolo
- Nederlandse Kooikerhondje
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
- Pointer
- Spinone Italiano
- Sussex Spaniel
- Vizsla
- Weimaraner
- Welsh Springer Spaniel
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
- Wirehaired Vizsla
Learn more about any of these breeds from the AKC.
And, here’s a list of other U.S. clubs for sporting dogs.