Retriever

A retriever is a type of gundog that retrieves game for a hunter. Generally gundogs are divided into three major classifications: retrievers, flushing spaniels, and pointing breeds. Retrievers were bred primarily to retrieve birds or other prey and return them to the hunter without damage. Although spaniels and some pointing breeds routinely retrieve game, and many retrievers are skilled in finding game, retrievers are distinguished in that non-slip retrieval is their primary function. As a result, retriever breeds are bred for soft mouths and a great willingness to please, learn, and obey. A soft mouth refers to the willingness of the dog to carry game without damaging it. "Hard mouth" is a serious fault in a hunting dog and is one that is very difficult to correct. A hard-mouthed dog renders game unpresentable or at worst inedible.

The retriever's willingnes to please and trainability have made retrievers such as the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever popular as assistance dogs.

Retrievers include:

The Boykin Spaniel is most often worked as a non-slip retriever, though it originated as a duck- and turkey-flushing dog. Many would classify it as a flushing spaniel rather than as a retriever. Similarly, the American Water Spaniel could be listed in either category. Dogs such as the Poodle, which are rarely used in hunting today, are difficult to classify, but their traditional job was that of a retriever.

This article is licenced under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Retriever".