Sporting Dogs also known as Gundogs can be divided into three main categories- retrievers, pointers, and setters. These dogs were bred primarily to work with people to hunt game birds. Some of these dogs work in water while others are suited to work on land. Sporting dogs are comfortable and capable of working in either land or water.

Retriever dogs find and return killed game to the hunter. Some retrievers are especially equipped, for example with a water repellant coat and webbed feet, for retrieving downed water fowl.

The pointer dog stands in front of its quarry, with their nose and body rigidly still, and directing, or pointing to the hunter and its location.

Setter dogs were originally trained to crouch in front of the game, preventing the escape of the quarry. The hunter would then make the capture with a net.

Sporting dogs hunt by air scent, as apposed to ground scent used by dogs in the hound category. Gundogs were used to help man according to his specific requirements such as hinting game birds, hunting water fowl, retrieving game that had been shot and wounded, pointing to the game to allow the hunter to catch or shoot the quarry, and startling, or flushing birds from their cover.

   It is said that sporting dogs are perhaps the most intelligent of the breeds, resulting in their wide variety of uses, and their ease of training. These dogs like to be around people and are active and alert. They require regular, invigorating, exercise and lots of attention.