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For hundreds of years gundogs have been bred to assist in the hunt of game. Highly intelligent and extremely efficient to their cause, these sporting dogs live for the hunt.

Divided into four primary types – retrievers, pointers, setters, and spaniels, and all featuring their own distinctive set of characteristics and abilities – the gundog remains a loyal countryside companion and a Great British treasure.

Through years of refined breeding and development, from working the opening field to specific gundog events, man’s best friend has certainly come a long way. Even before breeding for appearance was introduced in the early 19th Century, dogs and puppies were specifically bred to increase the practises and duties that they have come to master.

In the articles following, we take a closer look at four popular types within the gundog category (retrievers, pointers, setters, and spaniels) and discover more about what makes them man’s favourite country companion.