When first meeting your friend’s bird dog they had been raving about for weeks, you might be disappointed that the canine doesn’t fly or have a beak. While a flying half bird / half dog would be cool, bird dogs are in fact a dog that has specifically been bred to retrieve a bird or point the hunter in the direction of the downed animal. Almost any dog could become a trained pheasant fanatic but these 6 breeds are natural bird busters.

1. Beagle

Although they require stern training starting when they’re young, the beagle makes a great audio and visual companion to a bird hunter. Specifically, the dog lets out a shrieking howl when it’s on the hunt so that the rifleman knows exactly where his four-legged partner is at.