sporting dog, classification used by breeders and kennel clubs to designate dogs bred for pointing, flushing, and retrieving game. These dogs hunt by air scent—as opposed to most hounds, which are ground scenters—and their quarry is primarily game birds. Included are the pointers, setters, retrievers, and spaniels. Pointers stand with nose and body rigidly still in front of their quarry, thus directing the hunter to its location. The setters were originally trained to set, or crouch, in front of game, the hunter then making the capture with a net. As bird shooting became popular, setters were trained to point. Retrievers find and return killed game to the hunter. Land spaniels spring, or flush, game, i.e., they startle a bird from its cover into flight. Water spaniels and many retrievers are especially equipped, as with a water-repellent coat and webbed feet, for retrieving downed waterfowl. The following breeds are designated sporting dogs by the American Kennel Club: American water spaniel, Brittany spaniel, Chesapeake Bay retriever, clumber spaniel, cocker spaniel, 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 setter, Irish water spaniel, Labrador retriever, pointer, Sussex spaniel, Vizsla, Weimaraner, Welsh springer spaniel, and wirehaired pointing griffon. See dog.

The Field Dog Stud Book is the oldest purebred dog registry in the United States having started registrations in and currently maintaining records from 1874. The Field Dog Stud Book currently registers around 5,000 litters each year and has registered several million dogs. In addition to registration the FDSB maintains the results of DNA testing of dogs to promote genetic health.

The Field Dog Stud Book focuses on dogs breds to perform in the field. It supports no conformation showing. This stud book is affiliated with the field trial magazine "The American Field" which is the oldest continuously published sporting dog journal in the U.S.

The FDSB registers dogs of all breeds, but is comprised primarily of pointing, flushing, and retrieving breeds of gun dog. Among some breeds, such as English Setters, the FDSB will register the dog in its particular breed as well as the particular line within the breed such as the Llewellin Setter. Many dogs are registered with the FDSB as well as with other registries and with kennel clubs.