Today we are going to take a look at German Hunting Dog names. Hunting has a long tradition in Germany and in fact the number of hunters is continuously increasing. In 2017/2018 there were about 385,000 hunters in Germany. This can be said so exactly, since every hunter in Germany needs to register for a hunting license.
Dogs have been a part of hunting for thousands of years. In fact, it was probably even the hunting instinct that led humans to tame wild wolves and breed animals from them for their protection and support during the hunt: the dog!
Hunting was the first task of the dog and over the centuries many different kinds of hunting dogs were bred:
The Different Breeds of Hunting Dogs
Flushing Dogs
The task of the flushing dog is to track down and scare up game. They are used, for example, in bird hunts.
Pointing Dogs
Pointing dogs as well as flushing dogs look for game or birds. In contrast to the flushing dog, however, they do not scare them away, but only show the hunter that the game is directly in front of him. They do this usually by lifting and bending one of the forelegs.
Running Dogs
Running dog is the name for a breed of labour dogs, which pursue the game over long distances. Running dogs have an excellent sense of smell and can thus follow a trail. They are used, among other things, in par force hunts and drag hunts.
Retrievers
Retrievers dogs are hunting dogs that find shot small game or feathered game and then bring it back to the hunter.
Due to their good agitation and their pronounced “will to please”, retrievers are often also kept as family dogs.
Working Terrier
These are small dogs, which were bred consciously with short legs and a small chest circumference, in order to find foxes and badgers in their buildings and to drive them outside.
The Name should suit the Dog
Whatever kind of hunting dog you have, they all have in common that they have their own character and a quite pronounced self-confidence. That is necessary, because the dog must be able to assert itself on the hunt — if necessary also alone opposite the game.
Therefore the name should be chosen appropriately and reflect the dog’s qualities. Baby or Princess would be rather unsuitable for such a dog.
The German language has many strong and characterful names, so let’s have a look at German hunting dog names. The list contains mostly traditional names. Where possible I will also give a short description of the name’s meaning. We will start with male names.
German Hunting Dog Names Male
- Ajax
Ajax or Aias the Great is a figure from Greek mythology. He was much larger than most men and a great warrior. He fought Hector (see Hektor) in front of Troy for a whole day. In the end the fight was a draw and both men paid their respect to each other. - Arko
Arko is a Frisian / Dutch short form of Arnold, meaning eagle or ruler. - Attila
Attila means (little) father. Attila the Hun was a famous leader of the Huns in the 5th century. He was a fierce fighter and led his army to many victories against the Roman Empire. - Birko
Birko is a variation of Birk, meaning castle, strong, bold - Blitz
Is the German word for lightning. - Dux
The word Dux stems from Latin and means leader or chief. - Etzel
Etzel ist the old German form of Attila. See there for more information on the name. - Harras
A variation of Harold, meaning military leader, commander of an army. - Hektor
Hector is a figure from Greek mythology. He was the oldest son of the king of Troy and was described as a hero and mighty warrior. - Janko
Janko is the Frisian variation of Johann (John), meaning God is merciful. - Rex
Latin word for king. - Treu
Means loyal or faithful in German. - Tristan
Tristan is a Cornish prince in a romantic tragedy from the middle ages, Tristan and Iseult. The story was made popular in Germany by several adaptations. The most influential was of course the famous opera of the same name by Richard Wagner.
Looking for more male dog names in German? Take a look at our German Male Dog Names.
German Hunting Dog Names Female
- Anka
The Frisian, Slavic and Polish version of Anna, meaning daintily, graceful. - Asta
A Nordic name meaning amicable. - Berta
A once very popular first name for females. It means radiant, sparkling. - Cora
Of Greek origin, meaning girl or virgin. - Eika
A germanic forename, the male forms are Eike or Eiko. It implies honor or strength. - Emma
Another germanic forename, standing for grand, all-embracing. - Erle
In German Erle stands for the Alder tree, but it is also an old forename, meaning free or noble. - Fee
German word for fairy. - Indra
A Baltic name, implying sparkling or radiant. - Karla
From the Old High German, meaning a free woman. - Merle
A Dutch name standing for happy or fortunate. - Neele
A name of Frisian origin, meaning bright or cheerful. - Pia
A Latin name, meaning pious, virtuous.
So, this was my list of German hunting dog names.
Did you find a name you like and which suits your dog?
Let us know below in the comments.
