English Pointer Dog

Breed: Gun dog

Height: Male - 60-70 cm; Female - 58-66 cm

Weight: Male - 25-34 kg; Female - 20-30 kg

Coat: Smooth coat

 

English Pointers or Pointers are actually a breed of gun dogs, basically bred as hunting and sport dogs. Developed almost two centuries ago by crossing Italian Pointer, Foxhound, Bloodhound, Greyhound, Newfoundland, Setter and Bulldog, the Pointer is an outstanding prodigy of these unbelievable cross-breedings. A favorite among the gaming circle, the Pointer was used by the hunters to net birds. Once assumed chiefly a gaming dog, Pointers, today, are widely kept as house pets, clearly because of their friendly nature and warm disposition. The Pointers have keen scenting prowess, a trait that qualifies them as one of the greatest breed of sport dogs ever. They are particularly good on upland birds, but can manage well with other games too. They work best on lands and are not very comfortable in water. To know more about this interesting breed of sport dog, read on.

 

The Pointer has been used for centuries now as a hunting dog, its eminence purely resting as one of the oldest sporting dogs in history. Introduced in England and Europe in about 1650s, the pedigree of Pointers can be traced back to Spanish Pointers. History indicates that the canines were originally used to net birds and it was only in the eighteenth century that the Spanish Pointer was introduced into England, where they were active participants in the game of shooting birds. Because of their remarkable agility and ability to smell, Spanish Pointers were bred with Greyhounds that led to the origin of English Pointers, better known as Pointers today. Pointers are classified as versatile gun dogs. Pointers were identified by the Westminster Kennel Club in the early 1870s.

 

English Pointers are usually stout and robust breed of canines, better celebrated for their excellent ability to track and point game for the hunters. Pointers usually have deep chest, leveled back and long tail. Their head is well-shaped and they usually wear a soft, warm, intelligent countenance on their face. They have remarkably big ears that hang close to their heads. They have short glossy coat and are usually available in colors like liver, lemon, black or orange or combination of white. The Pointers are athletic and graceful breed of dogs and give out the hard-hitting impression of compact, hard-driving hunting dog.

 

English Pointers are extremely faithful, vigorous and dedicated dogs, who make great pets indeed. They are very loving, intelligent and healthy breed of dogs, who are also ace hunters. Despite of their eminence as a hunting dog, Pointers are usually of a calmer disposition. They are well-behaved, but at times are timid around strangers. The Pointers bred for show makes better pets than the ones bred for hunting. The breed boasts of superior tracking and hunting skills. However, the canines are not active when it comes to retrieving the prey. Today, Pointers make a great hunting companion and family pet.

 

The longevity of a Pointer is generally 11-14 years. Although these breed of dog suffer from no major genetic deformity, one of the most common diseases found in them is hip dysplasia. They also suffer from other problems like dwarfism, thyroid problems, skin conditions and eye diseases

 

The Pointer is a medium shedder and thus needs little grooming. One can use a rubber brush to do away with the dead hairs. The eyes and ears must be regularly cleaned to reduce chances of infection.