|
| First Dog | Dog Care | Dog Training | Dog Feeding | Dog Health | Dog Breeding | Dog Showing | OutDoor Dogs | Working Dogs | Careers with Dogs | Forum | Pet Links | Site Map | Home | |
POINTER |
|||||||
|
Additonal Breeds Starting With Letter:
Pet Sites
 |
Pointing dogs
popped up all over Europe around 1650, but the English version has remained
the modern prototype. What exactly was used in its creation is not known,
but development occurred within the British Isles; there was ample trade
to Britain in dogs from all over the world. The strongest influence may
have been the Portuguese Pointer, with his ancient lineage and his dished
face.
The earliest
Pointers were actually present before the age of wing shooting, assisting
in the "hare-coursing" rage. The Pointer was sent out to find
and "point out" the presence of a hare. Then Greyhounds were
brought up and slipped as the hare bolted. When wing shooting came into
vogue after 1700, the Pointer began to prove his real worth. The earliest
Pointers really "set," dropping to the ground on the flush of
game, a quality that has been bred out long since. Yet the ardent desire
to hunt, speed of search, intense style, and exceptional nose have been
retained to the present day. The Pointer has, over the years, been used
in crosses in countries all over Europe to add elegance and dash to the
native gun dogs.
The Pointer
has remained in high esteem throughout the world. The great majority in
the USA are registered with the Field Dog Stud Book, and have been bred
for great speed and ground coverage, as well as tremendous courage and
stamina for the required three-hour heats. This type now dominates the
great Open All Age American Field Trial Circuit. Hunting of this sort,
in front of mounted handlers covering vast acreages, is not available
to most hunters. Therefore, the American Field type of Pointer may be
"too much dog" for the average hunter who wants a pleasant day
of sport and a full game
bag. The AKC-registered Pointer, on the other hand, tends to be a closer
working dog, competing in the AKC field trials, which are more the venue
of the true gun dog.
The Pointer's
distinctive "dished" face that hints of a mastiff background,
the undocked tail of moderate length and taper, and his big, graceful
elegance make him stand out among hunting dogs. He is especially known
for his endurance in hot weather, but his longtime susceptibility to
the cold and his reluctance in water remain a part of him. The breed
is not always as enthusiastic and adept at retrieving as some of his
Continental cousins. The passion to hunt is intense.
The classic
good looks of the Pointer, with his proud bearing, demand attention
at shows. Show Pointers do not often compete in field trials, making
the first dual championship attained in the mid-1980s a piece of history.
With adequate exercise, the Pointer makes an affectionate, clean and
quiet companion dog.
|
