Pointer Breed of Dog:

Pointer dogs are a very athletic and agile breed of canine that were initially bred primarily to work with hunters and very often in collaboration with a retriever breed of dog.



The pointer dog breed would initially point out the game for the hunter while the retriever would venture into the woods to bring back the dead game after it had been shot by the hunter. Prior to the arrival of the pointers in the United States of America during the 1800’s, the favored hunting dog used to be the Irish setter.



The difference in hierarchy was so great that the pointers were not even allowed to hunt or compete alongside the Irish setters. However, with time, hunters started to take notice of the pointer dogs keen sense of smell that allowed them to overshadow the Irish setters, thereby making them the new hunting dog of choice.



The lean graceful body allows the dog to quickly and assuredly run through thick wooded forests, making them very effective in the hunt. Some pointers, while not naturally being blessed with the ability, were also effectively trained into being retrievers as well.

Some of the distinguishing features of the pointer dog breed include the very alert expression it sports at most times as well as its rather long neck and straight, tapering tail. The dogs are extremely loyal as well as intelligent and affectionate. They also do their bit to make sure they remain as clean as possible. More over, the dogs are extremely energetic and playful, making them quite a handful when excited. Initially, the dogs will remain a little suspicious of strangers, but if allowed to socialize at an early age, they will easily lose this trait. The pointer dogs are rather easy to train because of their strong mentality, but always need to be trained by an individual with a similar mindset. If trained by someone of weaker character than the canine, the dog may start to believe that it is the master – which will lead to other complications such as jealousy, disobedience and over protectiveness of certain objects around the house. Due to their high levels of energy and exercise requirement, it is not advisable to house them in an apartment.

The pointer dog breed has a relatively long life span and can live up to 13 or 14 years but is prone to certain medical problems such as thyroid, hip dysplasia and dwarfism. While they are quite active indoors, they really need acres of space to be able to stretch their legs out.