About The Pointer
History of the Breed
English Pointers, or simply “Pointers”, are gun dogs named for the characteristic pose they assume when they catch the scent of game. They stand motionless with their head lowered and nose pointed toward the game; the tail held horizontally, in line with the head and back. One leg is raised and bent at the wrist. The direction the dog points guides the hunter to the game.
Pointers were used in Europe as far back as the 1600s to locate hare, which were then chased by greyhounds. By the next century, pointers became the preferred dog of hunters and proved to be skilled at pointing and tracking. Pointers are known for being hard workers with great speed and endurance as well as exceptional scenting ability.
Description of the Pointer
English pointers grow to about 23 to 28 inches tall and weigh anywhere from 45 to 75 pounds (20 to 33 kilograms).
The head has a distinctive, chiseled appearance and the muzzle is long. The ears are set fairly high on the head and hang. The neck is long, and the body is strong, sleek and graceful.
The pointer's coat is short and smooth. Most often it is white with patches of lemon, black, liver or orange; the coat can also be solid in one of these colors. Some pointers are tricolor.
Pointer people like to say that their dogs don't consider themselves dogs but members of the family. They're sturdy and energetic enough to play all day with active children, and their alert nature makes them excellent watchdogs, sounding the alarm at anything out of the ordinary.