Pointing Dogs – Their History and How to Pick a Good One

The history of pointing or pointer dogs goes back to the 14th or 15th Century. They have steeped reputation as an excellent hunting dog that was bolstered by its development in England probably more than any other country. In England, the dog was used to hunt grouse and was known for being a large and slow dog that was heavy boned. This was effect as this game was slow in speed.

However, the game in America was much faster moving. This resulting in pointing dogs been bred into a faster and more agile dog to keep up with the faster game. It is has been developed to become one of the top bird dogs in the US over the last 200 years. His coat, color, range, and ability to work in hot weather has allowed it to perform very well in some of the hotter parts of the US.

For those looking to find a quality pointer for their hunting, here are some things you should be looking for:

1. Avoid dogs that are overly slender. You don’t want greyhound types here. You want dogs that will have power and stamina.

2. The chest of the dog should be relatively wide and have defined musculature. This will be a sign of strength in the dog.

3. The dogs legs should be straight and have ample bone.

It is also important to keep a few things in mind about them:

1. Pointing Dogs need to be broken to teach them ranging. They have tremendous amount of energy that one must appreciate. Since most people will hunt on foot, the need to teach them ranging is essential.

2. You can find breeds that are bred for close or medium level ranging. This can help the hunters who are looking to find a pointer specifically tailored to ranging.

3. Pointing dogs are not really affectionate dogs. They instead put all their energies into the tasks they were bred for. Some people mistake this as an indifference to people; however, they are hard workers. Hunters will also like this because they don’t have to deal with timid dogs and pointers can handle a lot of grief and still keep working for their masters.

As you can see from the above points, pointing dogs can make for a great bird dog if you keep in mind the tips and qualities to look for in your selection.

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