English Pointer
A sleek, athletic British pointing dog with huge stamina and a gentle nature, built to cover ground fast in search of birds.
At a glance
- Size
- Large
- Height at the withers
- Males 63–69 cm · Females 61–66 cm
- Weight
- Males 25–34 kg · Females 20–30 kg
- Life expectancy
- 12–15 years
- Exercise
- 90–150 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Smooth, short
- Colours
- Bicolour, White, Liver, Black, Lemon, Orange, Tricolour
- Bred for
- Pointing
- Country of origin
- United Kingdom
- FCI
- Group 7, no. 1 · Pointing dogs
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 4/5 – High |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 4/5 – High |
| Good with other dogs | 4/5 – High |
| Good with cats | 2/5 – Low |
| Open to strangers | 4/5 – High |
| Energy | 5/5 – Very high |
| Playfulness | 4/5 – High |
| Needs mental stimulation | 4/5 – High |
| Easy to train | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Prey drive | 5/5 – Very high |
| Watchful and protective | 1/5 – Very low |
| Barking | 2/5 – Low |
| Shedding | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Grooming effort | 1/5 – Very low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 2/5 – Low |
| Suits apartment living | 1/5 – Very low |
| Adaptability | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with being alone | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with heat | 4/5 – High |
| Copes with cold | 2/5 – Low |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- run, cycle or do field sports
- have access to safe open land
- want an easy-care coat
Think twice if you …
- can offer only short walks
- live in a small flat without outdoor access
- keep birds or small pets
Care
Temperament
Kind, even-tempered and friendly with people and dogs. Very energetic and focused in the field. Not a guard dog.
Exercise
Needs daily free running in safe open spaces plus long walks. Field work, canicross, bikejoring and scent games suit it well.
Grooming
The short, fine coat needs a weekly brush and sheds moderately. Check skin and feet after runs.
Training
Eager to work with you but easily distracted by birds. Start recall and steadiness training early with rewards and patience.
Health
Generally healthy; hip dysplasia, some eye conditions and skin sensitivity in the thin coat are seen. Ask the breeder for hip and eye results of the parents.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Hips (HD)
- Eye examination
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Pointer was developed in Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries, likely from Spanish and other continental pointing dogs, to find game birds and freeze on point to show hunters where they were. Selection for speed and range produced the lean, elegant dog seen today.
At home it is gentle, affectionate and often quite clownish, but it needs real running every day to stay content. Under-exercised Pointers can become restless. Its thin coat makes it sensitive to cold and hard bedding, so it likes a soft place to rest and a coat in winter.
Did you know?
Pointer puppies often show the classic point, freezing with a raised foreleg, at just a few weeks old without any training.