Pointer (English Pointer)
| Size at withers | 58–71 cm |
|---|---|
| Weight range | 20–34 kg |
| Life expectancy | 12–17 years |
| Size class | Large (25–40 kg) |
| Normal resting vitals | Heart rate 60–110 bpm · Respiration 10–30/min · Temperature 38.3–39.2 °C |
| Coat | Very short, hard coat |
| Temperament | Kind, even-tempered, driven in the field |
| Common health issues | Hip dysplasia; entropion; cataracts; skin conditions |
| Exercise needs | Very high |
| Climate & housing suitability | Moderate; heat tolerance is acceptable even in warmer conditions. |
| Owner notes | Long lifespan for a large athletic breed. |
Origin and purpose
Sporting (AKC). Origin: England.
Long lifespan for a large athletic breed.
What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the owner's job is to give it somewhere to go.
Temperament and training
Stated temperament: Kind, even-tempered, driven in the field
Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.
Conditions this breed is predisposed to
Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy)
Cataracts
Entropion
Hip dysplasia
Health screening — what to test, and when
| Screen for | Test | When |
|---|---|---|
| Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) | No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established | On recurrent itching, ear disease, or paw licking |
| Cataracts | Ophthalmologist eye examination | Annually |
| Entropion | Eye examination | Annually |
| Hip dysplasia | Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring) | Once at 12–24 months; earlier if lame |
Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.
For breeders — test before you mate
- Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) — No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established
- Cataracts — Ophthalmologist eye examination
- Entropion — Eye examination
- Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
Feeding
Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.
Exercise and enrichment
Stated requirement: Very high
This is a genuinely high-energy dog and the commonest reason such dogs are rehomed is that their owners underestimated this. It needs hard daily physical exercise AND a job to think about; a walk around the block is not exercise for this breed. An under-exercised dog of this type becomes destructive, noisy, and anxious — behaviour problems that are, correctly understood, an exercise deficit.
Coat and grooming
Very short, hard coat. Weekly rub-down.
Climate and living conditions
Stated suitability: Moderate; heat tolerance is acceptable even in warmer conditions.
Ageing and senior care
Life expectancy: 12–17 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. Senior care →
Before you take one home
- Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
- Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.
