Pointer

[Pointees]

Great name for a Labrador!!

Loving the look of your solid Pointee too! He's gorgeous, and his head is lovely.

Big, soft, cuddly eyes.

[spottychick]

Just read through this thread - they sound delightful! I was wondering if they drool at all. (I'm not sure this was covered anywhere). With big floppy lips like that it looks like they would (not that there's anything wrong with that LOL)

[Ashanali]

Mine will drool when excited... that's about it. So usually when they know they are about to go in the show ring or when they have had a bath and they're expecting to go out.

[spottychick]

Thanks Ash - I thought they might

Strangely my dally seems to have a drool too - I've never seen that in a dally before tho! It's more of a froth than a drool - when she's been out walking for a while and is excited. First time I saw it I thought she'd eaten something dreadful!!! LMAO

[Worm]

Do any of you hunt with your EP? Cant decide on EP, GSP or the wire haired variants. Im leaning towards the EP as they seem to be less "hypo"

[Nevafollo]

Nup no hunting here for my girl. Ive watched her stalk and hunt birds,butterlies or whatever in the yard and I'm sure she has it in her to be trained to hunt but its not something I'm interested in. ( Right now because she isnt trained to know any better she stalks and points ect but rigggghtttt at the last minute she goes all spazo and crazy which usually results in said bird/butterfly or whatever flying/running away LOL)

Have to agree with your theory everything I've heard about Pointers basically supports the fact that they are less crazy/nutso/energizer bunny than GSPs, Wei's and most similarish gundogs!

[blonde]

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc)

I Own the 2 love of my lives-2 pointers-both 11 year old, different litters. I live and breathe my pointers-they sleep with me in my bed whilst my husband in another bed!! but they do have their issues!!

3. How common is it in Australia? Shocked when someoneknows wat they are-always gettin called dalmations grrrr and one is yellow and white and one is black and white

4. What is the average lifespan?

5. What is the general temperament/personality?

Ok well my girl Mary-she is super dooper high strung-as an 11 year old girl she acts like a 2 year old, but i do have 2 cocker spaniels she plays with consantly-always wants to play play play-whines a lot too, and very very demanding... very destructive and alos has separation anxiety. My boy Thomas is mega laid back and prefers to watch thigs from afar than contemplayte joinong into such childish games!! So 2 very different personalities!! Mary is a very jealous attention seeking person where as Thomas is only interested in food. Mary is a VERY fussy eater and has at times had us feding her via a spoon-they can train you well! They love to chase birds, dcks, geese anything-they try to climb up trees to get to a birds nest-yes een in old age. They bark and bark at our other dos if they are not "in" on the game.

6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? Heaps some days, other days can sleep on the couch all day with you and its not a bother.

7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Dependso on the owner and commitment.

8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? NO!!!! I have lost 3 2 seater lounges, 2 armchairs, 3 double beds, one single bed, a massive amount of sheets that have been torn to shreds, (the firiture gets hewed to the wood if left alone for a few hours). Also they will eat paint off walls, if i go out, surf the benches for food even thought hey look anorexic!! I have lost car a car ead rest whislt i have been driving!!!! I have lost 4 rabbits-to which Mary (and this is mostly Mary) has broken into the door and gotten into the rabbits room-yes we taped it.

9. How much grooming is required? Hardly any but they shed like crazy.

10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? They seem to sense young children tend to be dealt with gently, however in my experience tey have a tendency to give everone a handshake-as in paw up and if you arent looking they can give you a big ol' scratch down the face or le or arm, none of it intentional. Veryhappy dos if they get the attention-depending on the dog too...

11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Mary has not had any real hereditary problems but she has had a large cyst removed and her ear canal removed by a specialist as she was constantly infected. She also had a cyst in her eye..at 11 years old she has a less than 1 grade murmur-as in you can hardly hear it but you know its there almost. Thomas has had juvenile arthritis and suffers from it all his life, other than that nothing else-no murmur at 11.

12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) I think its harf nature halkf nurture-its better to look at the parents temperaments soemtimes to get an idea of how the puppies will be-not all the time-but Mary is exactly like her mother...also it alos depends on the environment they have grown up in..they are not suitabke as outsdooor stick in the garden dos-they NEED to be with their pack (you) all the time-but that is with so many gun dogs in general.

[Guest belgian.blue]

Just read through this thread - they sound delightful! I was wondering if they drool at all. (I'm not sure this was covered anywhere). With big floppy lips like that it looks like they would (not that there's anything wrong with that LOL)

My Belgian Shepherd drools more than my Pointer. Mums Pointer Jaffa drools more than Badger. Depends upon the dog.

Badger will only really drool when told to sit and wait for dinner, then it streams out sometimes

The sweetest prickly kissers ever!

Tintookie Lemon Butter .. aka Jaffa

I'd love to do some field work with Badger when he is mature, still only just over eight months old, so in a year or so I will start training him. He has very keen interest in anything that moves and the slightest sound gets his attention .. very alert boy and I think his Scottish bloodline has made him a rather large Pointer. I can't wait to see him around some other mature males in the near future to see if he really is as large as he seems.

Three weeks ago he was 25.6kg at seven months old. I can't pick him up.

Pointers hold an extremely deep part of my heart, Badger is pure awesomeness Didn't think I could own another Pointer after my dear black and white girl Penny Lane [Tintookie Moon Maiden] went over the bridge far too early in life, nearly six years ago now I'm certain Penny would have adored Badger

Edited November 3, 2010 by belgian.blue

[carebear]

how much do female pointers weigh when mature?

i had a question on drool, but that seems to be covered.

do pointers like water? and are they good swimmers?

i know yours do Alicia, but wasn't sure if that's common for the breed?

are they good at playing fetch? (ie do they like to bring the ball back to throw and chase again or do the prefer you chase after them to get the ball back?)

[VizslaMomma]

The 'bird dogs' I lived with in the USA loved swimming.

They were all taught to swim from about 9 weeks of age. All of them were naturals & loved water.

Most I have meet in Australia swim. I have had many a great picnic with the Vizslas & a friend's pointers on the Murray River.

[Inge]

My new love.. Lewis.

[yarrr]

Do any of you hunt with your EP? Cant decide on EP, GSP or the wire haired variants. I'm leaning towards the EP as they seem to be less "hypo"

I hunt and compete in a few different dog sports with eps and gsps.

I think most differences come down to breeding and the dog as an individual.

All three dogs are 'hypo' until they have had a good run.

When not working they spend most of their time sleeping on my couch.

GSP breeder numbers seem to be really high but its probably easier to find an ep from working lines.

[Andrew G]

Hi,

 

We've just fare-welled our pointer, Sir Clive.  He has been the most wonderful friend, mate and family member but unfortunately his back legs were so weak that his quality of life was no longer what it should be.  A very tough decision.

 

He has left such a hole in our lives that we are thinking about getting a new companion but are unsure if another pointer is the right option.  Whilst we really love the Pointer temperament and personality we think we need it in a smaller package.  Does anyone have any guidance on smaller dogs that have pointer kind of temperament?  If you do it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Enjoy your Pointers they are beautiful souls 

 

Thanks

[harley]

Sorry to hear about your beautiful boy sir Clive