English Pointer

The exact origin of the breed is uncertain; many documents trace its use in hunting, but its very creation is subject to debate. According to Julien Deby, the English Pointer was introduced to England in 1688, from 'the south of France and Spain.' Others claim it was upon return from the War of Spanish Succession in 1713 that soldiers, impressed by the Spanish Pointer, brought back a few specimens to their country. Others still consider the Portuguese Pointing Dog as its ancestor, although other breeds have been named such as the Burgos Pointer or the Italian Pointer. But the Pointer was not yet sufficiently efficient because in England hunting is fast and not long. Therefore, a faster hunting dog was needed, but the pointer was still too heavy. It is for this reason that British breeders, through judicious crosses (probably including the English Foxhound), selected a light and elegant dog from the beginning of the 18th century. The pointer takes its name, which means 'pointer,' from the motionless posture it adopts when hunting and it has spotted game. The first mentions of this dog in England date from around 1650 when it would spot the hare that English greyhounds would then chase. However, in the early 1700s, when shooting became fashionable, the pointer proved to be the dog par excellence.

The FCI standard describes the pointer as an active, enduring dog of good and equal character. Affectionate and demonstrative in its affection, it is an easy dog to train and of early learning, requiring for this a firm, patient, and gentle master, without violence. The voice is sufficient for it to be obeyed.

The English Pointer is a medium-sized dog of the mediolinear type and of sporting and agile appearance. The musculature is powerful; the body fits within a square. The neck is long. The tail is straight and tapered. The head is characterized by a well-marked stop and the lines of the muzzle that rises at the tip of the nose. The eyes are lively and round, hazel or brown in color depending on the coat color. The ears are triangular, well-plastered and set high. The coat is short, fine, straight, and lustrous. The breed standard admits many colors: lemon and white, orange and white, liver (brown) and white, black and white. Solid and tricolor coats are the rarest.

In hunting, the English pointer is sensitive to thorns because its skin is not very thick. The drooping ears can harbor parasites that generate inflammation or even otitis. The eye can suffer from eyelid rolling (ectropion and entropion) and retinal problems.