Owning a Pointer: From Field to Family
Owning a Pointer: From Field to Family
I did something I thought I’d never do. Seven years ago, I called a friend and asked him to tell me more about his hunting dog. I was watching him grow up on Facebook and watched him become successful in the field. He went on to say a breed name that I needed him to repeat. The last time I had hunted with Clint, he owned a Labrador, he now owned a Small Munsterlander. You’re likely Google searching the breed right now. About fifteen minutes into talking with Clint, I asked him for the name of the breeder he bought his pup from and I called her immediately after we got off the phone.
After raising and hunting over Labradors for the previous fifteen-plus years, my curiosity was getting the best of me and I wanted to know more about this unique breed and the potential opportunity to hunt over a pointer. At the end of about an hour-long conversation with the breeder, I asked her about getting on her waiting list. That next summer, I brought home my first pointer, a Small Munsterlander.
Pointer Breeds
There are currently fourteen breeds in the Sporting Group that the American Kennel Club recognizes as pointers (Bracco Italiano, Brittanys, Pointers, English Setters, German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, Gordon Setters, Irish Red & White Setters, Irish Setters, Spinone Italiano, Vizslas, Weimaraners, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons and the Wirehaired Vizsla). There are currently thirteen breeds in the American Kennel Club’s Foundation Stock Service program. They recognize all thirteen breeds as pointers (Braque du Bourbonnais, Braque Francais Pyrenean, Braque St. Germain, Drentsche Patrijshond (Drent), French Spaniel, German Longhaired Pointer, Pont-Audemer Spaniel, Portuguese Pointer, Pudelpointer, Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer, Small Munsterlander Pointer and the Stabyhoun). These purebred breeds can all run AKC tests/trials and they’re working toward becoming eligible for AKC registration and recognition.
Not all pointers are alike. Some are easy to find in the USA, like the German Shorthair. Others are harder to find in the USA, like the Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer. Some have a lot of genetics in the USA (good and bad) and some have a small pool of genetics (which limits your options). Some like to range a hundred-plus yards when they hunt and others like to hunt close. Many shed significantly and others barely shed. Some retrieve naturally and others tend to shy away from retrieving. Some enjoy water and others seem to despise it. Certain have long hair and others have short. Some are personable and get along with other dogs and others are the opposite. Some are forty pounds and others are ninety pounds.
Characteristics of Pointers
Pointers tend to have: a willingness to train, a desire to please and a craving to hunt. They lean more toward being a family dog and are good with children and other dogs. They also lean toward having higher energy levels that require a little more mental and physical stimulation.
In the sporting dog world, pointers are primarily known to upland hunt. Some breeds are regularly used to waterfowl hunt, blood track, shed hunt and even help with fur-bearing.
There are many reasons why I broke away from my, “I’ll never own another breed besides a Labrador” stance, and I gravitated toward the Small Munsterlander. Most importantly, they checked almost all of the boxes for what I was looking for in a dog and what I’d “put up with” if I had to make some compromises (like shedding). Not to mention, as a father of two daughters with a growing interest in the outdoors. A pointer allows me to better predict a bird flush on a pheasant hunt with my daughters.
Like I said in last month’s article geared towards Retrievers, just because a pointer might be a good fit for you, doesn’t mean that all pointer breeds will be a good fit for your family, lifestyle, training philosophy, social life and hunting interests. As you research what pointer breed would be the best for you. Consider asking breeders to share about the frustrations and quirks of the breed. Also talk to trainers who’ve handled the breed and ask people no longer hunting the breed why they switched. Breeders will gush about the things they love about their dogs and the breed, but they might overlook highlighting the annoyances because they are “normal” for them. Likewise, people who currently own the breed will likely highlight how much they love their dog before they pause to share what drives them crazy about their same four-legged friend.
For me, pheasant hunting behind a pointer is a lot of fun. I love to watch them work a field and abruptly go on point. My excitement rises as I make my way toward them to flush the bird, hoping the brilliant colors of a rooster come shooting out of the cover. Sometimes I think their joy depletes as they experience me failing to knock the bird down, but then they remind me of their loyalty and they keep on hunting, sniffing for the next opportunity. They are pretty forgiving.
by Kyle Dana
April 2024
