The Versatility of the Pointer – Fact or Fiction???

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, July 2013 issue.

The Versatility of the Pointer – Fact or Fiction???

The Pointer Breed Standard states “The ideal specimen gives the immediate impression of compact power and agile grace; the head noble, proudly carried; the expression intelligent and alert; the muscular body bespeaking both staying power and dash. Here is an animal whose every movement shows him to be a wide-awake, hard-driving hunting dog possessing stamina, courage, and the desire to go. And in his expression are the loyalty and devotion of a true friend of man.” Pointers are not often seen in performance events such as agility or obedience, but it is not because they do not have the desire or the ability to excel.

They are willing and able competitors, and their athleticism enables them to perform at the top levels with appropriate training. Their exuberant and even mischievous nature can be misleading as they can be very sensitive when they think they have made a mistake. Above all else they want to please their human teammate. Because of this sensitivity, you should always reward the positive and try to ignore mistakes to maintain enthusiasm, and look for frequent opportunities to give your Pointer the chance to be successful in every training session. It is important to understand each breed’s natural inclinations when considering training approaches to other venues such as agility or obedience. The American Pointer Club website describes the Pointer in the field as “very biddable, personable dogs that have one thing on their mind when let loose in hunting terrain, and that is to find birds. Because of this, they tend to run hard, fast, and cover as much ground as possible to accomplish their aim.

As the Pointer may be a considerable distance from the handler at the time of the bird-find, he must also be trainable, so that he will “stand” his bird until the handler arrives.” This inclination to work away from the handler while still taking directions can be an asset in canine sports such as agility—allowing the handler to ‘send’ the dog to an obstacle while minimizing the distance the handler must travel—ultimately resulting in faster run times. While in general the breed is well suited to performance events, it is important to consider the ultimate goals for your canine teammate when evaluating potential puppies in a litter. While important in all venues for pups to be brave and bold, for sports like agility I also like to see a very strong play and toy drive. I personally love naughty puppies—it’s fun to direct that positive energy into desired performance behaviors.

Some of our top agility Pointers have come from Pointer rescues—don’t discount the suitability of a rescue if you are looking for a potential performance partner. To highlight the versatility of the Pointer, the American Pointer Club offers awards at the National Specialty for Pointers competing in field, obedience, rally, agility, and conformation venues. Depending on the number of different venues each dog participates in, they are eligible to receive the coveted “MVP” award. This program was established to encourage Pointer owners to venture out and try new types of events with their dogs, and it has been a great success with participation at record levels at the 2013 Pointer Nationals.

There are so many different venues available to participate in with your Pointer, it’s important to find the ones that make you and your dog the happiest. It’s not about the competition; at the end of the day a national ranking means nothing if we aren’t having fun with our dogs. Our canine partner’s lives are much too short, find what they love and help them do it! Is the Pointer a versatile breed? Definitely a FACT!