Pointer. Richard G. Beauchamp
the written permission of the copyright owner.
Photography by Carol Ann Johnson and Michael Trafford
with additional photographs by
John Ashbey, Rich Bergman, Paulette Braun, Isabelle Français, Gilbert Studios, Graham Studios, Bill Jonas, Philippe Roca and Missy Yuhl.
Illustrations by Renée Low and Patricia Peters.
The publisher wishes to thank all of the owners whose dogs are illustrated in this book, including Erica and John Bandes, Barbara Cherry and Wendy Gordon.
Special thanks to Wayne Cavanaugh, Nona Kilgore Bauer and Philippe Roca for their assistance with this book.
Countries throughout Europe have developed their own versions of “pointing dogs,” but the breed that bears the name Pointer is the one hailing from England, shown here.
In The Natural History of Dogs, a fascinating and enlightening study of the development of the dog breeds of the world, authors Richard and Alice Feinnes classify most dogs as having descended from one of four major groups, all of which trace back to separate and distinct branches of the wolf family. These four classifications are the Dingo Group, the Greyhound Group, the Northern Group and the Mastiff Group. It is important to have at least a basic understanding of these groups, as very few breeds of dog are of pure descent; instead, they owe their widely diverse characteristics to an intermingling of the blood of as many as all four of the groups.
FROM HIS ANCESTORS…
It is believed that the solid-colored Pointers are the result of the cross that was made to the Greyhound many generations ago. On occasion, solid-color black, liver and, more rarely, orange and lemon Pointers may be seen. The highly developed eyesight of the Pointer can easily be attributed to the breed’s sighthound ancestor, as can a Pointer’s aloof and aristocratic demeanor.
The Pointer, whose ancestors are many and greatly varied, today possesses a purity and nobility that are all his own.
The Dingo Group traces its origin to the Asian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes). Two well-known examples of the Dingo Group are the Basenji and, through the crossing of several European breeds, the Rhodesian Ridgeback.
The Greyhound Group descends from a coursing-type relative of the Asian wolf. The group includes all those dogs that hunt by sight and are capable of great speed. The Greyhound itself, the Afghan Hound, the Borzoi and the Irish Wolfhound are all examples of this group. These dogs also are known as the coursing breeds or sighthounds, though they are not true hounds, as they do not hunt by scent. It is worth noting that the Pointer has been influenced by this group of swift-moving hunters.
The Italian Pointer is known as the Bracco Italiano, colored in chestnut, orange and/or white.
The Arctic or Nordic (Northern) Group of dogs is a direct descendant of the rugged northern wolf (Canis lupus). Included in this group are the Alaskan Malamute, Chow Chow, German Shepherd and the much smaller spitz-type dogs.
The Perdiguero de Burgos stands between 20 and 24 inches tall and weighs up to 66 pounds. He is known as the Spanish Pointer.
The Braque du Bourbonnais, in brown, liver or orange roan, is also known as the Bourbonnais Pointer, a handsome French hunting dog.
The fourth classification, and the one that is of special interest to those who wish to research the history of the Pointer, is the Mastiff Group. This group owes its primary heritage to the Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanco or laniger). The great diversity of dogs included in this group indicates that they are not entirely of pure origins, as they have undoubtedly been influenced by descendants of the other three groups.
The widely divergent descendants of the Mastiff Group are known to include many of the scenting breeds—breeds that find game by the use of their olfactory senses rather than by sight. These breeds include those we now classify as gundogs and the true hounds.
As man became more sophisticated and his lifestyle more complex, he found that he could produce dogs that could suit his specific needs from the various descendants of the wolf. Often these needs were based on the manner in which man himself went after game on particular terrain. The importance here is that man had taken control of the individual dogs that mated. Specific characteristics were prized, and inbreeding practices were employed to perpetuate these characteristics.
TROPHY MODEL
One of the legendary show Pointers of all time was Eng. Ch. Lune Prince, owned by Mr. T. Moorby. Prince was so revered by enthusiasts of the breed that he was used as a model by the Pointer Club for one of its trophies. During his career in the ring, he obtained 700 firsts and 33 Challenge Certificates.
One type of hunting dog that man developed retained the wolf characteristics of pursuing the prey until it was cornered and killed or chased up a tree. This practice is more or less typical of that group of dogs known today as our scenthounds. While their tenacity was held in high regard, the hounds’ willingness to continue the chase for miles, if necessary, often became rather tiresome for their owners. Thus was born a need for the hunting dog that never followed through with the chase or the attack. The dog’s job was not to do the hunting or killing but rather to assist the human hunter by finding the game and indicating his discovery to the hunter quietly so as not to scare away the birds. Furthermore, like any good assistant, the dog obeyed his master’s commands without hesitation.
A well-balanced pointing dog, the Braque Saint-Germain derived from the Pointer and is characteristically colored in orange and white.
The Braque d’Auvergne, one of the many pointers of France, stands 24 inches high and is marked in a black and white roaning pattern.
References have been made to the existence of this kind of dog as early as the time of the ancient Greeks. Written records point to the existence of a rough-coated breed of dog in Italy that signaled his discovery of game to the hunter by assuming a rigid position and placing his body in direct line with the find.
Today we think of the Pointer as a distinct breed of dog, but in fact the name refers to a dog that works the field in a distinctive manner, not unlike that described in ancient Greece. Countries throughout Europe developed their own unique breeds of “pointers” or “pointing dogs” based upon the demands made by their specific terrain. The results of these efforts can be seen in Italy’s Bracco Italiano and Spinone Italiano, Germany’s Shorthaired and Wirehaired Pointers, the Braque Francais and Brittany of France, as well as Britain’s contribution, the breed known simply as the Pointer.
A photograph from the turn of the 19th century, showing trained Pointers in the field. The photo was captioned “Waiting the Flight.”
Popular but controversial opinion has influenced many to