should also remember that puppies experience just as many of the aches and pains and sniffles as any human child on the way to maturity.
It takes time and planning to fulfill the day-to-day needs of a puppy or grown dog. This says nothing of the time required for the many lessons a Pointer must be taught by his master before he understands what he may and may not do.
Some breeds live simply to please their masters in that they always seem ready, willing and able to respond to commands. The Pointer, however, has to know that you are serious about what you ask him to do, and he may have to think about it as well. What is vital to remember is that your Pointer puppy, or even adult, will depend wholly on you for everything he needs and every lesson he must learn. If you are not ready to accept this responsibility, you are not ready to own a Pointer. It will only result in household damage and drudgery on your part, and what should be a joyful relationship will result in a frustrating situation for both you and your dog.
The Pointer is a very active dog that requires plenty of outdoor exercise; an hour each day is the absolute minimum.
Failure to understand the amount of time and consideration a well-cared-for dog requires is one of the primary reasons for the number of unwanted canines that lose their lives in animal shelters. Given proper consideration beforehand, the purchase of a dog can bring many years of companionship and comfort as well as the unconditional love and devotion that no other animal can match.
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
Everything in the Pointer’s history contributed to the mental and physical characteristics that have produced both an industrious, efficient hunting dog and a fine household companion. Generations of selection on that basis give us dogs that embody what makes a Pointer a Pointer.
Before any family brings a dog into their home, they should give very serious consideration to three extremely important questions:
1. Does the person who will ultimately be responsible for the dog’s day-to-day care really want a dog?
The children in the family may vociferously claim that they desperately want a dog; however, will they be doing more than just playing with the dog once he arrives? Pet care can be an excellent way to teach children responsibility, but it should not be forgotten that, in their enthusiasm to have a puppy, children are likely to promise almost anything. It is what will happen after the novelty of owning a new dog has worn off that must be considered.
In many active families the ultimate responsibility for the family dog often falls on one person. This appears to be the case even in the homes where both parents work outside the home. This person may not relish any more duties than he or she already has.
2. Does the lifestyle and schedule of the household lend itself to the demands of proper dog care?
There must always be someone available to see to a dog’s basic needs: feeding, exercise, training and so on. If you or your family are gone from morning to night or if you travel frequently and are away from home for long periods of time, the dog must still be cared for. A Pointer cannot be left home alone day in and day out. Are you willing and able to adjust your schedule, or are you prepared to pay the costs of frequent boarding and/or dogsitting for your dog while you are gone?
3. Is this particular breed, the Pointer, suitable for the individual or household?
Does your household contain children? Pointers are wonderful with well-behaved children and they make delightful playmates, but no dog should be expected to tolerate abuse just because a child doesn’t know better. At the same time, an enthusiastic Pointer puppy can knock down and injure a toddler in a playful moment.
The prospective dog owner should also strongly consider the specific peculiarities of his own lifestyle and household. Everyone involved must realize that the new dog will not understand the household routine and must be taught everything you want him to know and do. This takes time and patience, and often the most important lessons for the new dog to learn will take the longest for him to absorb.
Your Pointer puppy should have received lots of human and canine interaction at the breeder’s home. This socialization helps to mold him into a friendly, well-adjusted, people-loving companion.
WHY A PURE-BRED?
There is no difference in the love, devotion and companionship that a mixed-breed dog and a pure-bred dog can give his owner. There are, however, some aspects that can best be fulfilled by the pure-bred dog.
What will a mixed-breed puppy look like as an adult? If esthetics are important to you and you have a specific image in mind of what your dream dog looks like, you are best off not taking the chance with a mix. For instance, the haystack look of the Old English Sheepdog would not be suitable for someone who thinks the razor-sharp lines of the Doberman are what the perfect dog should have. Predicting what a mixed-breed puppy will look like at maturity is nearly impossible. Size, length of hair and temperament can change drastically between puppyhood and adulthood and may not be at all what the owner had hoped for. Then what happens to the dog?
THE DEVOTED “NANNY”
One of the Pointer’s most striking characteristics is the kind and gentle manner with which he conducts himself in the company of children. Even the most accomplished field dog has a very special place reserved for youngsters. Many owners state that the speed demon at work in the field can become quite the devoted “nanny” in dealing with the family’s children. The Pointer raised with children is as much their protector as their playmate.
In buying a well-bred Pointer puppy, the purchaser will have a very good idea of what the dog will look like at maturity as well as how he will be capable of behaving with proper guidance. If your mental picture of the ideal dog is a Cocker Spaniel or an English Setter that lives only to lavish attention and affection upon you, the more independent breeds (of which the Pointer is certainly one) are not going to live up to that ideal. Naturally there are differences within breeds just as there are differences from family to family and from human to human. At the same time, the general character of a specific breed is far more predictable than that of a dog of unknown parentage.
When choosing a puppy, one must have the adult dog in mind because the little fellow is going to be an adult much longer than he ever was a puppy. The adult dog is what must fit the owner’s lifestyle and esthetic standards. A fastidious housekeeper may well have second thoughts when trying to accommodate a very large breed that slobbers or one that sheds his coat all year ’round. All dogs shed to some degree. Pointer hair is shorter and less noticeable on clothing and furniture but far more difficult than long hair to pick up with a vaccuum cleaner or a brush.
EXTRAORDINARY BRAIN POWER
As far back as the 19th century, dog experts attested to the extraordinary brain power of the Pointer. In 1880 Edward Jesse, Esq., noted dog authority and author of Dog Anecdotes, wrote, “Thus a pointer has been known to refuse to hunt for a person who had previously missed every bird the dog had found. He left him with every mark of disgust, nor could any coaxing induce him to continue with his unsportsmanlike companion.”
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