Pointer

Before giving a Pointer a forever home, consider any possible health issues. Not every dog experiences them, but it’s important to be prepared. 

For more advice on potential health issues for Pointers, speak to your local vet. Some practices offer ‘pre-purchase consultations.’ These tell you about potential health conditions, management options and an idea of financial costs. 

If you’re considering buying a puppy, they can advise you on finding a responsible breeder and testing for genetic diseases. 

Any breed of dog needs basic preventative healthcare like vaccinations and flea and worming treatments. Pet insurance is also important to help cover your vet bills.

Different Pointers need different amounts of food depending on their:

• age
• size
• activity levels
• fitness
• weight. 

Dog food packets can serve as a useful guide, but you need to take your dog’s individual needs into account. 

Knowing your dog’s body condition also helps you decide on how much food to give them. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WVASA) can provide more information on body condition scoring. 

Speak to your vet if there’s anything you’re unsure of, or for more expert advice.

Pointers are typically high-energy dogs who need lots of exercise to keep them physically and mentally healthy. 

They need daily walks, plus plenty of time and opportunity to explore, burn energy, and play. Like all dogs, they need training and benefit from daily enrichment.

If you love spending active time outdoors, this breed could be a great match for you. 

Pointers need training like any other dog, as well as daily enrichment. When exercising your Pointer, think about their:

• age 
• health 
• personality. 

Young, growing dogs may need a few shorter walks. Whereas older, ill or injured pooches may need an exercise plan tailored by your vet. Some may need quiet, calm walks while others benefit from more sociable strolls. 

Check with your vet for advice on exercising your dog.

Pointers shed moderately. Introduce handling and grooming slowly and in a positive way. This will help your pooch feel more comfortable with it. Grooming is more enjoyable for everyone if your dog feels relaxed and confident.

In their crate, your dog should be able to comfortably: 

• sit and stand at their full height 
• turn around without touching the edges 
• lie down at full stretch 
• wag their tail.

Gradually build up the time your dog spends in their crate, so they feel good about it and associate it with positive things happening.

Like people, each dog is different with their own individual personality and experience. So, the temperaments of different Pointers vary. 

Dogs learn all about the world as they grow from puppies to adult pooches. They find out what they do and don’t like, and develop responses to situations differently.

For instance, some might enjoy new experiences like meeting other dogs. Others might need to take it a bit slower.

You really can teach any dog new tricks. The key is positive learning. Find out what gets your dog’s tail wagging with excitement. Snacks or toys are popular choices, or even lots of praise. Whatever it is, you can use it as a reward during training to help them enjoy the learning. 

Make sure to work on useful life skills like recall, loose lead walking and settling with your dog. This will help you both feel relaxed and confident in tackling your daily life together.

Each dog’s personality is shaped by their experiences of the world and they respond differently to certain situations. 

But there are some universal ways to treat any dog, including Pointers, respectfully and behave safely around them. This is an essential skill for the whole family; adults and children. 

Our family workshops on living safely together are suitable for children aged 7 to 11. Booking one of these sessions could help your situation.