Born to Point: A Closer Look at English Pointers

by Steve Layton & Gary Finch

The English Pointer or “bird dog”, as we call them in the south, arrived in America in the mid-1800s. Prior to that time the longer haired setters were the primary pointing breeds. Pointers, like the setters, were bred to work with hunters. They were ideally suited for hunting bobwhite quail in the extreme southeast U.S. where thick briars and high temperatures tended to push the long-haired setters to dangerous physical limits. Pointers had short flat coats that did not become entangled in the vegetation and also allowed the dogs to quickly dissipate body heat.

Any bird dog breeder will tell you that both these breeds come into the world with the gift of locating and pointing game. In England during the 1700’s, the pointing breeds were trained to locate both rabbits and birds, making them a valuable hunting tool for putting food on the family table.

In the earliest days, pointers were commonly used in conjunction with a companion retriever. While pointers were excellent at locating game, retrieving was not generally their strong suit. Some hunters still continue to pair a pointer with a retriever to share the duties of locating and fetching game. Today, many trainers make a special effort to apply the “force fetch” techniques, to teach their pointers basic retrieving skills. The goal is to develop a complete bird dog that can point and retrieve upland birds. A dog that can “do it all” is a highly prized and valued hunting companion.

In the southern United States, where the breed is so dominant, pointers are found in abundance. A well conditioned pointer is a beautiful sight to behold. Their short coats display a sleek body shape and the muscle definition you would expect to see in a world class sprinter.

The southern bobwhite quail is the perfectly matched game bird for the pointer. These birds typically hold tight to cover while being pointed. Their favorite haunts are brier-infested thickets that won’t deter an eager pointer and his sensitive nose. But, it’s not uncommon to also see pointers in fields across the country seeking pheasant, grouse, or woodcock, with equal success. One concern for the short-coated pointers is their tendency to chill quickly. Keeping them dry and warm following a frigid hunt should be a primary concern for the hunter.

One of the hunting characteristics of a pointer seems to be their desire to range further than most setters. I’ve heard it explained that setters tend to be “hunter” focused, while pointers just want to “hunt”. This is a great advantage for hunters who are seeking wild birds in open country while on horseback. But, it can be frustrating for those who are attempting to keep up with these dogs on foot. For this reason, many trainers have worked hard to develop strains of eager pointers that have been conditioned to work closer to the walking shooter. Today, there aren’t many large expanses of land available for open country bird hunting and a close-hunting pointer is becoming more desirable for the modern wing shooter.

There will always be “setter hunters” and “pointer hunters”. Both the setter and the pointer have great temperaments. Each breed easily fills the slot as being both a hunting dog and a family pet. It seems there will always be two distinctive camps for these dogs based on the owner’s preferred style of hunting. Both breeds require an enormous amount of exercise with the pointer requiring the most. Bringing a high performance pointer home for the kids would be like trying to keep a thoroughbred race horse in a condominium. If your yard is based on square footage rather than acreage, the pointer is a poor choice. They demand and deserve plenty of running room and an adequate supply of birds to work. The inability to meet their physical and hunting needs would be a complete disservice to the breed, while bringing them up as time proven field hunters is nothing short of pure beauty.