Pet Guide: Old Danish Pointing Dog

The Old Danish Pointing Dogs are strongly built with a natural exterior made for hunting. This breed is medium-sized and rectangular in appearance. The male breed has an average height and weight difference of 4 centimeters and 4 kilograms over its female counterpart. One of its most appealing features however is the eminent difference between the male and the female pointing dogs. While the breed is generally powerful and sizable, the female pointing dog is typify as lighter, more strong-willed, and whimsical. This breed is further characterized in its distinguished white coloring with brown markings on its body.

In general, an Old Danish pointing Dog is a friendly family dog. Both its face and temperament expresses the impression of a quiet and stable dog yet showing fortitude and guts. When used for hunting, this breed advances rather slowly, striving to maintain contact with the hunter while achieving its task as a pointing dog devoid of needless disturbance of the ground. At a glance, this breed seems to be calm and steady in nature and that is not a wrong assumption since behind its unwavering façade is a determined and courageous dog willing to please its master by accomplishing its tasks successfully.

History

This breed is originally used as a pointing dog during hunting in Denmark, thus its name - Pointing Dog. The origin of the Old Danish Pointing Dog can be traced back from way back 1710 when a Glenstrup local man named Morten Bak cross-bred gypsy dogs through eight generations with local farm dogs. This instituted a pure breed of white with brown markings dogs called Bakhounds or more popularly known as Old Danish Pointers.

The local farmers of Glenstrup called these newly-bred farm dogs as Bloodhounds. However, it seems more probable that these hounds were progeny from the Squire's scent hounds. These scent hounds are said to be descendants of St. Hubert Hounds. Also, in the same manner, it is more likely that the gypsy dogs descended from Spanish Pointing Dogs and many other breeds of scent hounds. Thus, in so in many ways St.Hubert Hounds have played a great role to the production of the Old Danish Pointer.

In the beginning though. Old Danish Pointing Dogs were used as retrievers. However, they have grown into good working gun dogs over the years. Because of this fact, the breed practically vanished during the war in 1939. Some breed enthusiasts nevertheless made the breed popular again. Nowadays, the Old Danish Pointing Dogs are considered as the third hunting dog under the Danish' registration.

Personality and Temperament attributes

1. Playfulness

The Old Danish Pointing Dog is not as playful as other eager dogs but it tends to become jovial and light-hearted with family members.

2. Affection

Though hardy, vigorous, and tenacious, an old Danish Pointing Dog makes a gentle and affectionate pet.

3. Ease of training (learning rate)

This breed is fairly easy to train and can make great hunters as well as good pets.

4. Watchdog ability

Because of its hunting ability, this breed is great as a watchdog as it uses its heightened senses and instincts.

5. Protection ability

An Old Danish Pointing Dog has the tendency to be protective of its owner as it is a loving and demonstrative pet.

6. Dominance

This breed's dominant trait is its great Working Dog characteristics - weather resistant, and is used by hunters for chasing hounds.

7. Friendliness toward dogs

An Old Danish Pointing Dog is generally friendly towards other breeds though they seldom play and mingle with them and prefers to sit back and watch.

8. Friendliness toward other pets

This breed does not necessarily socialize with other animals though it doesn't create trouble with them as well

9. Friendliness toward stranger

This breed is generally friendly with familiar people and even strangers but not really aggressive.

10. Good with children

An Old Danish pointing Dog's affectionate and gentle nature makes it a reliable pet for children.

Care & Maintenance

1. Energy level

An Old Danish Pointing Dog is by and large a strong and active dog and so its energy level is high to sustain its activities (especially during hunting)

2. Exercise needs

As a hunting dog, an Old Danish Pointing Dog requires daily exercise and a somewhat bigger space.

3. One owner loyalty

Characterized as a calm, mellow and warm in nature, this breed is loyal and devoted to its owner

4. Cold weather

An Old Danish Pointing Dog can withstand cold since it is accustomed to the changing weather condition but it cannot endure extreme chill.

5. Hot weather

This breed also have high tolerance for hot and warm weather because of its short coating

6. Coat length

An Old Danish Pointing Dog's hair, which covers its entire body is short yet dense that it appears hard to touch

7. Shedding

An Old Danish Pointing Dog sheds a little all year round along with a heavy seasonal shedding

8. Grooming

Because of the Old Danish Pointing Dog's dense hair, proper grooming - brushing - is but vital.

9. Prone to health issues

This bred is prone to elbow and hip dysplasia and epilepsy. It is also prone to deafness.

10. Living environment

Though this breed can thrive just about anywhere, it is advisable to put it in a rather spacious area for it to nurture its hunting ability and vigorous nature.

11. Barking

An Old Danish Pointing Dog is not a yapper but it does have the tendency to bark when necessary

12. Drooling

An Old Danish Pointer has a mid-drooling potential, meaning, it's not a slobber all throughout yet it could irritate a real neatnik