Pointer
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AKC
Approved November 11, 1975
From: American Kennel Club Website, March 2000
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CKC
Canadian Kennel Club Official Breed Standard
From: The Pointer Club of Canada Website, May 2002
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FCI
Kennel Club, London, 1994
F.C.I. Standard No.1
A.N.K.C., 1998
From: Australian National Kennel Club Website, March 2000
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General Appearance:
The Pointer is bred primarily for sport afield;
he should unmistakably look and act the part.
The ideal specimen gives the immediate impression of compact power
and agile grace; the head noble, proudly carried; the expression
intelligent and alert; the muscular body bespeaking both staying power
and dash. Here is an animal whose every movement shows him to be a
wide-awake, hard-driving hunting dog possessing stamina, courage,
and the desire to go. And in his expression are the loyalty and
devotion of a true friend of man.
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General Appearance:
The Pointer is bred primarily for sport afield; he should unmistakably
look and act the part. The ideal specimen gives the immediate
impression of compact power and agile grace; the head noble,
proudly carried; the expression intelligent and alert; the muscular
body bespeaking both staying power and dash. Here is an animal
whose every movement shows him to be a wide awake, hard-driving
hunting dog possessing stamina, courage, and the desire to go. And
in his expression are the loyalty and devotion of a true friend of man.
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General Appearance:
Symmetrical and well built all over,
general outline a series of graceful
curves. A strong but lissom appearance.
Characteristics:
Aristocratic. Alert with appearance of strength, endurance and speed.
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Temperament:
The Pointer's even temperament and alert good sense make him a
congenial companion both in the field and in the home.
He should be dignified and should never show timidity toward man or dog.
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Temperament:
The Pointer's even temperament and alert good sense make him a
congenial companion both in the field and in the home. He should be
dignified, yet show a responsive attitude at all times.
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Temperament:
Kind, even disposition.
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Head:
The skull of medium width, approximately as wide as the
length of the muzzle,
resulting in an impression of length rather than width.
Slight furrow between
the eyes, cheeks cleanly chiseled. There should be a pronounced stop.
From this
point forward the muzzle is of good length, with the nasal bone so
formed that
the nose is slightly higher at the tip than the muzzle at the stop.
Parallel planes
of the skull and muzzle are equally acceptable.
The muzzle should be deep without
pendulous flews. Jaws ending square and level,
should bite evenly or as scissors.
Nostrils well developed and wide open.
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Head:
(paragraph also included ears and eyes)
Skull:
long and proportionately wide, but indicating length rather
than width. Slight furrow between the eyes, cheeks cleanly chiseled.
A pronounced stop midway between nostrils and occiput.
Muzzle:
long, in the same plane as the skull. Nostrils large, spongy,
widely open.
Jaws: ending level and square, with scissors or even bite, the flews
clean.
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Head and Skull:
Skull of medium breath, in proportion to length of foreface, stop well defined,
pronounced occipital bone. Nose and eye rims dark, but may be lighter in the case of a lemon and
white coloured dog. Nostrils wide, soft and moist. Muzzle somewhat concave, ending on level with
nostrils, giving a slightly dish-faced appearance. Slight depression under eyes, cheek bones not
prominent, well developed soft lip.
Mouth:
Jaws strong, with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. Upper teeth closely
overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
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Ears:
Set on at eye level.
When hanging naturally, they should reach just below the lower jaw, close to the
head, with little or no folding. They should be somewhat pointed at the tip--never
round--and soft and thin in leather.
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Ears:
set on at eye level. When hanging naturally, they should be
somewhat pointed at the tip - never round - and soft and thin in
leather. They should reach below the lower jaw, close tot he head,
with little or no folding.
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Ears:
Leathers thin, set on fairly high,
lying close to head, of medium length,
slightly pointed at tips.
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Eyes:
Of ample size, rounded
and intense. The eye color should be dark in contrast with the color of the markings,
the darker the better.
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Eyes: of medium size, rounded, pleasant in expression and the
darker the better.
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Eyes:
Same distance from occiput as from nostrils,
bright and kindly in expression.
Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat.
Neither bold nor staring, not looking down the nose.
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Neck
Long, dry, muscular, and slightly arched, springing cleanly from
the shoulders.
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Neck:
Long, dry, muscular and slightly arched, springing cleanly from the
shoulders.
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Neck:
Long, muscular, slightly arched, springing cleanly from shoulders
and free from throatiness.
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Shoulders:
Long, thin, and sloping. The top of blades close together.
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See below:
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See below:
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Front:
Elbows well let down, directly under the withers and truly parallel so as to work just clear of the body. Forelegs straight and with oval bone. Knee joint never to knuckle over. Pasterns of moderate length, perceptibly finer in bone than the leg, and slightly slanting. Chest, deep rather than wide, must not hinder free action of forelegs. The breastbone bold, without being unduly prominent. The ribs well sprung, descending as low as the elbow-point.
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Forequarters:
Shoulders long, thin and sloping. The top of blades close together.
Elbows well down, directly under the withers and truly parallel, so as
to work just clear of the body. Forelegs straight and with oval bone.
Knee joint never to knuckle over. Pasterns of moderate length,
perceptibly finer in bone than the leg, and slightly slanting.
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Forequarters:
Shoulders long, sloping and well-laid back. Chest just wide enough for plenty of
heart room. Brisket well let down, to level with elbows. Forelegs straight and firm, with good oval
bone, with back sinews strong and visible. Knee joint flat with front leg and protruding very little on
inside. Pasterns, lengthy, strong and resilient. Slightly sloping.
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Back:
Strong and solid with only a slight rise from croup to top of shoulders. Loin
of moderate length, powerful and slightly arched. Croup falling only slightly
to base of tail. Tuck-up should be apparent, but not exaggerated.
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Body:
Back strong and solid, with only a slight rise from croup to top of
shoulders. Chest, deep rather than wise, must not hinder free action
of the forelegs. The breastbone bold without being unduly
prominent. The ribs well sprung, descending as low as the elbow-point.
Loin of moderate length, powerful and slightly arched. Croup falling
only slightly to base of tail. Tuck-up should be apparent, but not
exaggerated.
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Body:
Well sprung ribs carried well back gradually falling a
way at strong muscular and slightly
arched loins. Short coupled.
Haunch bones well spaced and prominent, not above level of back.
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Tail:
Heavier at the root, tapering to a fine point. Length no
greater than to hock. A tail longer than this or docked must be penalized.
Carried without curl, and not more than 20 degrees above the
line of the back; never carried between the legs.
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Tail:
Heavier at the root, gradually tapering to a fine point. Length no
greater than to reach the hock joint. Carried straight, ideally on a
level with the back.
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Tail:
Medium length, thick at root, tapering gradually to a point.
Well covered with close hair, carried
on a level with back, with no upward curl.
In movement, tail should lash from side to side.
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Hindquarters:
Muscular and powerful with great propelling leverage.
Thighs long and well developed. Stifles well bent. The hocks clean;
the legs straight as viewed from behind. Decided angulation is the mark of power
and endurance.
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Hindquarters:
Muscular and powerful, with great propelling leverage. Thighs long
and well developed. The hocks clean and parallel. Stifles wide and
well bent. Decided angulation is the mark of power and endurance.
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Hindquarters:
Very muscular. Well turned stifles. Good expanse of first and second thigh.
Hocks well let down.
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Feet:
Oval, with long, closely-set, arched toes, well-padded, and deep.
Catfoot is a fault. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed.
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Feet:
Feet oval, with long, closely-set toes, well padded and deep.
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Feet:
Oval, well knit, arched toes, well cushioned.
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Coat:
Short, dense, smooth with a sheen.
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Coat:
Coat short, dense and smooth with a sheen.
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Coat:
Fine, short, hard and evenly distributed,
perfectly smooth and straight with decided sheen.
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Color:
Liver, lemon, black, orange; either in combination with white or
solid-colored. A good Pointer cannot be a bad color.
In the darker colors, the nose should be black or brown;
in the lighter shades it may be lighter or flesh-colored.
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Colour:
Liver, lemon, black,
orange; either in combination with white or solid-coloured. A good
Pointer cannot be a bad colour. In the darker colours, the nose
should be black or brown; in the lighter shades it may be lighter or
flesh-coloured.
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Colour:
Usual colours are lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white,
and black and white.
Self colours and tri-colours are also correct.
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Gait:
Smooth, frictionless, with a powerful hindquarters' drive.
The head should be carried high, the nostrils wide, the tail
moving from side to side rhythmically with the pace, giving the
impression of a well-balanced, strongly-built hunting dog capable
of top speed combined with great stamina. Hackney gait must be faulted.
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Gait:
Smooth and frictionless, with a powerful hindquarters' drive. The
head should be carried high, the nostrils wide, the tail moving from
side to side rhytmically with the pace, giving the imrpession of a well
balanced, strongly-built hunting dog capable of top speed combined
with great stamina.
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Gait/Movement:
Smooth covering plenty of ground. Driving hind action, elbows neither in nor
out. Definitely not a hackney action.
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Balance and Size:
Balance and over-all symmetry are more important in the Pointer than size.
A smooth, balanced dog is to be more desired than a dog with strongly
contrasting good points and faults. Hound or terrier characteristics
are most undesirable. Because a sporting dog must have both
endurance and power, great variations in size are undesirable,
the desirable height and weight being within the following limits:
Dogs:
Height -- 25-28 inches
Weight -- 55-75 pounds
Bitches:
Height -- 23-26 inches
Weight -- 44-65 pounds
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Balance and Size:
Balance – over-all symmetry – is much more important in the Pointer
than size. It is just as vital in a dog bred for field work as it is in an
athlete or a racehorse, and for the same reasons: it indicates
muscular coordination, endurance, and an equilibrium of power.
Whether large or small a well put-together Pointer, "smooth all
over," is preferred to an uneven one with contrasting good and bad
points. Provided there is balance, considerable variation in size and
weight is permissible.
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Size:
Height: Dogs 63-69 cms (25-27 ins) at withers
Bitches 61-66 cms (24-26 ins) at withers
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Faults:
General Appearance:
Lack of true Pointer type, hound or terrier characteristics.
Temperament
Timid, unruly.
Head:
Blocky or apple head. Short or snipey muzzle or frog face. Bulging
cheeks or pendulous flews. Lack of stop, down-faced, Roman nose.
Undershot or overshot. Small or dry nostrils.
Ears:
Low set, round, heavy, folded, leathery or hound ears.
Eyes:
Light, hard, almond or staring eyes.
Neck:
Ewe neck. Throatiness. Short, thick neck.
Shoulders:
Loaded or bossy shoulders. Set wide apart at top. Straight
shoulders, no slope.
Front:
Elbows turned either in or out. Forelegs knuckled over. Straight
pasterns, terrier-front. Bone of forelegs coarse, fine or round. Narrow
chested, shallow, shelly, pigeon-breasted. Chest too wide, resulting
in elbows out. Ribs too flat or too barreled.
Back:
Roach or sway back. Unbalanced length of body. Cobbiness. Steep
rise, or none at all, in topline. Sagging or long, thin loin. Croup falling
away too sharply.
Tail:
Rat tail. Set on too high or too low. Carried between the legs, or
carried high, flag-pole tail.
Hindquarters:
Straight or narrow stifles. Cow-hocks. Lack of angulation or straight
in stifle. Any suggestion of weakness in hindquarters.
Feet:
Cat-foot. Thin or soft pads. Splayed feet. Flat toes.
Coat:
Long hair or curl. Soft or silky coat.
Colour:
Weak or washed-out colours. Light or flesh-coloured nose in a dark-coloured
dog. Butterfly nose.
Gait:
Crossing-over, sprawling or side-tracking. Stepping too high in front
– the hackney gait.
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Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be
considered a fault and the seriousness
with which the fault should be regarded should
be in exact proportion to its degree.
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Scale of Points:
- Head ...
10
- Ears ...
3
- Eyes ...
4
- Neck ...
5
- Shoulders ...
8
- Front ...
6
- Back ...
4
- Tail ...
5
- Hindquarters ... 15
- Feet
9
- Coat and Colour ...
5
- Gait ...
6
- Balance and true Pointer type ...
20
- Total ...
100
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Note:
Male animals should have two apparently
normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
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