Portuguese Pointer

Pointing dogs of this type are recorded in Portugal from the medieval period, kept in the royal kennels and used for falconry and later for shooting over game. They are widely regarded as one of the ancestral influences behind the modern pointing breeds of western Europe, including the English Pointer, which was shaped in part by Iberian dogs taken to Britain in the eighteenth century.

The breed's fortunes fell with the Portuguese monarchy and the decline of large hunting estates in the nineteenth century, and by the early twentieth century numbers were low and the type had become inconsistent.

A concerted recovery effort ran from the 1920s onwards, drawing on dogs still kept by hunters in the north of the country. The first breed standard was drawn up in 1939, and the Federation Cynologique Internationale definitively accepted the breed in 1955, placing it in Group 7 among the pointing dogs.

It remains uncommon. Registrations in Portugal number in the low thousands and the breed is rarer still abroad, where it is recognised by the American Kennel Club through its Foundation Stock Service and by the Kennel Club in the United Kingdom on the import register.

The Portuguese Pointer is squarely built and moderately heavy for its height, with substance without coarseness. Males stand roughly 21 to 24 inches at the shoulder and weigh 44 to 60 pounds; females are about 20 to 22 inches and 35 to 49 pounds.

The head is the breed's most distinctive feature: broad and rather square with a marked stop, a truncated muzzle, and loose skin that gives a characteristic soft, slightly furrowed expression. The eyes are large, oval and brown, the ears are set high, thin and hanging, and the tail is traditionally carried level in movement.

The coat is short, close and hard, without an undercoat, lying flat and fine on the head and ears. The recognised colour is yellow in all shades from pale to a deep chestnut tone, either solid or with white markings on the head, neck, chest, legs and tail tip. Grooming demands are minimal and shedding is moderate.

This is a notably affectionate and people-oriented gundog. Portuguese Pointers form intense attachments and do not thrive alone in a kennel or an empty house; they want to be near their people and are prone to separation distress if that need is ignored.

In temperament they are calm, biddable and sensitive. Harsh handling shuts them down quickly, while patient reward-based work produces a willing, attentive dog. They are usually friendly with strangers rather than suspicious, which makes them mediocre guard dogs but very easy to take out.

Energy levels are high but controllable. A well-exercised Portuguese Pointer settles quietly indoors, and the breed is generally good with children and sociable with other dogs, reflecting its history of working in company.

The hunting instinct is strong. Small furred and feathered pets are not a natural fit, and a dog on a scent will need managing on lead until recall is genuinely proven.

The classic job is hunting red-legged partridge in Portuguese hill country: quartering ground close in front of the gun, locating birds by air scent, and holding a firm point until the hunter is in position. The breed also works quail, woodcock and rabbit, and retrieves willingly, including from water.

In modern hands the breed does well in field trials, hunt tests, tracking, obedience and agility. Because it works close and stays in touch, it is often recommended to hunters who want a pointing dog that does not range out of sight.