Old British horsemen used to say, “Horses for courses,” an expression that meant that equines should be bred to suit the terrain in which they were ridden.
The formula was applied not just to horses, but to many of Britain’s dog breeds. Sometimes, breeders who sought to create or improve a breed adapted a mindset similar to how a cook made a stew: A pinch of this, a handful of that.” Many of today’s breeds owe their existence to this approach, but the difference between that and today’s “designer breeds” is that when early breeders achieved the desired result, they knew they weren’t done. They bred their new breed repeatedly over many generations to breed true to type. Every puppy had to have the same phenotype (looks), temperament and characteristics as his littermates, his parents, and his grandparents, and in time, every puppy would have to meet a breed standard. In the modern era, DNA, CERF, BAER, OFA, and breed specific testing have been added to the breeder’s quiver. Money, and a cute gimmicky name was not the primary motivation. Creating a dog to fill a niche as a hunting or working dog, was, followed by consistency and predictability.
The Pointer was quite likely the results of breeders who adhered to that adage, “horses for courses.” Breed historians agree that at least four breeds were involved in the creation of the Pointer: the Greyhound, Bloodhound, Foxhound and Bull Terrier, each which made perfect sense in the attempt to “build” the ideal hunting dog. Were there drawbacks to using these particular breeds? Sure. But contributions were greater than deficits. The Bloodhound offered superb scenting ability and a robust constitution. The Bull Terrier gave the breed persistence and determination; Additional scenting ability as well as easy keeping came from the Foxhound, while the Greyhound provided the breed its speed and elegance.
The Pointer rapidly took shape, and early patrons helped boost the breed’s future. In the end, we have in the Pointer an elegant, fast dog that can range over great distances.
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