Pointer brand clothing (overalls, coveralls, carpenter jeans, hunting apparel and denim chore coats) is a staple in some wardrobes – but did you know that the Pointer in “Pointer brand” isn’t a pretend dog, but a very real dog?

Edward King founded the company in the early 1900s, but it was L.C. King who named the clothing line after the Pointers he loved and bred. He felt the qualities of the noble breed were an apt metaphor for the quality of the clothing he sold. The Pointer brand was trademarked in 1914.

The images we see today in the labels are that of a dog named “Carolina Bill,” the favorite birddog of L.C., a avid huntsman. “Bill” was whelped in 1922, and two years later he won the regional Tenneva all age tournament. At this point, all Pointer brand dog images were changed to reflect Bill’s likeness.

Bill was said to be “very intense” and “showed excellent style and character” on point—making him the perfect inspiration for a line of tough and durable working clothes. Sadly, Bill died of distemper in his family kitchen in 1926.