HomeBreeds › Pointer (English Pointer)

Sporting · Large (45-75 lbs) · 12-17 years

Pointer (English Pointer)

Even-tempered, hardworking, congenial; explosive athlete afield, gentle at home.

45–75 lb

At a glance

Kid-friendly
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First-time owners
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Energy
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Shedding
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Good with cats
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Alone time
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Apartment OK
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Trainability
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What this is

What they’re great at

✓ Willing, capable learner
✓ Wants to work WITH you - biddable to the bone
Why it matters

Honest challenges

Alone time is genuinely hard
Bred to work or live beside a human all day - solitude was never in the job description.

What helps: Train it like a skill: the Alone-Time guide builds tolerance in micro-doses from day one. The frozen-KONG-only-when-you-leave ritual turns departures into jackpots. Cover long days honestly: a midday walker, daycare 2-3x a week, and a camera to know (not guess) how they're doing.
Under-exercise becomes YOUR problem
A working engine without an outlet redirects into barking, digging, and demolition.

What helps: A daily aerobic outlet is non-negotiable - Field trials is this breed's love language. 20 minutes of brain work tires like an hour of fetch: puzzles, scent games, new tricks. Feed meals from puzzle feeders and snuffle mats - make breakfast a job.
What you can do

Exercise & training

Exercise: Very high - 2+ hrs/day
Training profile — Gundog / retrieving-pointing-flushing type: Biddable and handler-focused: these breeds genuinely want to work WITH you. Under-exercised gundogs invent jobs - usually involving your furniture.
Sports and outlets that suit them: Field trials · Running partner
What you can do

Grooming & coat

Grooming: Very low.
Shedding: Light-moderate.
Good to know

Health to know about

Hip dysplasia, epilepsy, skin allergies; hardy breed
Breed-typical tendencies, not a diagnosis. Individual dogs vary enormously — your veterinarian screens for what matters for your dog.
How much should YOUR Pointer (English Pointer) eat?

This page can only give breed ranges. The app calculates calories and portions from your dog’s actual weight and life stage, splits them across the right number of meals, and adjusts as they grow.

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Why it matters

Emergency red flags

Poisoning (chocolate, xylitol, grapes, medications, rodenticide)
Vomiting, drooling, tremors, collapse, or known ingestion
Call ASPCA Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 immediately; do NOT induce vomiting unless instructed
Know your ER
Save your nearest 24-hour emergency vet's address and phone in your phone TODAY, not during a crisis
Seizure
Collapse with paddling, jaw chomping, drooling, loss of awareness
Clear the area, do NOT touch the mouth, time the seizure and video it. Over 3 minutes, a cluster of 2+, or first-ever seizure = ER now
This page never carries product links in the emergency section. ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 · Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661.
These need to work when the signal does not

The app keeps every Pointer (English Pointer) red flag on your phone and opens them with no connection at all — which is the whole point at 2am in a car park. Add it to your home screen and it works like any other app.

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📊 The numbers

Typical ranges for planning, not promises — costs vary by region, breeder and individual dog.

GroupSporting
SizeLarge (45-75 lbs)
Lifespan12-17 years
Healthy adult weight45–75 lb
Original purposePointing game birds for wing shooters.
Monthly care$90-$150
Typical puppy price$800-$1,800
🐕 Similar breeds
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Add them once and everything here becomes about your dog: feeding by their weight, training picked for their stage, a day built around your hours, and a vitals log that shows the trend. Free, works offline, no account needed.

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