A Portuguese Pointer, ( pt, Perdigueiro Português) is a breed of

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

developed as a

gun dog Gun dogs, or bird dogs, are types of hunting dogs developed to assist hunters in finding and retrieving game, usually quail, dove, or duck. Gun dogs are divided into three primary types: retrievers, flushing dogs, and pointing breeds. Types ...

. It is one of several

pointing Pointing is a gesture specifying a direction from a person's body, usually indicating a location, person, event, thing or idea. It typically is formed by extending the arm, hand, and index finger, although it may be functionally similar to other ...

breeds and is mainly used in red-legged partridge hunting.

History

The Portuguese Pointer (''perdigueiro Português'') arose from Iberian hunting dogs with its presence in Portugal traceable to the early twelfth century. Initially the dog was bred in royal kennels and later became a very popular hunting dog for the lower classes of society. In the eighteenth century, many English families established a presence in the region of

Oporto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropo ...

in the business of

wine production Winemaking or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. The science of wine and w ...

and came to know the Portuguese hunting breed which was taken to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

where they played a part in the origin of the English pointer. However, during the nineteenth century when Portugal was experiencing considerable social hardships, the breed began a progressive decline. It was not until the 1920s when some breeders made an effort to salvage the breed by locating some of the ancient Portuguese dogs in the inaccessible north of Portugal. The Portuguese pedigree book was then established in 1932 and breed standard in 1938. For at least a thousand years, this dog has always had the same square head, a marked stop, triangular ears and compact look and since the 17th century, the same docked tail, and among pointing dogs all over the world just the perdigueiro and his "son" the English pointer have this kind of skull-facial convergence so typical.

Description

Size & Build

The Portuguese Pointer is a dog of medium proportions. The height at the

withers The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle a ...

is . The weight is for males, and for females. When being evaluated at a

conformation show A dog show is an event where dogs are exhibited. A conformation show, also referred to as a ''breed show'', is a kind of dog show in which a judge, familiar with a specific dog breed, evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs '' ...

, dogs judged for conformation that benefits working ability, with deviations from the standard penalised according to the amount that they interfere with working ability. The dogs are square in build, with the 10:10½ height to length ratio. The tail is docked to half, or two-thirds the natural length, and held level with the spine when the dog is excited, hanging down otherwise.

Coat & Color

The coat is short and coarse on most of the dog, being the texture of

velvet Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel. By extension, the word ''velvety'' means ...

on the ears and face. The Portuguese Pointer does not have an undercoat. Standard colors recognized by the FCI include light yellow, red yellow, and yellow, both unicolored or with white markings.

Health & Lifespan

The Portuguese Pointer has an average life expectancy of 14 years. They are considered a hardy breed with no known health issues specific to them. However, hip dysplasia, patellar lunation, cancer, and autoimmune diseases are potential health concerns for dogs of this size.

Temperament

Portuguese Pointers are an energetic and affectionate breed. As a hunting dog, the breed are enthusiastic and dedicated. They work in close contact with their handlers and are known to be devoted companions, sometimes to the point of being "inappropriate and inconvenient" in their affections. While very sociable and dedicated to their owner, they can be aloof towards other dogs.

References

External links

The History of Perdigueiro (or Portuguese Pointer)
{{Portugese dogs FCI breeds Gundogs Pointers Dog breeds originating in Portugal Rare dog breeds