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Pointer (English) History
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Historical records indicate that pointing dogs rose to prominence in a number of European nations simultaneously during the 16th and 17th centuries, including Britain, Portugal and Spain. These were the first dogs bred to locate and point at game, alerting a gun-carrying hunter or coursing breed, such as a Greyhound, to the presence of a target. The English Pointer, which the AKC now recognizes simply as the Pointer, came on the scene around 1650, and was descended from Greyhound, Foxhound, Bloodhound and Spaniel blood. Subsequent pairings with heavier Spanish Pointers and Italian Pointers led to the English Pointer we recognize today.
The Pointer was introduced to the United States in the mid-19th century and gained American Kennel Club recognition in 1878. The Westminster Kennel Club has had a long love affair with the Pointer, and was originally organized around the breed; the Pointer still adorns the Club’s emblem and has won the Westminster Kennel Club Show three times. Today, the Pointer enjoys considerable popularity as a show, trial and hunting dog, but is rarely seen as a pet.
