Corwyn feels that adding a puppy to your home is an important decision. We have put
together some information regarding puppies and dog owning to help you with your
research. Please read on:
Choosing a Puppy:
Choosing a puppy is serious business. No matter whether your puppy will be a show dog, a field dog, or a
family companion, you will be living with your decision for the life of the dog, which can be more than 15
years. Be sure you have the time for a dog, the money to invest in a good, healthy puppy, the money to
continue to keep up with your puppy's veterinarian visits, and a home which will provide the right
environment for your puppy.
Do I Really Want a Pointer?
Many people meet a dog belonging to a friend, neighbor or relative and like that dog well enough to want
one of their own. Each dog is an individual, and both breeding and environment contribute much to each
dog's personality. A polite, well-behaved dog might well be quite a different animal when living with a
different person in different circumstances.
So, how do you find out if a pointer is right for you? Do your homework:
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One place to find out about pointers is at dog shows. Watch the dogs in the ring, speak with those outside
the ring and in the grooming area. Remember that people at dog shows can be busy, on a tight schedule, so
you might need to ask to set up a good time to talk. Not everyone handles their own show dogs in the ring,
so you might need to ask the handler how you can contact the dog's owner to ask questions.
Another place to look for a pointer is at a field trial or hunt test. Call your local gun clubs and see if they
have any scheduled, and try to attend. There will often be multiple breeds present, and pointers may be a
small number among the other breeds. You might find the dogs there with professional trainers and
handlers, but often the breeders are there. Watch the dogs work. Remember that you will need to stay out
of the way of dog and handler, and you may need a blaze orange vest to be part of the "gallery." Be sure to
ask those running the event how best to observe, so you don't interfere with the competition. If you see a
dog you like, seek out the breeder or handler and ask when might be a good time to find out about their
dogs and their breeding program.
Try to find some pointer breeders that you can talk to. They should be willing to answer any questions you
have - it is part of their job to help educate you about their breed. Ask if you can visit their dogs and see
what they are like at home. Ask to see the dogs working in the field, if that's your interest. They will have
lots of questions for YOU, too, as any responsible breeder cares very much where their puppies live and how
they are raised and kept.
Pointers have been bred for many generations to work all day alongside their human companions, doing as
asked, and allowing their master to end up with their quarry. To be suited to this kind of work, a pointer
must be agreeable, obedient, and tireless. A pointer is an energetic dog with a high metabolism, but with a
willing spirit and a warm, affectionate heart. They are truly a dog bred for loyalty and devotion to
humankind.
These characteristics also mean your puppy will need exercise: some way to expend all that energy. Pointers
also prefer a good, solid set of rules to live by. A good solid background of obedience training will enrich
your quality of life with your pointer. Pointers are intelligent, but they have been bred to do as asked, and
often learn more quickly if physically shown what is desired. Patience with your pointer during training,
combined with lavish praise for correct behavior, will speed your training.
Pointers have a short, shiny coat, and little or no undercoat (the soft, fluffy coat found on some breeds like
Siberian Huskies). They do, however, shed, some more than others, usually short white hairs. Most
pointers shed only a small amount during the year, more in spring and fall when the weather changes.
Generally, to maintain your pointer's coat, a weekly brushing and an occasional bath are all that is needed.
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If the dog's nails are not worn on their own, they
should be trimmed regularly. This is more
important than it seems, as long nails can
damage a dog's feet by preventing his toes from
properly touching the ground, and eventually
lead to lameness. Your vet can do this for you, if
asked. A pointer has ears that drop over the ear
cavity, and may need occasional cleaning to
prevent infection, as the ear flap creates a warm
environment where germs can grow.
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Because of their high energy level, adolescent pointers (puppies from six months to as old as 2 years) can be
busy, bouncy dogs. Proper training from the earliest age can help control and direct your puppy's energy
level and contain their cheerful, restless spirit. Directed play is a good way to tire your puppy: throwing a
ball, stick or frisbee; playing hide-and-seek games with your puppy's toys. Field work, or off-lead running in
a safe area, is the best way to exercise your pointer, as this is the life they were bred to. While many pointer
owners have successfully raised their pointers in apartments or homes with small yards, a little extra effort
will be required in these cases to maintain your puppy's physical condition and contain that boundless
energy.
For all their energy, pointers make clean, well-mannered house dogs and they particularly enjoy being
allowed to spend time with their families in the house. They are easily crate-trained and housetrained,
sometimes as early as eight weeks if a regular feeding and elimination schedule can be established. They
make good watchdogs, but would most likely smother any intruder with affection.
Pointers are kindly and gentle with children, particularly if raised in a home with children, although no dog
should ever be left unsupervised with a child. Care should always be taken that both child and dog are
properly instructed on correct behavior toward one another. Most pointers also get along well with other
dogs and animals, again, particularly if raised with them. They are gregarious dogs, enjoying the company
of people and dogs, and make good family dogs, as they are happy to spend time with any member of the
family who will lavish them with love and attention.
Because pointers were bred to work so closely with their human companions, they are soft-tempered and
eager to please. They are affected strongly by discipline, and while no dog should ever go undisciplined,
harsh physical discipline is not effective with pointers. They respond to a loud "NO!" and a demonstration of
what is desired. Being eager to please, once they know what is expected of them, they will usually comply,
and they blossom when praised for good behavior. Obedience training is a good way to establish
communication with your dog and learn to show your pointer what is expected of him.
Choosing a Breeder
Once you've decided that you DO want a pointer, talk with still MORE breeders. See who is doing well in
your area of interest: show, or field, or obedience. Just because you are looking for a family companion,
and not interested in showing or field work, doesn't mean you shouldn't choose a good breeder.
So, what are you looking for? You are looking for a breeder who is committed to the breed. Someone who
is working to improve the breed through their breeding program. You might ask what they hope to
accomplish with the breeding they have planned. They might be breeding for a show prospect, or a field
dog. They may have chosen a particular sire for his beautiful gait in the ring, or for his stylish head. They
may have chosen to breed their bitch due to her outstanding field ability, or her excellent hindquarters. Ask
the breeder what they feel are the strengths and faults of the dogs they have chosen for breeding. A good
breeder will have done their research and be able to answer these questions. Both the sire and dam should
be healthy and have good temperaments. Ideally they have been proven either in the show ring or the field,
or both. It may be difficult for you to meet the sire, as he seldom lives with the dam, but rather with another
breeder; however, you can ask for pictures of him, and hopefully can speak with his owner about him.
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So, you've heard what you want to hear. You've
been invited to come see the puppies, or to meet
the dogs before the puppies arrive. What do you
look for?
The dogs should all be in good health and
condition, not just the prospective dam, but any
other dogs on the premises.
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At seven or eight weeks, they should be very busy, running, jumping, climbing, chewing on one another
and in general, being rambunctious. Their eyes should be clear and neither eyes nor nose should be runny.
Their living quarters should be relatively clean, as should they, although keeping up with a litter of puppies
and their habits can be a never- ending job. They should come running to greet you, and be ever curious
about you and their environment.
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Many breeders do not keep their homes like a magazine
ad, but the dog's bedding, eating and drinking dishes, and
outside area should be clean and safe. There is nothing
wrong with dogs kept outdoors in a kennel, so long as it
is clean and the dogs are given a clean, dry, and warm
place to sleep and keep out of the elements. Dogs from
such premises can make suitable housedogs, as you will
be training your puppy to adjust to your lifestyle.
A breeder should be able to provide you with a pedigree
and explain what they know of the dogs listed there. If
you are looking for a field dog, you might want to know
that the dog is descended from dogs with field titles of
some kind. The same rule applies to a show prospect. A
consistent record of achievement in a breeding program
helps to prove its quality. Along with this, however, your
breeder should be able to point out the strengths and
weaknesses they see in the puppies you are to choose
from. Not all will be evident at a young age, but they
should be able to tell you that this one has an outstanding
head and tail, that one moves with effortless grace, and
this one over here has a super nose and has already been
investigating smells in the yard.
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Choosing Your Puppy
So, you've talked with some breeders and found one who has answered your questions and who has
healthy, happy dogs. You've learned about the pedigree of the puppies they've produced and now you see
before you a litter of wiggly, bouncy, curious puppies who are busy untying your shoes, licking your face,
and nosing into your pockets.
What do you look for? First, they should be healthy. They will have lots of loose skin to grow into, but they
should feel round and full when you pick them up.
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Puppies play hard, and nap frequently. They
should be getting a good quality of food, and this
will be evident by their shiny coats and bright
eyes. Listless puppies, puppies will dull eyes or
dry, dull coats are often unhealthy and should
not be chosen.
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There is no science to picking the perfect show puppy. A good show puppy will be balanced, outgoing, and
with correct conformation. They should move cleanly, if a bit clumsily. Eight weeks, as a rule, is a good age
to look at puppies for as show prospects, as it seems a period in their growth when they are more "together."
Most pointers go through a gangly stage beginning at 4 or 5 months, then leveling back to a more balanced
look around 6 months, and then back to their gangly stage as "teenagers."
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This "teenaged," or adolescent, stage of growth, can last
until the pointer is 2 years old. Your breeder can help
you choose a show prospect, but no breeder can
guarantee how a puppy will turn out as an adult.
Experience can be helpful, but it does not always
guarantee that the puppy you choose will grow up to be
perfect.
One option for those who definitely want a show
prospect is to buy an older puppy. The older the
puppy, the better idea can be formed of what your
pointer will look like as an adult. Older puppies can be a
nice choice as they are generally housetrained, lead
broken and started in various forms of training. Be sure
when purchasing an older puppy that the puppy has
been properly socialized and started on training.
Buying a puppy who has spent most of his life in a
kennel run or crate without human contact or proper
socialization can be disappointing.
Before you spend the many hours to research and
explore choosing a pointer, take a moment to look at
Corwyn's puppy checklist:
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Puppy Checklist:
· Decide if you have time for a dog
· Decide if you are ready to commit the next 15+ years to a relationship with your dog
· Decide if you want your puppy for show, field, or as a beloved companion
· Learn about the breed
· Meet the breeders
· Choose a healthy, outgoing puppy
· Be sure your breeder knows what you expect of the dog, and that they feel this dog is suitable for
your lifestyle
· Get detailed information regarding the care and feeding of
your puppy from the breeder
· Remember to follow up with vaccinations
· Remember to attend a basic obedience course
Tammy Albee
Corwyn Kennels
(c) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002,2003
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