Thread: proper pointers

Recently on another forum there was a thread of pointers running in the European Championship in Serbia. There were a few interesting comments, and not being a member there I thought I would share them here in the hope the original poster sees them.

There is a massive divergence between a 'Grande Quete" bred pointer on the continent and the ones bred in the UK and Scandinavia, to the point they are as removed from the act of hunting as much as the UK show lines are. They are bred for ever increasing range and galloping style, and less and less for nose and pointing instinct. In the GQ style trials, a dog can win without finds if he shows sufficient style. There are many famous instances of dogs, famous GQ champions, demonstrating such poor bird work they would be useless in a normal days shooting. Reports of pointers hunting with the eye and not the nose, a sign of the rumoured greyhound crosses for galloping style and speed, are rife also.
It's easy to get distracted by the glamour of such dogs, yet did anyone see any bird work in that video? Fashion is a funny thing. For as long as you are not breeding hunting dogs for hunting, by either conformation shows or in trials where the best hunting dog isn't found instead the best runner is, we may as well all buy toy dogs to show, or get into greyhound racing - leave the pointer alone.

I'll leave you with a video to counter the one posted on the other place. You can always rely on the Scandis for stoicism, breeding dogs for what they were intended for. Please excuse the Alice Cooper theme song, I'm saying they breed better pointers, not have good taste in music... Shooter is a good shot too

JA Grande's Krutt - YouTube