The chief drawback to the Spanish Pointer was his slowness, and indifferent temper. The French Pointer was probably superior, and may have had considerable influence towards making the many good qualities possessed by the English Pointer of to-day. A medium-sized dog is the most useful, the heavy being too slow and the light weights too fast, especially for aged shooters.
The Pointer may be described as fairly hardy; generally of good constitution, and when bred from working parents, puppies usually respond readily to the breaker's tuition.
A second-, or third-season dog, is preferable to a first-season one, so that, when purchasing, this should be borne in mind. Another matter worthy of attention, and that is, never to purchase a Pointer without having him for a week or two's trial on your own shoot.
The colour of a Pointer is more a matter for individual taste, though there is no doubt that one should choose such as can be the most readily discerned in the distance. Lemon and white, black and white, and liver and white ticked, especially the last-named, are the most general colours. Liver, and red and white are frequently seen, though the former is not so readily recognisable on ploughed land, etc.
POINTERS ON PARTRIDGES (Property of Mr F. R. HORNER).]
[Illustration: POINTER CHAMPION FASKALLY BRAG (Property of Mr H. SAWTELL).]
In action, these dogs ought to move with beauty and freedom, unobserved in any other breed. The movements alone ought to be sufficient to create admiration in the mind of the sportsman.
_Head._--Should be of good size, wide in the dome, and wider between the eyes, with a long, broad, square nose and broad, well-dilated nostrils, giving the head a somewhat square conformation.
In _colour_, nose ought to be black, but in lemon and white dogs, flesh-coloured. Cartilages of ears, long and thin, covered by soft hair, and carried close to cheeks.
Twenty-four per cent. of points are allowed for skull, nose, eyes, ears, lips, and six for the neck, which ought to be long, arched, and free from loose skin or dewlap. Long oblique shoulders and long arms are essentials of beauty in the Pointer. Forearms long, having plenty of bone and muscle. Pasterns of medium length, feet round (like those of the cat), and the soles hard. A good deal of attention is paid to the legs and feet, by Pointer judges. Some prefer the hare-foot. The elbow must stand well off the brisket and be low placed. Dog must not be "out" at elbow. Viewed from the front, the chest of the Pointer, nevertheless, ought not to be broad, otherwise the beautiful elastic step is interfered with. The contour of the chest is round and deep. Back ribs must be deep, and flanks broad and thick, so as to give strength in these regions.