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Old Danish Pointer

This very rustic and ancient dog has beautiful characteristics that can adapt to different families. He loves freedom and will be very happy in a large garden or in the countryside. As he has great hunting skills, hunting families are well served by his talent as a pointing dog and at the same time, by his great family qualities. He is an excellent dog to discover.

Height 50 to 60 cm

Weight 26 to 35 kg

Life expectancy 12 to 13 years

Hair Loss Medium

Excercise Need High

Home country Denmark

Index

Personality Appearance Characteristics Price Tips Health History

Quick Overview of the Old Danish Pointer

Temperament

Brave and determined
Exemplary calm
Affectionate and gentle
Dedicated and pleasant

Appearance

Excellent musculature
Heavily built
Elastic and flexible gait
Dense and short coat

Health

No particular health problems
Avoid isolation for his mental health

Temperament of the Old Danish Pointer

Determined and very brave, the Old Danish Pointer shows exemplary stability and calm. Affectionate and very gentle, he is a devoted and pleasant family dog.

Despite his great abilities as a companion dog, the Old Danish Pointer remains an excellent hunting companion as well. His determination and devotion make it easy for him to do his job.

In his presence, there will be no unnecessary agitation on the hunting grounds when he does his work as a pointing dog. Whether the terrain is large or small, he will make no difference and will accomplish his task with the same determination.

A particularity of the breed is the difference between the male and female. Solid and powerful, the male is calm and balanced. However, the female has a lighter build, a very lively character and is much more capricious.

Breed Appearance

With excellent muscles, this strongly built dog has an elastic, flexible gait that undoubtedly comes from his Spanish ancestors.

Height

Between 54 and 60 cm (21.26 to 23.62 inches) for the male
Between 50 and 56 cm (19.69 to 22.05 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 30 and 35 kg (66.14 to 77.16 pounds) for the male
Between 26 and 31 kg (57.32 to 68.34 pounds) for the female

Color

His coat is on a white background but has brown patches. The spots form small dots on the coat which are preferably quite dark.

Hair

His dense, short hair is rather rough to the touch.

Morphology

His head is large and rather short. His medium size eyes are dark brown. His large ears with rounded tips are set low.
His nose varies in different shades of brown depending on the coat. His tail is hanging and tapers towards the tip.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 7, section 1 and is #281

Characteristics of the Old Danish Pointer

Does this dog suit your lifestyle?

Every dog breed has its own characteristics. However, the actual character of a dog can vary from one to another within the same breed.

Life in an apartment

Good first dog

Tolerates solitude

Tolerates cold weather

Tolerates hot weather

Affectionate

Friendly with children

Friendly with strangers

Friendly with other animals

Hair loss

Drooling level

Easy to care for

Robust health

Easy to train

Intelligent

Tendency to bark

Tendency to nibble

Protective

Instinct to hunt

Adventurous spirit

Energy level

Level of intensity

Need for exercise

Playful

Price and monthly budget

Tips About this breed

This excellent family dog is rather calm, relaxed and very serene. He can live and adapt just about anywhere as long as he has space to grow freely.

Since he can't stand being locked up or tied up, this space is vital to him. Attachment and confinement are simply unbearable, and such a situation will make him so unhappy that it will affect his mental health. His ancestral stray dog genes are probably responsible for this.

Health of the Old Danish Pointer

This robust dog does not present any particular health problems. However, confinement should be avoided as isolation and confinement can seriously affect his mental health.

GROOMING

The Old Danish Pointer does not require any special maintenance. A brushing from time to time will be pleasant and beneficial to him but it is not an absolute necessity.

History of this breed

Going back to the 1710's, the origins of the breed obviously come from Denmark and more precisely from the Glenstrup area.

Between the towns named Hobro and Randers, a man named Morten Bak is said to have used more than eight generations of stray dogs from this region, to crossbreed them with the Italian Pointer resulting in the Old Danish Pointer.

His real name, taken from his country of origin, Denmark, is Gammel Dansk Honsehund.

Although the farmers in the area called them "Bloodhounds", it is more likely that the breed's ancestors, the farmers' stray dogs of the Glenstrup area at the time, were mostly of Spanish origin.

The Italian Pointer and these Spanish stray dogs would therefore be the most likely ancestors of the Old Danish Pointer.

This dog is still very much appreciated today for his great skills as a pointing dog. Hunters use him to hunt game of all sizes.

References

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chien_D%27Arrêt_Danois_Ancestral.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wyżeł_duński_987.jpg?uselang=fr