The following are the points of the old-fashioned working Pointer, to which pure type, happily, sportsmen and exhibitors alike seem to be reverting: -

Head

This should be lengthy ; the eye being just half-way between occiput and nostril. There should be a well-pronounced stop between the eyes, and a good drop from skull to set-on of the well-dished muzzle. At the junction between skull and muzzle the head should be cleanly cut : this seems to give character to the face; when this part is filled up, it makes the head look what is called "gummy." The skull should be wide between the ears: dogs with wide and full temples are the most intelligent and have the best noses ; they should not, however, have large or prominent cheek-bones. The lips, thin yet ample, should not hang down like the Bloodhound's, nor yet taper up to nostrils so much as the Foxhound's.

Eyes

These should not be sunken like the Hound's, but large and full of animation and intelligence. A sullen, hard-looking eye is to be avoided : it is frequently the indication of a headstrong, ungovernable animal, almost worthless in the field.

Ears

These should be thin and silky, and of medium length. They should be set high on the skull, and hang flat to the cheeks.

Week

This should be long and muscular, springing out cleanly from the shoulders, and joined to the skull in the same way. It should be slightly arched.

Fore Legs

These should be straight and strong; the arms muscular; the elbows well let down, and coming down well under the body - not out at elbow, or pigeon-toed. The pastern should be slanting and of fair length.

Feet

These should be of proportionate size to the dog, and pointed like those of the hare.

Shoulders

These should be long, fine, and sloping backwards. Great attention should be given to them, as a dog with a thick, loaded, straight shoulder will have a cramped, stilty, laboured gallop.

Chest

This should be deep, but not too wide; the ribs well sprung from the backbone, and massive.

Body

This should be well developed and powerful; a weak, tucked-up body is a great defect, indicating lack of constitution, and a dog without that will not be capable of enduring consecutive days of hard work. The back ribs should be deep, the loin appearing to spring from them, as excessive length from last rib to hip and a concave loin form a very objectionable combination.

Loin

This should be slightly arched, very wide, strong, and muscular.

Hind Legs And Thighs

It is upon these that a dog chiefly depends for his propelling leverage. If they are weak and ill formed, the dog is a poor "stayer." The thighs should be very long and muscular, well developed, with a prominent second thigh ; the stifle long and well-bent ; the hocks large and strong and parallel - not turned-in, often called "cow-hocked"; the hip-bones wide apart and placed as high as the line of the back. The dogs with wide, ragged hip-bones are generally endowed with speed and endurance.

Tail

This should be rather short, fine at tip, and strong at root. It should be set on just below the line of back, but not too low down to make the dog look "goose-rumped." It must not be curled over the back like the Hound's, nor yet must it droop like the Clumber's. It should be carried in a lively manner just about level.

Symmetry

This may be defined as a perfect unity of proportion in all the points before enumerated, so as to present the beautiful outline that is so pleasing to the eye - a perfect adaptation of each part of the dog for the exercise of all his powers to the greatest advantage. For instance, some dogs possess several points in a very marked degree of excellence, and still, because other parts are deficient, their symmetry will be said to be at fault. Unless all parts are considered collectively, no estimate can be formed of symmetry ; and then it is very difficult to estimate correctly.

Fig. 56. - Mr. W. Arkwright's Pointer Champion Seabreeze " on Point".

Colour

A predominance 0f white has been thought to be best, because it assists the sportsman in detecting the whereabouts of his dogs in high cover; but as to the colour of the markings on this white ground, it may be urged that no importance attaches ; and, in support of this opinion, equally good specimens of different colours are frequently seen. Some time back the lemon or orange and whites were most fashionable, but latterly the liver and whites have been the most successful prize winners. Black and white, and the whole colours - black, liver, and various shades of yellow - are also quite correct for Pointers, but any tricolour is very suspicious. Still, in olden times the Pointer might be of almost any colour - even brindle being admissible, according to John Mayer (1814).

There is much that is quite essential in a first-class Pointer that mere beauty of form - however admirable and valuable in itself - does not by its presence guarantee; consequently, a great deal besides the points of appearance given in this description has to enter into the calculations of a successful breeder. For instance, a dog may seem to comply with all the conditions here laid down, and yet be a worthless idiot at the very work for which the Pointer is bred; and as the mental qualities and capacities of the dog are transmitted from parents to offspring, it is imperative in breeding to take pains to fix in one's strain nose, and brain, and endurance.

As much difference exists between Pointers in their working powers as in their appearance, and most sportsmen know well enough how to appreciate the qualities that make a dog a good performer in the field. Still, it may be as well, in writing on this subject, to define briefly those natural endowments that are of such primary importance in the breed.

Fig. 57. - Mr. W. Arkwright's Pointer Champion Sandbank.

Figs. 56 and 57 represent Champions Seabreeze and Sandbank, the property of the writer of this article. The latter is a winner of many cups and prizes at both field trials and shows; the former is also a big winner at shows, but has never run at trials.

First, then, it is very desirable that Pointers should have a good nose, to enable them to scent game at a distance - the farther off the better, provided that they are possessed of sufficient discrimination in using it to prevent their false pointing; in short, good noses without good brains are useless.

Next in order must be placed the natural love of hunting, without which no dog ever attains to perfection; though with it many dogs, weak in other points, become, by practice, tolerably useful. Those that frequently require the words of encouragement, "Hold up," are very troublesome to break, and when broken often turn out lazy, or display a lack of energy that is painful to witness. From their nervousness and want of heart they are unable to use to advantage any other good qualities they may possess.

It is a lively, high spirited, kindly dispositioned dog that is wanted - one with plenty of pluck, and yet not headstrong or reckless. Many dogs from their self-will, although possessing other admirable qualities, become very difficult to manage, and nothing but regular and hard work will keep them under control. Such dogs are never wholly reliable, and this is especially felt when using them in braces. A good dog that is trying to do his best may be tempted into doing wrong by the provocation received from his reckless companion.

Many otherwise good dogs turn out useless because of their defective temper; and, therefore, it is an important matter to get hold of a good-tempered dog for sporting purposes. In his work he has so continually to hold in check his natural impulses that, unless he have a good temper, he is continually forgetting his previous training. To train a dog that is thoroughly self-willed is, at best, a tiresome undertaking, and not worth the trouble it entails. When a dog of this temperament ranges a little farther than usual from his master, he as a rule gets into trouble by some wilful fault, and in addition the close attention necessary for working him destroys half the pleasure the sport should afford.

Dogs with a jealous disposition are very disagreeable. They are difficult to deal with when worked in braces, because they are not to be depended upon as " backers," and, when opportunity serves them, will steal the other dog's point - a most serious fault. This same failing makes them reckless in their range; for they will sometimes play at follow-the-leader, instead of taking up an independent beat, and will always be liable to commit faults (amongst others, that of "flushing"), not from want of nose - but from giving too much attention to what the other dog is doing, instead of minding their own work.

To sum up the qualities of a first-rate Pointer: he must have a good nose, plenty of pace, and a level, sweeping stride that will enable him to hunt a lot of ground without distressing himself, and a natural love of hunting, to make him anxious to find game, with sufficient perseverance to keep him continually on the quest, even where birds are scarce: he must also have a bright, kindly temperament, plenty of courage without being headstrong, and must tolerate a co-worker, despite his desire to undertake all the work: he must stand correction for a fault, without getting sulky and skulking, being honest, bold, and dutiful: he must carry his head well up, and never stoop to ground scent: he must have sufficient brains to make the best use of the wind in quartering the ground, and must merrily lash his tail as an earnest of his good intentions. When a sportsman has succeeded in breeding or obtaining Pointers possessed of the qualities above enumerated, he will be naturally very reluctant to part with them.

At the present time it is probable that America possesses quite as many handsome English Pointers as England ; and several of the continental countries of Europe show excellent dogs in great quantities, notably Russia, Belgium, France, Sweden - while Italy, Spain, Finland, Denmark are not far behind. In fact, the dogs of some of these countries show a higher degree of average merit than those of Great Britain; owing to the foreigners having been less led away by love of Foxhound type, and their shows occurring too seldom to make the cultivation of the professional show-dog a commercial possibility. But it is safe to say that the best-looking individuals, like the finest workers of all, are still to be met with in the land of their origin. With trial-workers, however, certain of the continental countries, notably Belgium and France, where they run their dogs under precisely similar conditions and rules, are close on our heels.

It is more difficult to gauge the comparative merit of the American and Russian trial dogs with ours, as the work required of them is so different. Indeed, on the vast prairies of the New World, both judges and breakers are on horseback, and all methodical quartering of the ground is literally "thrown to the winds"; while the Russians require the dog to be worked in thick scrub, where he is lost to sight, and has to return to his master to "report" a find, instead of remaining firmly at the point.