Portuguese Pointer
Group: Gundog
Size: Medium
Coat length: Short
Grooming required: Once a week
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Large House
Garden size: Large
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: Up to 1 hour per day
They are a medium-sized, balanced dog with a square head and a short, sleek coat. The coat on the body feels a little coarser than might be expected but the face and ears feel like velvet. They are normally yellow or tan in colour, with or without white markings.
It is thought that they descended from the ancient Iberian hunting dogs and were used by royalty for hunting game birds, mainly Red-legged Partridge but later became popular with the poorer in society too.
They are very affectionate, loyal, intelligent and eager to please. They love to work and if not working out in the field will respond enthusiastically to anything that occupies their body and brain. They make a good watchdog without being too vocal. They are good with children and other dogs but may be wary of strangers. They need a great deal of physical and mental exercise.
They need more brushing and combing than might be expected for a short-haired breed and also need trimming fairly regularly. There are no known health problems.