Origin of the Italian Shorthaired Pointer
Italian Pointers have been considered one of the best hunting dogs, especially in bird hunting, since birth. In Italy, where the breed comes from, they were coveted by noble families due to their great skills as a hunter, apart from their beauty.
This is a breed of remote origins, since these bracos emerged in the Late Middle Ages, being descendants of Asian mastiffs and the dogs of San Hubert. The localities in which the first specimens arose were Lombardy and Piedmont, spreading throughout Italy in a short time.
Despite the golden age of the breed, with the introduction of other hunting breeds and the war conflicts of the 19th century, as well as the First and Second World Wars, the breed was doomed to extinction. disappearance. Luckily, a group of Italian protectors and breeders of this breed managed to preserve it and develop it again, recovering it and perpetuating it to the present day with resounding success.
Physical Characteristics of the Italian Shorthaired Pointer
Italian Pointers are large-sized dogs, weighing 25 to 40 kilograms depending on their height at the withers, which in males it is between 58 and 67 centimeters and in females 55 to 62 cm. The life expectancy of the breed is about 12-14 years.
The body of these dogs is robust and balanced, with slender but sinewy legs and well-developed muscles. The tail is straight and wider at the base than at the tip. The head is narrow with a snout of equal length to the skull and a very little pronounced stop (in fact, practically nothing in some specimens). The eyes have a sweet expression, being large and brown or ocher in different shades, depending on the color of the coat. The ears are long, reaching the height of the tip of the nose, set low and with a narrow base.
A braco must have a short, dense and shiny coat, being especially short and somewhat finer around the ears, the head and the front part of the legs. Regarding the color of the Italian Pointer, white is the reference, appreciating the combinations with other colors such as orange, amber, brown or liver. Accepted patterns are spotted, speckled, and mixed with these colors. Copies with uniform face masks are especially valued, although this is not necessary for them to meet the breed standard.
Italian Shorthaired Pointer Character
An Italian Pointer will have a noble and docile temperament, being a very sociable dog. This means that it has become one of the most valued dogs among families, since we are dealing with an attentive, respectful and patient dog breed, ideal personality traits, especially if the family is made up of more or less young children. The Italian Shorthaired Pointer also gets along great with other pets, although if it has been used for hunting it may need re-education. With other dogs coexistence borders on perfection.
Although bracos adapt perfectly to living indoors, that is, more or less small apartments, it is true that it is preferable that they have outdoor space where they can exercise and play freely, so if we live in the city we will have to take several walks and exercises with them daily.
Italian Shorthaired Pointer Care
One of the main requirements of having an Italian Shorthaired Pointer as a companion is the high need for physical exercise that it presents. This is a dog that requires intense daily exercise, as he is very energetic, something that can turn against him if he remains inactive for too long. In cases of prolonged inactivity, problems such as aggressiveness, depression, anxiety or destructive behaviors may appear. In addition to practicing exercise in the street, we recommend playing intelligence games at home, as well as providing all kinds of toys that allow the Italian Shorthaired Pointer to be entertained and not get bored in no time.
His coat, being short, does not require great care, it will suffice with a weekly brushingto keep it in good condition. A good diet will be key to the good condition of both his coat and his he alth in general, which is why we must provide him with a balanced diet and optimal hydration.
It is also a good idea to regularly clean your eyes, mouth and ears, avoiding the accumulation of dirt that can trigger infections or different diseases.
Italian Shorthaired Pointer Education
Due to the characteristics and character of the Italian Pointer, its training is usually quite simple. We have already said that he is a very noble, docile and intelligent dog, capable of learning new things without the need for many repetitions or trials. Likewise, it should be noted that the Italian Pointer is especially happy in those activities that require prolonged physical effort, such as tracking or cross-country signaling tasks. This explains why these dogs were and are so appreciated by those who practice hunting.
In order for an Italian Shorthaired Pointer to be calm and attend to the requests of their caretakers, it is advisable to start their training at an early age, because when they are puppies they tend to be stubborn, something that if not educated correctly will keep them from for life. However, if you adopt an adult Italian Shorthaired Pointer, it is important to note that with positive reinforcement and a lot of patience it is possible to educate him perfectly. As always, the key to success lies in perseverance and, above all, in guaranteeing the well-being of the dog, since an animal trained using inappropriate techniques will not be happy or present the expected results.
Italian Shorthaired Pointer He alth
In general, Italian Pointers are strong and resistant dogs, but this does not mean that they do not suffer from certain diseases that we have to be aware of in order to to detect and treat them as soon as possible. One of these diseases is the dreaded hip dysplasia, a bone problem that affects the hip joint. This disease is typical of large breeds and its treatment can be complicated if it is not detected early.
Another of the most common diseases of the Italian Pointer is otitis or ear infection, which is why it is so important to clean the channel frequently auditory with specific ear products for use in dogs.
There are many other conditions that Italian Pointers can suffer from, although they are not as frequent as the previous ones, some of them are entropion and ectropion, which affect the eyes, cryptorchidism and monorchidism, that affect the testicles, or intestinal problems such as dangerous gastric torsion.
For all these reasons, it will be essential to carry out regular veterinary check-ups, in which, in addition to reviewing the general state of he alth of our dogs, the pertinent vaccines are applied, as well as both internal and external deworming.
