How the Italian Pointing Dog appeared, the external criteria of the breed, behavior and health, care: feeding, walking, training, interesting facts. Buying a puppy.
In recent years, the Italian Pointing Dog has experienced a surge in popularity in the field of hunting dog breeding. In working trials, during which a hunting situation is simulated, the dog must: find the game, detain it, but not chase if it flies up. Accepted in tests are individuals of good standard showing high class and outstanding athletic ability.
During the competition, the manner of action of the Italian Pointer is not similar to the actions of other breeds. It is "transparent" not only for experts, but also for ordinary viewers, impressing with its elegance and rhythm. The typical gait of this species is the trot. The movements are quite fast, with strong drive from the hind legs and a wide stride, divided into intervals by lifting the paw off the ground.
Keeping its head high and downwind, the dog always uses the stops in the most advantageous manner to pinpoint the game from a great distance. Such a hunting gait as the lynx is typical of the Italian Pointing Dog breeds and constitutes one of their main advantages.
True for other hunting species, the lynx serves as a kind of rest when the dog is tired and can no longer gallop. Or it is used in the case when the dog, noticing prey, slows down to sneak up and make a stand.
For the Italian Pointer, this is a normal move with which she develops a speed that reaches a gallop. All other breeds can run too, but none of them does it in such a spectacular and exciting manner, reaching such high speed levels as the Italian Pointing Dog - a hurricane among dogs.
How did the Italian Pointer come about?
This is one of the most ancient Pointing Dog breeds. Reliable information about the presence in Italy of dogs used to search for quails and pheasants is subsidized already by the late Middle Ages. Bolonets Pietro de Criscenzi, in his treatise on agronomy, written at the beginning of the 14th century, describes the work of the cops, which at that time were called the set.
Partridges of quails and pheasants are caught with a rather large net, called "strand" with the help of a specially trained dog that looks for the named birds and when it finds them, freezes in a rack so as not to frighten off. Seeing her in such a position, the hunter realizes that she has tracked down the game, together with the assistant, he unfolds the net and covers the dog and birds with it so that they are caught.
Highly prized by the wealthy Renaissance bourgeoisie and the nobility, the Italian cops improved continuously in their hunting applications and eventually attracted the attention of the royal courts on the other side of the Alps. The rich were willing to pay any price for the champion dogs of the day. There is reliable documentary evidence that in the 16th-17th centuries these dogs were exported to Germany and France.
Towards the end of the 16th century, rifle hunting for birds is becoming more and more popular. The Italian Pointing Dog acts as the protagonist here. Here is what Captain Vitto Bondafini wrote about this in his book Hunting with a Harquebus, published in 1640: “When you go out into the field, let your cop go to hunt down the game. In the event that she picks up a quail or a partridge, you must throw up your arquebus while the bird rises, take it on the fly and without wasting a second to make a shot."
Widely popular throughout the 18th century, in the second half of the last century, this breed is going through a period of oblivion. It is connected with the fact that the taste for novelty and exotic inherent in many dog breeders made them prefer the Italian cops, English dogs of the same breed.
This canine species has survived thanks to several breed lines with excellent working qualities. The dogs were kept by a number of noble and wealthy families in Northern Italy. Among them are the savra-chestnut-colored cops that belonged to the Rantz family and were widespread between 1850 and the beginning of the 20th century. Let us also recall the white and orange ones that belonged to King Victor Emmanuel II and the Askire Delkunese family. In lower Lombardy, pets raised by the family were especially appreciated: Povese, Valvasori, Angvisolo and Maratsani.
In the XX century, the breed gradually begins to be in demand again among hunters, especially after the Second World War. Among the breeders who have played the most important role in the history of the species, one cannot fail to mention Paulo Chiccheri from Casalpusterlengo. The breeder has worked hard for over sixty years to eliminate constitutional defects inherent in this species of dogs, thereby making a huge contribution to the creation of the prototype of the modern Italian cop. The word "ronchi", the trademark of Paulo Chiccheri, is present in the pedigrees of almost all dogs of this species, from the fifties to the present day.
Naturally, over the decades of the existence of amateur dog breeding in Italy since 1881, the criteria for evaluating canines, established by various specialized societies, have changed several times. The modern Italian Pointing Association was founded in Lod in 1949. With the help of constant meetings of its members and owners of dogs of this species, the club has made a huge contribution to the renewal of these cops, striving to combine the best physical and behavioral characteristics in the same individuals, adequate to hunting and sporting tasks of the highest level.
An event of special importance in the life of a specialized formation is a meeting under the guidance of a competent jury, which ensures regular monitoring of the morphological situation of the species. Dog shows, let alone meetings, should not be regarded as purely spectacular events. Rather, they should be treated as zootechnical demonstrations, during which the attention of amateurs is offered to individuals that meet the standard as much as possible. That is, they possess morphological characteristics that are most suitable for performing those functions, in the expectation of which this breed was created. Thus, the gathering is the moment of creative choice for the species and the meeting place for its fans. The standard was approved in 1889 by the amateur dog breeders society.
Description of the external standard of the Italian Pointing Dog
According to the external standard, the ideal height at the withers of the Italian Pointer is 55 cm to 67 cm. Weight varies from 27 kg to 41 kg.
- Head in length equal to four-tenths of the height at the withers. The craniofacial axes diverge.
- Muzzle strong with a hump. The length of the nasal canal is equal to half the length of the head. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle is subtle. The upper lips are well developed, thin, falling down with a well-visible closing. Seen from the front, an inverted Latin letter V is formed under the nose.
- Nose large, with wide nostrils.
- Eyes oval cut. Ocher or brown, depending on the suit. Have a calm, kind expression.
- Ears located along the zygomatic line, in the form of a bag. That is, the front of the auricle is pronounced and adjacent to the cheek. Their width is at least half their length. When unstretched, the ear should reach with its front edge of the nose.
- Neck the Italian Pointing Dog is noticeably separated from the back of the head. Its length is two-thirds of the length of the head. Two characteristic folds of skin on the throat form a dewlap. The withers are raised, the tips of the shoulder blades protrude.
- Frame in length slightly more than the height of the dog. The chest is voluminous, deep and descends to the level of the elbows. Rounded ribs. The loin is short, broad and well muscled. The croup is long, wide and muscular, and has an angle of about thirty degrees. The lower profile of the trunk is almost horizontal in the thoracic region, slightly elevated relative to the abdominal cavity.
- Tail thick at the root and tapering towards the tip. It is docked in such a way that its length in an adult is 15–25 cm.
- Front limbs Set on vertically, muscular. The shoulder blades are long and sloping. The pasterns are relatively short and slightly curved. Hind thighs are long with mesomorphic muscles and hind edges stretched in a straight line. The hocks are rather short and dry. On the paw there may be a fifth toe - a spur.
- Paws oval with arcuate toes. Nails are white, brown or ocher, depending on the color. The soles are dry and resilient.
- Coat short, thick, shiny. More rare in the region of the head, ears, forelegs and paws.
- Skin dense and elastic. Thinner on the head, throat, armpits and lower torso. Poorly adherent to the lower musculature.
- Color white, with more or less large tan markings of chestnut or orange.
Italian Pointing Dog Behavior and Health
This dog is for energetic people with an active lifestyle. He will not rest all day on the couch - the dog will simply wither away. She needs a constant rhythm and passion. Therefore, it is better to start them for avid hunters or people living in the countryside.
These dogs are kind and very smart, with all their heart they are devoted to the owner. They love all family members, especially children. They play with them and are very loyal to their pranks. But never let your child overstep the boundaries so as not to harm the pet.
Pointing dogs are very vulnerable and gentle creatures. The manifestation of rudeness and cruelty on the part of the owner will cause irreparable damage to their mental state. The dog may become depressed and aggressively fearful. Italian cops are not suitable for people who do not have the skills and experience of dealing with dogs.
Most of these animals are quite strong dogs. Their life expectancy can be up to 12-14 years. They have a predisposition to certain diseases: dysplasia of the hip and elbow joints, volvulus and, at the genetic level, to von Willebrand disease (blood ailment).
Italian Pointing Care
- Wool such dogs are short, so they are combed out during the molting period with a rubber mitten or brush. They bathe only when the pet is very dirty. Look for PH-balanced shampoos to keep the cop free from eczema, dandruff, or allergies.
- Ears they are hanging and closed, so their ventilation is poor. This means that dirt accumulates in the auricles faster, excess cheeses and they need to be cleaned systematically (twice a week). This is done using special means.
- Eyes wipe only when foreign particles (dust or dirt) get in with a damp cotton pad towards the inner corner of the eye.
- Teeth Italian Pointing Dogs Require Cleaning. The procedures are carried out twice a week. To do this, buy a brush and edible paste from zoological stores. Human hygiene products are not suitable for dogs. Let your pet chew the bones from the pressed veins of cattle.
- Claws mobile dogs usually grind down on walks, but if they have grown more than necessary, they must be sheared. Manipulation can be powerfully carried out with the help of special claws for animals, or by cutting off the claws with an ordinary file.
- Feeding a puppy from four to seven months should be three times a day. The frequency of the dog's subsequent meals is twice a day. Do not forget about vitamins and mineral supplements, especially calcium and phosphorus. Mix in food; meat, boneless fish, cereal flakes, well-cooked rice or dry softened bread, unclarified olive oil, common digestive aids and mineral salts. In the first four months, proteins (meat, milk) should make up 80 percent of the diet, and then 60 percent. Finally, it must be remembered that there are foods on the market that are ideal for a dog in the first months of life, allowing you to easily solve the problem of its nutrition. In the future, select food according to the age and condition of the pet. Never exceed the dose indicated on the back of the package.
- Walking Italian energetic dogs must be long. The mental and physical organization of this active dog requires serious stress and exercise. Pointers are obliged to run freely and for a long time over a vast territory. When a pet does not get the opportunity to release the accumulated energy in intensive activities, it can become uncontrollable and even destructive in the house.
Breed training
The training of Italian cops, like all canines, begins at a very early age. The specifics of training will depend on what you want to get out of your pet in the end. These dogs are very intelligent and learn quickly. They have, of course, stubbornness, but with good contact with the owner, such a feature is not essential. These animals cannot stand cruel upbringing, as they are very vulnerable. They cannot be punished physically. Only affection, praise, gentleness and constancy will give "golden shoots".
Interesting facts about Italian cops
To train the development of the speed of these dogs, the so-called braga is used. This is a kind of harness that is attached to the body of the dog. It is equipped in the area of the withers with a ring (with a rope threaded through it), which is adjustable in length and is attached to the metatarsus with rubber bands that play the role of shock absorbers when walking.
Braga allows the cop to reach the maximum possible speed when running at a trot, without going into a gallop. With the help of this kind of simulator, only selected puppies are prepared (with a good pedigree, lively character, adequate athletic ability and a natural trot). She helps the puppy to choose the right rhythm of movement, learns to move correctly on various types of soil, gives him the automatism necessary to maintain ease and elasticity of his gait for a long time. It also trains the muscle ligaments that are most involved in a given gait.
Buying an Italian Pointing Puppy
The choice of a "boy" is a very responsible matter. It is not recommended to purchase it too early, as in this case the dog will not have time to get out of the habit of communicating with the mother and other puppies. The consequence of this may be some shyness of character or excessive dependence on the owner. The ideal age to acquire a puppy is three months. An individual with a kind character, somewhat cocky towards his fellows, curious and lively - will be ideal for a hunting pet.
It is necessary to check the bite of the incisors and the number of small molars in relation to his age. Let's pay attention to whether he is strong, whether he has normal growth. The puppy should be proportionally built, have a short loin and a massive croup. The limbs are vertical and the pasterns are not too bent. The head is preferred with a long muzzle, without a noticeable transition between the forehead and the muzzle, the skull is neither too flat nor too narrow. The eyes are set normally, large and wide. A healthy puppy has a good appetite and therefore needs adequate nutrition.
Knowing how to choose the right "boy", in addition, you should ask the breeder for his entire pedigree. Ask if the dog has received all the necessary routine age-related vaccinations, has it received antihelminthic procedures, what has it been fed with? If everything suits you, and you are confident in the decency of the breeder, buy a future pet. The cost can vary from $ 600 to $ 1500.
Description of the Italian Pointing Dog breed in the following video:
