Pudelpointer puppies

About the Pudelpointer

The Pudelpointer was created in Germany in the late nineteenth century by crossing Poodles with English Pointers, aiming for a versatile gundog that would point, retrieve on land and in water, and track wounded game. It is a solid, workmanlike dog of 20.4 to 31.8 kg standing 56 to 66 cm, with a harsh rough coat over a dense undercoat and a typical lifespan of around 14 years. The temperament is calm, co-operative and closely bonded, with little interest in strangers.

This is a hunting breed first, and it needs hard daily exercise plus a task: retrieving, water work, tracking or field training. The coat is easy, a weekly brush, though it sheds seasonally. Training is straightforward because the dog is eager and quick, but a Pudelpointer left without work becomes restless and noisy. It suits shooting and outdoor households rather than town flats. New owners most often buy the easy coat and miss the size of the exercise commitment.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Pudelpointer puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed for
• Epilepsy, which German breeding programmes screen against by tracking affected lines
• Ear infections, caught by checking and drying the drop ears each week

From Pudelpointer breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/pudelpointer/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Pudelpointer puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Pudelpointer.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 20.4 to 31.8 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other large breeds

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