Old Danish Pointing Dog

The Old Danish Pointer is a medium-sized dog with a rectangular outline and a strong build. The male appears much more powerful and well-built than the female, who is lighter and livelier.

History of the breed

The Old Danish Pointer is a fairly old breed, originating in the Glenstrup region, not far from the present capital of Denmark, Copenhagen. At the beginning of the 18th century, a local resident by the name of Morten Bak began an 8-generation crossbreeding and selection process, combining contributions from Bohemian dogs and local farm dogs. This is how Bak's dog came into being. From the latter, the Old Danish Pointer breed developed into the one we know today, benefiting in passing from the contributions of the St. Hubert's Dog.

Used for tracking hares and foxes, the Old Danish Pointer has become popular in its own country but remains quite rare and unknown outside its borders. The Danish Kennel Club recognized the breed standard in 1963. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) followed suit 7 years later, on April 2, 1969. 

Physical characteristics

Its hair: short, tight, rather hard to the touch, distributed in a regular way on the whole body.

His color: always white with brown markings tending to the dark. The markings are made up of some large patches and multiple speckles.

It's the head: short and broad. The skull is rounded. The nose is fleshy, well defined and the nostrils well opened. The muzzle is wide, the lips well developed and the jaws strongly articulated in scissors. The cheeks are well defined and muscular.

Ears: Hanging, close to the cheeks, set low, broad, and with slightly rounded tips. 

His eyes: ideally of dark color and medium size.

His body: inscribable in a rectangle. The neck is muscular and well covered with hair, the withers well sprung, the back solid and well-muscled, the loins short and wide, the croup slightly sloping towards the base of the tail, the chest well let down, developed and wide.

Tail: Set moderately high, strong at the base, and tapering towards the tip. Of medium length (reaching almost to the hock), carried hanging.