Collection: Personalised Portuguese Pointer Gifts

A native of Portugal, this medium-sized dog is bred to hunt and mark game – the clue’s in the name – the dog points which marks out where the quarry is, usually birds. The cousin of the Portuguese Pointer, the English Pointer, is a very popular dog in the UK as a gundog but they can also make a very loving family pet.

The Portuguese Pointer is known in its homeland as the Perdigueiro Portugues which means Partridge Portuguese to reflect its popular use on red partridge shoots.

Thought to be a descendent of the Spanish Pointer, the Portuguese Pointer was introduced into England during the 18th century. If you look further back through the centuries, this dog claims descendency from an ancient Iberian hunting dog with roots as far back as the 12th century. The Portuguese Pointer enjoyed royal patronage and was used for falconry work and did not become popular throughout other strata of society until the 18th century.

They came to England in the 18th century and were used in the development of the English Pointer. In the 1920s, the breed nearly became extinct due to the deprivation that Portugal was suffering; a band of enthusiasts were able to save some of the last remaining Pointers then located in the north of Portugal. The Portuguese Pointer breed book was established in 1932 and the breed standard formalised in 1938.

Intelligent, bright and easy to train, the Portuguese Pointer is fun-loving and energetic so suits a busy household where there is lots to occupy him plus plenty of space to run around in.

The Portuguese Pointer is gentle and good with children.