If you’ve ever noticed your dog staring at something, lifting their paw ever-so slightly, they could be pointing. This instinctive behavior is their unique way of telling you they’re onto a scent or just spotted a small animal. Sporting breeds, such as setters, pointers, and some spaniels, naturally point while hunting to alert the pack of the scent of small game, including rabbits.
To better understand this odd behavior, we delve straight into why some dogs point and whether it can be taught.
Dogs Point to Small Animals and Other Game
When a dog points, he’ll stand with his snout pointed forward while holding one leg up. His tail will either be straight up in the air or horizontal, and he’ll look like a living statue as he focuses on his target. This “frozen” position is a natural behavior that dates back centuries and is still seen in many pointing breeds today. Some dogs will slowly move forward while keeping their heads low and without making a sound.
European working dog breeds were specifically bred to hold this position to alert hunters to the location of prey. This way, hunters could track and capture small game as the dogs wouldn’t bark and run that would otherwise scare these animals away. Today, hunters still rely on their pointing dogs to find ducks, rabbits, partridge, and other small game.
Do All Dogs Point?
Not all dogs point, but most of them can! While pointing is definitely a behavior in pointer breeds, it can occur in other dogs, too. A dog will become transfixed and raise its paw when paying attention to a noise, object, or another animal in their environment.
An untrained dog may not hold the perfect position of a pointer or sporting breed, but you will recognize their focus and slow movements. This is a normal behavior, but it can become a problem around small domestic animals such as cats and birds. Dogs with a high prey drive, such as Australian Shepherds, might start pointing and chasing smaller animals because they haven’t been socialized. Interestingly, some dogs, such as collies, are natural herders may point.
These behaviors are simply an innate part of a dog’s biology.
Many Dog Breeds Instinctively Point
Breeds that will naturally point include:
- Vizslas
- Irish Water Spaniels
- Setters
- Retrievers
- German Shorthaired Pointers
- Weimaraners
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffons
Some pointer breeds originate from France, Hungary, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Italy, and Spain. The Bracco Italiano, also known as the Italian Pointing Dog, is one of the oldest English pointers. Its heritage dates as far back as the fourth century BC. These large dogs are independent and instinctively hunt, but they also do extremely well in agility classes. Sporting breeds and gun dogs trained to hunt and retrieve game are natural pointers. Around 37 gun dog breeds are recognized by the AKC.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that your mixed-breed pup occasionally points, but if it’s a behavior of a pointing breed, what does this mean? It could indicate that your crossbreed pup has pointer or retriever in their lineage, or that some dogs naturally perform this behavior.
Can You Train a Dog to Point?
While pointer and setter breeds naturally point, you can shape and strengthen this behavior when you notice your dog reacting to something. If you want your dog to point when they see the local cat, each time you notice them tense their bodies, tell them to stop or slow down. He should stay focused on the cat while next to you. If you stop, and he stands next to you or moves slowly while looking at the cat, reward him with positive reinforcement.
If you can’t get your dog to perform a traditional pointer stance, you can teach him to sit when he picks up a scent or sees another dog. It is an excellent obedience technique to control unruly behavior in dogs and gives overexcited and energetic dogs a job.
Competitive Pointing: A Great Sport for Hunting Dogs
Dogs that are professionally trained to refine their pointing skills can participate in events such as pointing breed field trials. During a pointing trial, dogs are required to showcase their hunting skills and are judged on their behavior, intelligence, and overall style. While walking through a field, dogs must listen to their handlers’ commands and point toward targeted prey.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) hosts events, such as AKC Master Hunter, including field trials where dogs require strong hunting skills. The success of these events relies on the dog and handler effectively communicating with one another to find prey. Highly trained dogs are precise in their positions and are judged on their ability to perform controlled movements. It is a fun sporting event that usually involves working and hunting dogs.
What We Know About Pointing in Dogs
Pointing behavior in sport, gun, and hunting dog breeds is instinctive. Pointers, including the Vizsla and German Shorthaired Pointers, will lower their heads, fix their gaze, and stiffen their bodies when they spot their target. Other dogs, such as Setters, may not traditionally point but sit or crouch as soon as they detect a scent. An interesting fact about the setter is that the breed name means “set” or “sit”, which is another type of pointing behavior.
When your dog points, it’s important to pay attention. If they haven’t been taught to set or point, they’re trying to tell you they’ve detected a new scent, movement, or spotted another animal. Pointing can be trained, but it’s quite challenging to teach a dog to point if they show no interest in this behavior. What we do know is that pointer breeds date back to the 1650s, and for hundreds of years, these dogs have maintained this poise. It is a natural alert technique when prey is close and can be used to train them in obedience.
