A Complete Guide to the Pudelpointer Breed

Pudelpointer in the mountains

Pudelpointer Breed Profile

The Pudelpointer breed was a dog born for hunting purposes that have become a lovable companion pet. These dogs were developed in the 1800s to be the perfect hunting dog. While they were great at their jobs, the need for hunting dogs decreased, and the popularity of this breed fell as well. This active dog breed needs a very active family to fit its lifestyle. 

If you’re looking to adopt a Pudelpointer puppy, you need to make sure you have the right lifestyle and are prepared to take care of these dogs. This article will help you decipher which type of breed this dog is and whether they’re the best fit for you or not. 

Three pudelpointer dogs sitting together in a field

History

Although this hunting dog is purebred, the American Kennel Club has only welcomed it into its Foundational Stock Service group. These dogs were made in Germany, and the creation of the breed wanted a versatile hunting dog that was great at hunting while being playful and active at home. By mixing the German Hunting Poodle and the English Pointer breeds, the Pudepointer was born. In Germany, the Poodle breed is spelled Pudel, so the Pudelpointer name is a nod to the two-parent breeds used to create this new breed. However, some people refer to this breed with the spelling Poodle Pointer, which is also correct.

These dogs were ultimate hunting dogs and could do everything they needed. They were great at swimming, tracking scents, and retrieving games, and they were fearless. This breed was ideal because they wouldn’t shy away at the boom of a gun or large game, making them the brave sporting dog many hunters wanted. Even though they checked all the marks off their breed purpose, they never became wildly popular dogs. This breed only made it to North America in 1956 and is still not a very common breed in the US or their native Germany. 

Size 

The Pudelpointer breed was perfect for its jobs in many ways, including in size. This breed would stand between 21 to 27 inches tall at their shoulders and weigh between 40 to 65 pounds. This breed is great for medium dogs, but they aren’t great for small children. They can live happily in apartment complexes as long as owners are sure to give them plenty of outdoor time daily. Breeds like the Pudelpointer are also great at relaxing indoors, and while they get along well with children, they are not the most aware of their size. They can accidentally injure children if they get too rowdy around them.

Temperament

One of the best breed characteristics of Pudelpointer puppies is their eagerness to please their owners. These dogs have a high prey drive and love having fun while working. They’re super rambunctious and can be very silly outdoors. However, when these dogs step indoors, they are much calmer and more ready for cuddle time. When these dogs are trained well, they can be very obedient. But, if they aren’t trained very well, their high prey drive might cause them to run after things outdoors or try to get away from their owners to catch a squirrel. 

a pudelpointer with a snowy face

Intelligence 

Many dog breeds are intelligent, and the Poodle breed is one of the smartest breeds in the world. The Pudelpointer, a breed that stems from the Poodle breed, has a similar level of intelligence. These dogs are very smart and eager to please, but they still need an owner ready to commit to training with a firm hand. They need consistent and regular training sessions and work best when their sessions are kept short. To achieve the best training sessions possible, keep your sessions positive and maintain something that your working dog wants on hand, like their favorite treat, to make sure they’re extra driven to learn your commands.

Shedding 

Pudelpointer puppies can have a wide variety of coats. These dogs can come with brown, brownish red, or black coats. Not all dogs in this breed have the same coat style, and some of them might even have spots of white in their coats. The texture and density of their coats can change with the individual dog, as there are multiple types in this breed.

Pudelpointer Dog Health Overview

The Pudelpointer dog breed is very active and mostly healthy. This dog has an average life expectancy of 10 to 14 years. While these dogs are mostly healthy, there are a few minor health conditions they’re predisposed to experiencing. This breed might struggle with minor joint issues and some eating habits that need attention. Overall, pet owners of these dogs will face little to no physical health issues. 

Even though these dogs won’t have many physical health issues, it doesn’t mean they’ll have no psychological health issues. This breed needs a lot of attention, so they will likely struggle with mental health issues like stress and anxiety. Pet owners can easily help their Pudelpointer puppies deal with their stress and anxiety by acknowledging their symptoms and understanding how to treat them. Dogs have general symptoms they show in times of stress, although you will learn to understand your dog‘s specific symptoms naturally over time as you spend more time with them.

Common Psychological Health Conditions

Stress 

At some point or another, all dogs experience stress. Stress is a natural response to external stimuli, and your Pudelpoint will likely exhibit signs of stress during strange noises or unfamiliar environments. Dogs’ most common signs of stress occur around loud noises like fireworks, sirens, and thunderstorms. If you haven’t properly socialized your dog, they will also experience stress in new environments. So many animals will become nervous in new places, around new people, or in the presence of other animals. 

Your Pudelpointer puppy will show you many symptoms that exemplify their stress. Most symptoms dogs show is mild and will include barking, crying, whimpering, and wagging their tail. Usually, dogs will show more than one symptom of stress at a time, so don’t think your pet is stressed every time they wag their tail. Your Pudelpointer may also pace, shake, try to sprint away, or hide under things. These signs show a more serious instance of stress. Incredibly nervous and stressed-out dogs may vomit, urinate, or try to run away from their owners or leave their homes. It can be hard for dog owners to see their pets stress out, but thankfully there are a few simple ways to help them relax. Many pet owners can help their dogs become more socialized by taking them to new controlled settings as they adjust to getting used to more types of environments. Other ways to help your pet are to remove them from the stressful situation when possible or to provide them with calming supplements when you can’t remove the stressing factor. You can also build a safe space in your home so your dog has somewhere to go when they feel uncomfortable.

Woman lying on grass and playing with her Pudelpointer

Anxiety

Another common type of mental health issue found in many dog breeds is anxiety. Anxiety occurs when dogs are worried or scared of something. Usually, dogs fear their owners leaving, which is why separation anxiety is one of the most common types. Shelter dogs also commonly face anxiety because they’re reminded of times when they were fearful. When a dog experiences life traumas like abandonment, abuse, neglect, or homelessness, it will face anxiety if anything reminds them of this time. 

Many owners see signs that their pet has anxiety but may accidentally discredit these symptoms to something else. Many pets don’t listen to their owners when they are facing anxiety, so what some pet owners may accidentally dub disobedience is a dog suffering from anxiety. When Pudelpointer puppies have anxiety, they might bark, drool, or whine. These dogs can also start running around, pacing, or becoming restless. Some more severe cases of anxiety will lead dogs to trash their houses, urinate, defecate, or vomit. Animals may try to stop their owners from leaving their homes by grabbing their arms or clothes. There are plenty of ways to help dogs overcome anxiety, and the most common ways include treating your pet’s anxiety with some calming supplements. Dog CBD has become a popular anxiety helper and aids dogs in calming down. Some owners provide counterconditioning training, an expensive and time-consuming training method that isn’t available to everyone. A good idea would be to make a safe space for your pet to visit in times of anxiety. 

Calming Dog Products

Pet owners can buy many things to help their dogs calm down. As mentioned earlier, any pet owners give their dogs calming zen treats to help them stay mellow. You can also create a safe space for your dog. Safe spaces are a new trend many pet owners are partaking in because they allow their dogs to retreat to a place that helps them calm down. A safe space is an area or small room in your home that is away from foot traffic and loud noises. These spaces should allow your pet to be alone when they want to be and should have most items that help them feel calm. Most pet owners put their pet dog‘s bed, cage, and water in these spaces. Some owners will add blankets or toys to their dog‘s safe space. When building a safe space for your Pudelpointer, you can add as many comforting items as you want as long as you’re sure they will help your pet calm down.

Common Physical Health Conditions

Elbow Dysplasia

Many animals suffer from joint-related issues, and elbow dysplasia is one of the most common joint issues. A dog‘s elbow has three bones that should work together perfectly without symptoms. However, many dogs develop elbow dysplasia because they’re born with their elbow slightly misaligned or developing a misaligned joint while growing. When dogs struggle with elbow dysplasia, they can experience symptoms of pain associated with their joints.

Calming Dog Ad

Your Pudelpointer might never have issues with elbow dysplasia, but often when they do, they won’t experience any symptoms until much late in life. Elbow dysplasia is a mostly minor condition and only really affects older dogs. Dogs with elbow dysplasia might limp or try to run occasionally without using one of their legs. These dogs might also cry or whimper when someone touches their elbow joints. They can struggle with laying down, jumping, or using stairs too. The only way owners can help their dogs is to find a method to relieve their dogs pain. The best way to relieve pain for many animals is by providing joint supplements. These joint supplements are excellent because they help lubricate the joint, which makes it less painful for the dog to use. 

a pudelpointer lying down on the floor and looking at camera

Hip Dysplasia

Arguably the most common canine joint issue, hip dysplasia affects many dog breeds, including the Pudelpointer breed. This dog breed will likely experience hip dysplasia, although not every Pudelpointer dog will develop this minor condition. Like most other joint issues, hip dysplasia affects only older dogs. A hip joint should slide since it’s a ball-in-socket joint, but when dogs have this condition, their joint grinds off itself. It leads to inflammation, locking joints, and general hip pain for the dog.

When dogs have hip dysplasia, their symptoms will be associated with the pain they experience in their hip. Many dogs will develop bigger shoulder muscles as they overcompensate their weight to the front of the body to relieve their hip pain. Many dogs will jump less and become less active in general. These dogs might get grumpy when someone touches their hip joint and yelp when they run or lay down. The best way to help dogs with this condition is to give them joint supplements or supply them with something like dog CBD. Canine CBD has anti-inflammatory and pain management properties. Above all, though, owners need to ensure their Pudelpointer is still getting enough exercise when they have hip dysplasia. A little exercise can lead to more locked joints, and too much exercise can lead to more inflammation. 

Ear Infections

Ear infections are somewhat common in Poodle breeds, and since the Pudelpointer was created from the Poodle breed, it makes sense that this dog breed would regularly suffer from ear infections. Ear infections are almost always minor conditions that cause your pet to struggle with some itchy symptoms. Dogs with ear infections might rub their heads off furniture, itch their ears excessively, or develop a foul scent in their ears. Many owners can see pests or little black spots on their dog‘s ears when they have infections. 

Often the best way to deal with ear infections is to prevent them by cleaning your pet’s ears once a month. Owners can clean their dog‘s ears by purchasing ear cleaning solutions at their local pet store. These pet stores will have solutions and gauze available to help owners care for their pet’s ears. You then use this solution and drip it onto some cotton balls and wipe the outer layer of the inside of your dog‘s ear. You will never put anything inside their ears and never use q-tips to clean them since this can easily rupture their eardrums. After you clean the outside of your pet’s ears, drop one of two dribbles of the ear solution so it falls into your dog‘s ear, and then massage their ear to ensure the solution enters their ears. You should clean your dog‘s ears once a month to prevent infection, and don’t over-clean them, or you risk exposing the already vulnerable skin to more infectious bacteria. 

Oral Health

Many dogs in the US have poor oral health because many pet parents aren’t properly informed on how to care for their dog‘s dental needs. The Pudelpointer breed needs plenty of teeth cleaning sessions to maintain oral health. A dog with poor oral health risks developing dental disease, leading to other issues such as heart or respiratory disease. When dogs struggle with these issues, they can develop many plaque, bacteria, and tartar in their mouths. 

To avoid your Pudelpoint dealing with these issues, you must give them plenty of teeth brushing sessions every week. Try to provide your pup with at least three weekly brushing sessions, but don’t give them any less than one weekly brushing session. You can only use dog-specific toothbrushes and toothpaste, or you risk making your pet feel sick. You can give your dog oral health products and chews between brushing sessions to help care for their teeth.

  1. Dental Chewz Dog Treats
  2. Purina Oral Care Dog Treats

A Pudelpointer lying in snow and chewing a fresh bone

Pudelpointer Breed‘s Needs

Exercise 

Pudelpointers were bred to be hunting dogs, so they have a lot of energy. They created their breed to withstand cold winters in Germany and stay active through the long hours of the day for hunting practices; these dogs need at least 60 mins of activity daily. An adult Pudelpointer will thrive with 60 minutes of exercise, whether it is given in walks, runs, or playtime. 

Mentally active breeds like this also need plenty of mental activity to stay healthy. Without enough mental stimulation, these dogs can become bored or destructive, and dogs without mental stimulation may become disobedient or depressed as well. Owners can give their dogs plenty of mental and physical activity through training sessions or enrichment activities. 

Nutrition

The Pudelpointer, like the Poodle breed, is prone to weight gain. They have high energy levels and need a lot of food to stay healthy. It’s important to provide them with a diet formulated for larger breeds with high energy levels. This way, they get all the nutrients they need to maintain their happy attitudes. Owners should split their dog‘s meals into two separate ones during the day and check in with their vet to ensure they’re giving their pet the right amount of calories daily. 

Grooming

As mentioned briefly, this breed has multiple fur types in its breed. Depending on the specific dog, the breed can have wiry or soft hair. This dog‘s density and texture vary, meaning their grooming cares vary. If your Pudelpointer has a wiry hair type, you should brush them with a bristles brush and bathe them every few months. You’ll need to hand strip their coat a few times a year, too, to maintain that wiry hair texture. If your pet has soft fur, or you don’t care to maintain the wiry texture, brush your dog with a pin brush and bath them every other month to keep them smelling fresh. 

A Pudelpointer is standing on a rock at a mountain lake

Top Product Picks for the Pudelpointer Breed

If, after reading this article, you’ve decided that the Pudelpointer breed is the perfect fit for you, you should look into adopting one. Getting a new pet can be very exciting, and although owners love bringing their new dog home, moving homes can be very stressful for dogs. There are plenty of ways owners can make a move easier for their dogs, and it involves preparing for your pup before they walk through your door for the first time.

Before getting your Pudelpointer puppy, you should have ready a dog collar, leash, and crate. You should get a harness soon after getting your pet, but you need more specific measurements to get their harness, so you should wait until you know your pet’s measurements. It’s also important to have dog food ready for them as they walk through the door. Having dog food and fresh water immediately ready can help your pet feel more comfortable upon their move. 

Pet owners might also benefit from objects like doggy waste bags, portable food containers, toys, treats, food storage containers, and a dog seat belt for the car. Over time you will start accumulating the helpful pet supplies you need. Remember, right after bringing your Pudelpointer home, you should give them space. Let your dog explore their new home, and let them come to you instead of overcrowding them. You can also give them treats whenever they come to you, so they begin associating you with good feelings. Soon enough, your Pudelpointer puppy will bond with you and be your loyal furry friend. 

Other Resources

  1. Pudelpointer AKC
  2. North American Pudelpointer Alliance
  3. Project Pudelpointer
  4. Pudelpointed Club of North America
  5. United Kennel Club Pudelpointer
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