Breed Sheet: English Mouse

A true fuller, powerfully muscled, this agile athlete combines strength with sleek lines. It is one of the favorite short-haired pointing dogs of French hunters.

Some don't hesitate to call it the “Formula 1” of pointing dogs. It must be said that British breeders have succeeded in creating this harmonious breed, which is well built throughout. It gives the appearance of strength and flexibility.

The origins of the English mouse are…Portuguese.

Research has made it possible to confirm that Portugal had a Shorthaired Pointer (perdigueiro Portuguese) fast, tireless and hunting with its nose very high, is the cradle of the breed. British breeders, through judicious cross-breeding, developed this light and elegant dog, the modern pointer, which originated in Great Britain at the beginning of the 18th century.

The club was founded in 1891. It is today a member of the Pointer Club International. The name pointer comes from the term “pointer dogs” applied to lying dogs, the ancestors of the Brax.

General form

The English Pointer is a short-haired “mid-range” type of dog. This agile athlete with powerful muscles combines strength with sleek lines. His body should fit in a square. Its head is characterized by a well-marked stop, lively, round and expressive eyes, which give an expression of grace, brown or brown depending on the color of the coat, its well-placed triangular ears set high, and a muzzle that goes back like a pointed trumpet nose.

English pointing standard

• Size : 63 to 69 cm for male, 61 to 66 cm for female.
• Color : Usually lemon and white, orange and white, liver (brown) and white or black and white. Single color and tricolor are also accepted.
• the hair : fine, short, hard, perfectly smooth, straight and very shiny.
• Body: RShort, strong, muscular and a bit wasted. The chest is ample and well down, the ribs are bent and gradually decrease towards the hips.
• the head : Skull of medium width, pronounced occipital protuberance in relation to muzzle length. Marked stop, slightly concave muzzle and slightly hollow look.
• Tail : Of medium length, thick at the base, gradually tapering towards the tip
• the ear : Tall, slender and flexible, set against the head, slightly pointed at the tip.
• forearms : Straight and firm from the elbow to the ground, with good bone structure and strong, visible tendons.
• Hind Legs: Very muscular, the hip bones are well spaced and prominent, but not over the level of the back.

On the hunt:

The English mouse is mainly used for hunting game birds. Resistant, durable, agile, fast, active athlete, this dog has exceptional olfactory qualities. It is characterized by its high-speed action. His great ability to adapt and his remarkable memory. His stance is impressive, firm, unwavering. He is literally in a “cataleptic” state: body tense, muscles rigid, head raised, whip frozen in the extension of the line of the back. It looks like a sculpture!

In 2022, the Society recorded 1,036 English pointers registered with the Central Canine LOF.