In 2013, the pudelpointer, a largely unknown breed even in hunting circles, was named among the best versatile gun dogs in an article that might be of particular interest to gun dog buyers.
In “
Best All ‘Round Hunting Dog?”,
American Hunter writer Ron Spomer looked at pointers, flushers, retrievers, and versatile breeds including pudelpointers, German shorthairs, and German wirehair/Drathaar. He highlighted winners for each of these categories, and also listed an overall winner among all the categories.
Spomer tipped his hat to gun dog breeders that manage pudelpointers. He put pudelpointers at the top of the list among versatile breeds, which he listed as doing “many tasks well including pointing, retrieving, scent-trailing and tackling,” while only listing one con, that versatile breeds are “usually not the best at any one task.”
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Even more impressive is that Spomer put pudelpointers as his No. 1 gun dog breed choice overall.
He acknowledges that while most hunters and perhaps even breeders won’t be familiar with this breed, it’s the one that impresses him the most.
“This strange, chocolate-colored, do-it-all dog from Germany that’s big and strong, but not too heavy. Pudelpointers are faster than most Labs and just as indefatigable. A pudelpointer is equally effective in uplands or wetlands ... it’s a close call, but if versatility is your need, the pudelpointer is your champion,” wrote Spomer.
Gun dog breeder Bill Trarrant,
of Cedarwood Gun Dogs, also gave high praise to pudelpointers as great dogs for hunting waterfowl and many birds in general.
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Pudelpointer trainer Bob Farris from Boise, Idaho, Farris revealed the reasons behind his preference for the breed
to Field and Stream way back in 1998.
“The pudelpointer is just totally different. It’s the affection, that’s what it is. It’s their biddability. Why, I can teach a pudelpointer to whoa in two days. With a shorthair pointer it would take a week. That’s pretty standard, too, so I’d rather be training pudelpointers,” Farris said.
But pudelpointer breeders, owners, and trainers also praised how pudelpointers were able to switch between being out in the field in hunting mode and then switch to being family dogs when the hunt was over.
Gun Dog Magazine's breed profile for pudelpointers shared one owner’s story about the breed's flexibility between the field and the home.
“Both of my dogs will go tear it up on the prairie but also know when to shut that off — in the house. Both live with us in the house and interact with our children very well. Bella, my new pudelpointer, will even lie on the floor and let James (10 months old) crawl all over her and pull at her hair until we catch him and pull him away. Their ability to calm down once in the house is very much appreciated, and they don’t shed,” pudelpointer owner Luke Kennedy told the magazine.
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