Dog peeps: Question about Pointing

MoochNNoodles

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Is Pointing something specific breeds of dogs do or is it something all dogs do?

Abby Points, but Tasha does not. So that got me wondering, is it just something breed related? Abby is a mess (but a cute mess!) and Tasha is a lab/Shepard mix we're told. I figured someone on here might know!

Here are a few pics of Abby in case your curious about what she looks like:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/LilacGlory7/100_2178.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/LilacGlory7/100_1453.jpg
(Poor Tasha! Not her best picture!
But you can get a better view of Abby!)
 

arlyn

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I don't think it's genetics so much as a learned behavior.
I've actually had pointers that wouldn't point, but they'd never been around any dogs that did.
And I've had mutts that would point having learned it from my mom's friend's chihuahuas.



And I don't think Abby is a mess

She looks like a smooth collie I had years ago, he was also fawn with white
I'd say she may be a collie/shepard or collie/lab mix.
 

sharky

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All dogs can ... just not all dogs do...

My yorkie does but a friends pointer doesnt ... so like Arlyn said it is learned ...
 
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MoochNNoodles

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

And I don't think Abby is a mess

She looks like a smooth collie I had years ago, he was also fawn with white
I'd say she may be a collie/shepard or collie/lab mix.
Hmmm....never thought about her having any collie background. A few people have said around her eyes she has some something-spaniel type look. I'm deffinately no expert there though!


I wonder who she's learned to point from. I know my neighbors (well parent's neighbors) have had 2 big black labs over the years. And our neighbor across the street has a white small curly hair dog (not like a poodle). There were golden labs down the street too. I can't think of where else she'd have learned it. I'll have to ask Mom if she's got any ideas on that.
 

cococat

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All my dogs point at one time or another, they are not hunting breeds. It doesn't happen often, but is funny. They also stalk.
 

bnwalker2

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I don't really think it's genetic... In the past I had a Chow mix and a Pit Bull that both would point and now have a Jack Russell/Cavalier King Charles mix that points on occasion as well.
 

goldenkitty45

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A lot of the hunting types of dogs do point or have a tendency to point. I know some breeders of labradors claim they are breeding a "pointing" lab - no such thing but some labs do naturally point a little - no where near what a Pointer, etc. would do
 
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