Portuguese pointer accepted as native breeds decline

The Portuguese pointer has become the second new breed to be recognised by the Kennel Club in the past five years. As overseas dog breeds rise in popularity, the club has concerns that native breeds are becoming vulnerable.

Claiming its heritage back to the Iberian hunting dog, the Portuguese pointer is one of 137 breeds to have originated overseas since the Kennel Club opened its registers.

The breed has been classified in the gundog group. It can be traced back to the fourteenth century, where it is depicted in portraits of hunting scenes, and remains one of the most popular hunting dogs in Portugal, Spain and other parts of Europe.

Of an athletic build, the Portuguese pointer grows to a medium height and needs up to an hour's exercise a day and grooming once a week. Best suited to a large house and garden, these dogs can live in the town or the city, according to the Kennel Club.

Since its original list of recognised breeds in the 1800s, the Kennel Club says many breeds native to Britain have fallen out of favour and made it onto the organisation's list of "vulnerable native breeds".

With less than 300 annual puppy registrations per year, it is feared that these native breeds could disappear from our streets and parks entirely if numbers continue to decline.

The latest figures from the Kennel Club suggest that while some of these breeds have seen a slight revival, others such as the otterhound and Sealyham terrier continue to drop in number.

By contrast, certain breeds such as the French bulldog and smooth coated chihuahua (which originates in Mexico) are thriving with 4,843 and 2,931 registrations respectively so far this year.

Some native breeds, however, continue to thrive, such as the English springer spaniel, cocker spaniel, Staffordshire bull terrier, bulldog, golden retriever and border terrier - all of which are top ten breeds.

The Kennel Club's Discover Dogs event, which takes place in London this weekend, aims to educate would-be owners on the varying characteristics of different breeds, and the importance of doing research before buying a dog.

Image credit: Alice Van Kempen

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