• 138 Pointers finished their show championships.
• 7 Pointers became Companion Dogs (CD's).
• 3 Pointers became Companion Dogs Excellent (CDX's).
• 0 Pointers became Utility Dogs (UD's).
• 8 Pointers finished their Field Championships (FC's).
• 2 Pointers finished their Amateur Field Championships (AFC's).
• 0 Pointers earned their Dual Championships (DC's).
• 31 Pointers earned their Junior Hunters (JH's).
• 2 Pointers earned their Senior Hunters (SH's).
• 4 Pointers earned their Master Hunters (MH's).
• There are usually around 600 Pointers per year registered with the AKC. There are thousands more registered every year with the American Field (FDSB).

If you are looking for a Pointer, there are some things to be aware of. Are you looking for a pet, a show dog, or a hunting dog? Do you want to field trial or do hunt tests? Or don't you know?

You should first be aware that there are two major registries of Pointers, the AKC and the American Field. If you wish to field trial in the American Field, your choice may be the Field Pointer. These are registered with the FDSB and are rather different, in general, from the AKC registered Pointer. Typically, they have been bred with little or no thought to conformation. Some can be too much dog for the beginning dog owner to deal with, and I don't know that I would recommend them for a first breed. If you're an experienced field dog owner, then you know what you're looking for.

If you're looking for a good all-around dog, the AKC Pointers can be wonderful companions, useful as bird dogs as well as calm, affectionate family members. They are generally more easy to handle in the field and love living in your home. I know that I will never own another breed!

That said, there are some breeders who breed strictly for conformation (looks), but will tell you that their dogs are suitable hunting companions. This is not necessarily true, even though you MAY get a dog with field ability this way. If you are dealing with someone who breeds "show" Pointers, you should ask, "Do the parents have any hunting titles? Do they compete in any field events?" Often, the answer will be "no," or possibly a "Junior Hunter." A Junior Hunter simply requires a Pointer to use their instincts. (The dog must find and point birds, for 4 tests, to earn its JH.) For the record, EVERY Pointer should be able to be a Junior Hunter just on the basis of their natural ability and instincts. (If someone is advertising an older dog who has "earned legs" of a JH, this means they have not passed it and have not demonstrated the instinct to point 4 times out. This isn't a good sign...) Just because a dog's parents have a JH does not mean that the parents have the ability to produce well-mannered gun dogs with calm temperaments, nor does it tell you anything about the trainability needed for a finished performer.