Pointer Large size 26-35 kg

Old Danish Pointer

A steady, versatile pointing breed - calmer than many pointers and a good active family gundog for owners who provide exercise.

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Find out how this breed matches your household

Quick overview

Large
Size
26-35 kg, 50-60 cm
High
Activity
High but controllable hunting energy
Moderate
Alone-time tolerance
Handles normal days if exercised
Easy
Trainability
Cooperative and trainable
Low
Coat care
Short coat, minimal grooming
Good
Fit with kids
Good with children
Moderate
Other pets
Generally sociable
Light
Health burden
Hip dysplasia, Chronic ear infections

The Old Danish Pointer typically weighs 26-35 kg, stands 50-60 cm, and lives 11-13 years.

Consider this breed if…

you hunt at a walking pace or want a gundog calmer than a GSP,
you can give 90+ minutes of real daily exercise year-round,
you want an easy short coat and a generally sound, unexaggerated body,
you like a dog that works with you rather than 200 meters ahead.

Do not consider this breed if…

you live in an apartment with no daily access to open ground,
you want a couch-first companion; this is still a working pointer,
free-roaming small pets share the home - bird drive generalizes,
you need a puppy nearby; the breed is scarce outside Denmark.

A typical day with a Old Danish Pointer

  1. 6:30 · Morning
    Long walk or free run, 60 min minimum
  2. 9:00 · Midmorning
    Calm indoors - the breed's selling point
  3. 13:00 · Noon
    Short walk, scent games
  4. 16:30 · Afternoon
    Retrieving or pointing practice, 20 min
  5. 18:30 · Evening
    Second outing, then family time
  6. 22:00 · Night
    Settled sleeper after a worked day

Temperament and training

Steadiness High
Trainability High
Hunting drive High
Attachment to family High
Reserve with strangers Moderate
Energy High
Common owner mistakes
Choosing it for the calm reputation, then skipping the exercise that earns it · Neglecting recall around birds until the first pheasant proves the point · Ignoring the drop ears after swims until infection sets in

Family and environment

Kids Good
Even-tempered and patient in active families.
Dogs Good
Typically sociable and uncomplicated with other dogs.
Cats Conditional
Raised-together cats usually work; strange cats get chased.
Apartment Conditional
Only with serious daily exercise outside.
House with a yard Suitable
A fence helps, but the fields do the real work.
City Conditional
Manageable with daily trips to open country.
Countryside Ideal
Bred for unhurried field work over Danish farmland.
Health data provided by RealVetCost
Overall health burden Light

Detailed health data - inheritance, prevalence, course, and typical treatment costs - lives in a separate expert database. This is general guidance, not veterinary advice - confirm any decision with your vet.

View the full health profile
Top health concerns
Hip dysplasia Screen breeding stock
Chronic ear infections Check drop ears regularly
Progressive retinal atrophy Genetic eye disease
Allergies and skin issues Occasional flares

Similar breeds - by reason

Not visually similar - similar in what they mean for you.

Same job, more speed, easy to find
German Short Haired Pointer
A versatile, athletic gundog that shines with a very active owner, but it needs serious daily exercise and company or it grows restless and destructive.
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Another calm, old-style continental pointer
Italian Pointer
A gentle, soulful Bracco Italiano with a steady working style - affectionate and trainable, but a large gundog that needs a real daily outlet.
View profile →
Cooperative close-working versatile gundog
Small Munsterlander
An affectionate, versatile pointing dog that thrives on work and company - ideal for hunters and active families, poor for sedentary homes.
View profile →

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Old Danish Pointer cost?
In Denmark puppies typically run the equivalent of $1,000-$2,000, but the breed is rare abroad - US buyers should expect to import, adding $2,000-$4,000 in transport and paperwork, or to wait for one of very few domestic litters. Over an 11-13 year life, food and routine vet care for a 26-35 kg dog usually add $15,000-$25,000 or more.
Is the Old Danish Pointer calmer than a German Shorthaired Pointer?
Generally yes, and it is the main reason people seek the breed out. It was bred for slow, thorough, close-working bird hunting rather than wide, fast fieldwork, and the temperament matches: steadier at home, less frantic, easier for a walking hunter. It still needs proper daily exercise - calm is relative among pointers.
Can an Old Danish Pointer be a family pet without hunting?
Yes, more plausibly than most pointers - if you replace hunting with long daily runs, hikes, swimming and nose work. It is affectionate and steady in the house once exercised. Skip the outlet, though, and you get the standard understimulated-gundog package: pacing, whining, destroyed cushions.
How rare is the Old Danish Pointer?
Quite rare even at home - Denmark registers only a modest number of puppies each year, and the population abroad is tiny. The breed nearly vanished in the early 20th century and was reconstructed from remaining stock. If you cannot source one, the German Shorthaired Pointer offers the closest widely available experience, with more throttle.