The Slovak Rough-Haired Pointer
The Slovak rough-haired pointer has a lot to offer. We’ll talk about its origin and characteristics in this article.
Origin of the Slovak Rough-Haired pointer
The Slovak Rough-Haired Pointer is a more modern breed virtually unknown outside of Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Its ancestors are the Weimaraner, Bohemian Wire-haired Pointing Griffon, and the German Wirehaired Pointer.
It was first bred after the Second World War. People wanted a versatile dog that could hunt on any terrain, especially terrains that other breeds found difficult to navigate.
Slovak Rough-Haired pointer character
They have a lot of energy and are very intelligent, which is great for hunting dogs. They’re also an excellent companion dog that takes care of their home and family.
This breed is also extremely loyal to their owners and is sociable with other people and dogs. One negative aspect is that if they share homes with cats or other smaller animals, they may try to hunt them, and this can be a problem.
Physical characteristics
The Slovak Rough-Haired pointer is a medium to large-sized dog, strong but slender, and noble in appearance despite being a working dog. Thus, this animal has a strong build, but isn’t coarse looking.
They have fairly elongated heads, that are well proportioned to their bodies. Their skin is thinly stretched over their faces so they don’t have wrinkles. They have profound brow ridges and occipital protuberance, which makes them look robust.
According to the breed standard, published in 1995, males grow to a height of 24.5 to 27 inches and females 22.5 to 25 inches. Males have a height-length ratio of 10:9 and females 10:8.
Slovak Rough-Haired pointers have two layers of fur. The first is thick and long, the second is short and fuzzy. The undercoat is a grey color, that varies in darkness. They may have white markings on their limbs and chests.
Health and care
Just like their close relatives, they need plenty of space to exercise and don’t adapt well to small urban apartments. It’s good to take them to the countryside. They always need checking for parasites and ticks after these outings, as well as damp in their ears, which can cause otitis.
The Slovak Rough-Haired pointer, like its closest relatives such as the Bohemian Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and the German Wirehaired Pointer, are healthy and hardy dogs. They only need basic care and their coat requires no more than a weekly brushing.
In short, with proper nutrition, regular visits to the vet and regular physical exercise this breed will be very healthy and live a long and happy life.