It seems as if the dog romping around has suddenly frozen; he concentrates on one spot. Pointing in the dog is a phase of the hunt. But what is it all about? Here you can find out more about the unique behavior of the four-legged friend.
Pointing in dogs is an instinctive behavior that theoretically any dog is capable of. Strictly speaking, the particular fixation of the prey is the beginning of a hunting process before attacking in the following phases.
Pointing in the dog as the beginning of the hunt
When pointing, the wild animal shows itself in the dog. The behavior represents the fixation phase in the hunting sequence: scenting, fixation, sneaking up, rushing, apprehending, and killing. The characteristic of the behavior is the complete concentration on the prey – the dog seems to be in another world; only instincts guide him while he stops moving without making a sound. One leg is often held up and bent during this phase. The video shows a Weimaraner bitch staring at prey during a walk and showing typical signs of pointing at the dog:
Pointing dogs were important hunting helpers.
To a certain extent, pointing at the dog was an essential aid for humans when hunting. The hunter can prepare his shot if the hound remains motionless and locates a game. For the hunt, pointing dogs were sometimes used, whose only task was to identify and fix the game. The hunting parties often went out with several dogs assigned different duties. Other dogs were then given the task of driving or retrieving.
All dogs can point
The hunting instinct is differently pronounced in each four-legged friend; certain fur noses have a solid drive, while others only rarely show hunting behavior. Especially in dog breeds with a hunting instinct that was bred for hunting, such as Beagles, English Pointers, or Weimaraners, pointing is more common in the wild. Mixed breeds can also protrude, even as puppies, as the Labrador Boxer puppy in the video demonstrates:
