United Pet Club

Pointer breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
MeasureFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
Height at the withers, male63–69 cm63.5–71.1 cm63.5–68.6 cm63–69 cmNo ruling
Height at the withers, female61–66 cm58.4–66 cm58.4–63.5 cm61–66 cmNo ruling
Weight, maleNo ruling25–34 kg25–34 kgNo rulingNo ruling
Weight, femaleNo ruling20–29.5 kg20–29.5 kgNo rulingNo ruling
Height to lengthNo rulingNo ruling1No rulingNo ruling
Skull to muzzleNo rulingNo ruling1No rulingNo ruling

Conformation

Conformation
FormFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
BiteScissors biteStandard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)Standard (“should bite evenly or as scissors”)Standard (“meeting in a scissors or level bite”)Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)Standard (“with scissors or even bite”)
BiteLevel biteNo rulingAlternate (“should bite evenly or as scissors”)Alternate (“meeting in a scissors or level bite”)No rulingAlternate (“with scissors or even bite”)
BiteUndershotNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Faults: Crooked teeth; overshot or undershot bite”)No rulingFault (“Undershot or overshot”)
BiteOvershotNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Faults: Crooked teeth; overshot or undershot bite”)No rulingFault (“Undershot or overshot”)
DentitionFull dentitionNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth”)No rulingNo ruling
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)Standard (“lying close to head, of medium length”)Standard (“When hanging naturally, they should reach just below the lower jaw”)Standard (“The ears are drop, short in length”)Standard (“lying close to head, of medium length”)Standard (“When hanging naturally ... close to the head”)
Ear setHighStandard (“set on fairly high”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“set on fairly high”)No ruling
Ear setLowNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Faults: Long, low or rounded ears”)No rulingFault (“Ears: Low set, round, heavy, folded”)
Eye shapeRoundNo rulingStandard (“Of ample size, rounded and intense”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Of medium size, rounded, pleasant in expression”)
Eye shapeOvalNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“The eyes are oval with tight eyelids”)No rulingNo ruling
Eye shapeAlmondNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Eyes: Light, hard, almond or staring eyes”)
StopPronouncedNo rulingStandard (“There should be a pronounced stop”)Standard (“joined by a pronounced stop”)No rulingStandard (“A pronounced stop midway between nostrils and occiput”)
StopNoneNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Lack of stop, down-faced, Roman nose”)
Facial profileDished (concave)Standard (“giving a slightly dish-faced appearance”)No rulingStandard (“the dish face is slightly preferred”)Standard (“giving a slightly dish-faced appearance”)No ruling
Facial profileRoman (convex)No rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Lack of stop, down-faced, Roman nose”)
ToplineLevelNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“The topline is mostly level, never exaggerated or overly sloped”)No rulingNo ruling
ToplineRoach (arched)No rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Back: Roach or sway back”)
ToplineSwaybackNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Back: Roach or sway back”)
Tail lengthMediumStandard (“Medium length, thick at root”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Medium length, thick at root”)No ruling
Tail carriageLevelStandard (“carried on a level with back, with no upward curl”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“carried on a level with back, with no upward curl”)Standard (“Carried straight, ideally on a level with the back”)
Tail carriageRaised (gay)No rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“carried high, flag-pole tail”)
Tail setHighNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Set on too high or too low”)
Tail setLowNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Set on too high or too low”)
FeetOvalStandard (“Oval, well knit, arched toes, well cushioned”)Standard (“Oval, with long, closely-set, arched toes”)Standard (“Feet are compact, well knit, and oval in shape”)Standard (“Oval, well-knit, arched toes, well cushioned”)Standard (“Oval, with long, closely set arched toes”)
FeetCat footNo rulingFault (“Catfoot is a fault”)No rulingNo rulingFault (“Feet: Cat-foot”)
FeetSplayedNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Splayed feet. Flat toes”)
Neck lengthLongStandard (“Long, muscular, slightly arched”)Standard (“Neck: Long, dry, muscular, and slightly arched”)Standard (“The neck is long, slightly arched, and muscular”)Standard (“Long, muscular, slightly arched”)Standard (“Long, dry, muscular and slightly arched”)
Neck lengthShortNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Short, thick neck”)
DewlapNone (clean throat)Standard (“free from throatiness”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“free from throatiness”)No ruling
DewlapPronouncedNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Ewe neck, throatiness”)
ChestDeepNo rulingStandard (“Chest, deep rather than wide”)Standard (“The chest is deep, reaching to the elbows”)No rulingStandard (“Chest: Deep rather than wide”)
ChestNarrowNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Narrow chested, shallow, shelly, pigeon-breasted”)
ChestBroadNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Chest too wide, resulting in elbows out”)
ChestBarrelNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Ribs too flat or too barreled”)
Tuck-upModerateNo rulingStandard (“Tuck-up should be apparent, but not exaggerated”)Standard (“Tuck-up is apparent but not exaggerated”)No rulingStandard (“Tuck-up should be apparent, but not exaggerated”)
HocksWell let downStandard (“Hock: Well let down”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Hocks well let down”)No ruling
HocksCow-hockedNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Cow-hocks”)

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
ProcedureFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
Tail dockingNo rulingFault (“A tail longer than this or docked must be penalized”)Disqualifying (“Disqualification: Docked tail”)No rulingNo ruling
Dewclaw removalNo rulingAlternate (“Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed”)Alternate (“Front dewclaws may be removed”)No rulingNo ruling

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

Pointer colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Pointer color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Pointer in Black, White, Liver, Orange and Lemon. Standard patterns: Solid, Bicolour, Tricolour and Roan.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
BlackStandard (“black and white”)Standard (“Black”)Standard (“black”)Standard (“black and white”)Standard (“black and white”)
WhiteStandard (“Usual colours are lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white, and black and white”)Standard (“Black & White”)Standard (“in combination with white”)Standard (“Lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white, and black and white”)Standard (“Lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white, and black and white”)
LiverStandard (“liver and white”)Standard (“Liver”)Standard (“liver”)Standard (“liver and white”)Standard (“liver and white”)
OrangeStandard (“orange and white”)Standard (“Orange”)Standard (“traditionally referred to as orange colored”)Standard (“orange and white”)Standard (“orange and white”)
LemonStandard (“lemon and white”)Standard (“Lemon”)Standard (“Yellow or yellow and white dogs with liver noses and eye rims are referred to as lemon colored”)Standard (“Lemon and white”)Standard (“Lemon and white”)
Patterns
SolidStandard (“Self colours and tricolours are also correct”)Standard (“solid-colored”)Standard (“solid”)Standard (“Self colours and tricolours also permissible”)Standard (“Self colours and tricolours are also correct”)
BicolourStandard (“lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white, and black and white”)Standard (“either in combination with white”)Standard (“in combination with white”)Standard (“Lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white, and black and white”)Standard (“Lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white, and black and white”)
TricolourStandard (“Self colours and tricolours are also correct”)Standard (“A good Pointer cannot be a bad color”)Fault (“Tri-color is also acceptable but is a hound trait and should be faulted accordingly”)Standard (“Self colours and tricolours also permissible”)Standard (“Self colours and tricolours are also correct”)
RoanNo rulingStandard (“Ticked”)No rulingNot recognisedNo ruling
Eyes: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
BrownStandard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”)Standard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”)
Dark brownNo rulingStandard (“the darker the better”)Standard (“dark eyes, the darker the better”)No rulingNo ruling
Light brownNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“Lighter-colored eyes are acceptable in dogs with self-colored pigment”)No rulingNo ruling
HazelStandard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”)Standard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”)
Nose: rulings by club
Color or patternAKCUKC
BlackStandard (“In the darker colors, the nose should be black or brown”)Standard (“The nose leather may be black or self-colored”)
LiverStandard (“In the darker colors, the nose should be black or brown”)Standard (“The nose leather may be black or self-colored”)
PinkStandard (“in the lighter shades it may be lighter or flesh-colored”)No ruling

What the rulings mean

Standard
Described by the club's breed standard.
Fault
Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalised.
Not recognised
The club does not accept this colour or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Pointer's colors can change over its life.

  • Blackchanges toRust

    Coat · With body condition · can change back

  • Blackchanges toGrey

    Coat · Progressive

  • Blackchanges toBrown

    Coat · In the sun · can change back

  • Whitechanges toRoan

    Coat · With age · from 2 weeks

  • Blackchanges toSnow nose

    Nose · With the season · can change back

  • Blackchanges toPink

    Nose · With the season · can change back

Published standards