Old Danish Pointer
title: "Old Danish Pointer" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["fci-breeds", "gundogs", "pointers", "dog-breeds-originating-in-denmark", "rare-dog-breeds"] topic_path: "general/fci-breeds" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Danish_Pointer" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox Dogbreed"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Old Danish Pointer |
| image | Wyżeł duński 123.jpg |
| image_caption | Old Danish Pointer |
| country | Denmark |
| altname | Gammel Dansk Hønsehund |
| Old Danish Bird Dog | |
| kc_name | Dansk Kennel Club |
| kc_std | https://www.dkk.dk//race/broholmer |
| fcistd | http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/281g07-en.pdf |
| :: |
| name = Old Danish Pointer | image = Wyżeł duński 123.jpg | image_caption = Old Danish Pointer | country = Denmark | altname = Gammel Dansk Hønsehund Old Danish Bird Dog | kc_name = Dansk Kennel Club | kc_std = https://www.dkk.dk//race/broholmer | fcistd = http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/281g07-en.pdf
The Old Danish Pointer is a medium-sized breed of dog, white with brown markings, originally used as a pointing dog in Denmark.
Description
Appearance
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Gamledanskchicken1.jpg" caption="Old Danish Pointer in a show."] ::
Old Danish Pointers (Danish: gammel dansk hønsehund, translated "Old Danish Fowl-Dog") are strongly built. One of the most charming features of the breed is the great difference between male and female. While the dog is powerful and substantial, the female is characterized by being lighter, more spirited, and capricious. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Wyżeł_duński_110.jpg" caption="Head of Old Danish Pointer"] ::
- Height at the withers:
- Male 54 -, above 56 cm preferred.
- Female 50 -, above 52 cm preferred.
- Weight:
- Male 30 -
- Female 26 -
Temperament
Conveys the impression of a quiet and stable dog showing determination and courage. During the hunt, the dog progresses rather slowly, always maintaining contact with the hunter and accomplishing its task as a pointing dog without creating unnecessary disturbance of the ground. The breed is suited for small as well as large hunting grounds. The name has nothing to do with temperament, but refers to its ability to point out birds of the order Galliformes and specifically birds belonging to the family Phasianidae. Commonly referred to in Danish as Hen birds/Chicken birds. The often used English name, "Old Danish Chicken Dog" is therefore incorrect or at best badly translated.
This is a friendly family dog, as long as it gets its exercise. It is fast and active outdoors and quiet indoors, but is not suitable for apartments or small yards.
History
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Danish_Pointer_from_1915.JPG" caption="Danish Pointer circa 1915"] ::
The Danish Pointer dates back to the 17th Century and descends from the Spanish Pointer.
References
References
- Morris, Desmond. (2001). "Dogs: the ultimate dictionary of over 1,000 dog breeds". Trafalgar Square Publishing.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::