Spanish Pointer vs Carolina Dog - Breed Comparison

The Carolina dog comes from wild dogs that used to run with the Paleo-Indians of North America, and today they can still be found in their wild state near the Georgia-South Carolina border.

Many scientists believe that the dog was first domesticated from the wolf thousands and thousands of years ago. Today there aren’t many records on the Carolina Dog’s history and it isn’t sure how long they lived their feral lifestyle in the American South, but it seems as though it was for hundreds of years.

You could say that the modern history of the Carolina Dog started in the 1980s. Dr. Pam Brisbin found a puppy at a dump site which looked like the Australian Dingo. Dr Brisbin and other scientists concluded that the Carolina Dog was a remnant of primitive dogs. Since those times the Carolina Dog has adapted well to being a domesticated pet.

The Spanish Pointer is a large hunting breed. The dog hails from Spain and it is believed that the dog was used to develop other pointing breeds.

It is popular in Spain but fairly unknown beyond Spanish borders. Known as the Burgos Pointer, the official name for the dog is Perdiguero de Burgos.

It is thought that the dog comes from mixing the Pachon Navarra and the Sabueso Espanol. The dog was developed to point out game so they have the typical longish head with the pointing tail.

The Carolina dog is part of the Sighthounds Group and looks a bit like a Dingo, German Shepherd and Wolf mix. He has fairly long, pointed erect ears, a sharp wolf-like snout and a long tail that curves when raised.

The Carolina dog has been re-discovered however and when trained and socialized, they make splendid pets. It’s a medium sized dog standing at 45–61cm and weighing from 15–20kg. He is slender, muscular and athletic with a coat that is short and fairly smooth. Colors for the Carolina dog vary and he can be fawn colored, a gingerish color, black and tan and can have some white areas on the paws, chest, muzzle and tail.

Temperament:

The Carolina Dog has been a wild dog, belonging to a pack and while he isn’t aggressive, he is nervous and aloof around strangers. Good training and socialization provides him with the skills to get along well with his human family as well as with children and other pets in the home.

Because this dog has always been wild, they tend to maintain some of their wild, independent nature and they can be difficult to train and it requires firmness and patience with him, but he is an intelligent breed.

The body of this dog is true to the Pointer type of dog with the body being muscular and lean.

He stands at between 62 to 67cm in height and weighs about 25 to 30kg. The ears are quite long and floppy and the tail is usually docked to a third of its length.

The coat which is mostly short can be whitish with tan or brown markings with freckling or it can be a brownish shade with darker brown markings.

Temperament:

The Spanish Pointer is a quiet, calm, gentle dog and not at all aggressive. They’re able to get on well with children and other pets.

They’re dogs that love the great outdoors and aren’t suited to city living. They’re dogs that need a good deal of exercise too. Being intelligent the pointer dog will benefit from training and socialization.

The Carolina Dog is a medium-sized dog which has managed to survive well in the wild environment. It is this life in the wilds which has made the dog to be shy and aloof around strangers.

They are skilled and intelligent and when domesticated they make extraordinary pets even though he isn’t an overly affectionate dog. It is why he requires early socialization so that he doesn’t grow up shunning humans.

With training however, the Carolina Dog becomes a well-adjusted, loving and social member of the family.

Your attractive Spanish Pointer is such an amicable dog that it is a pleasure to have him around you.

He makes such a splendid pet, but only if their intense exercise needs are catered to. He can’t possibly be expected to spend days in a tiny yard with nothing to do. It would be cruel.

Their top priority is to be out in the fields hunting. Nonetheless he gets on well with children and other dogs, and with the right home and environment you’ll be so glad you chose one of these beautiful dogs as your friend.

The Carolina Dog is a fairly healthy breed. You won’t have to be rushing off to the vet often with him if you look after him well in terms of a good diet, a food amount of exercise and plenty of love and attention. In fact breeders of the Carolina Dog have noted that they haven’t seen any cases of genetically inheritable diseases with this robust dog.

However with all dogs, no matter how healthy they are, there can be problems. Problems common to domestic dogs can include skeletal and visual problems. Many dog owners have their pets tested to identify some of the potential health defects that some dogs are prone to. This can include hip dysplasia, cataracts, cancer and PRA or Progressive Retinal Atrophy.

The Spanish Pointer is a healthy dog breed that can live to be as old as 15 if he gets the right care.

Like other dogs, they can develop certain health problems, and you want to be aware of cherry eye, ear infections, hip dysplasia and allergies.

Ear Infections:

These dogs just love to swim, and it can be difficult to keep the inside of his ears from moisture.

Unfortunately wax, dirt and moisture can all cause an ear infection. Ear infections can be extremely painful. You’ll see your dog shaking his head and pawing at his ears. There will be redness inside the ear and possibly a discharge too. He will need to see the vet.

Grooming:

The Carolina Dog is a seasonal shedder and the shortish coat will simply require a thorough brushing twice a week to keep him in tip top condition.

This dog, with his upright ears, isn’t prone to ear infections as other breeds, but nonetheless as part of his grooming routine, its a good idea to to check his ears inside for wax build-up and dirt. Certainly his teeth should be brushed 2 or 3 times a week with special dog toothbrush and toothpaste. This keeps the gums and teeth healthy and also avoids other diseases that come about because of dental disease.

Diet:

Whether you feed your Carolina Dog once or twice a day, you want to ensure the very best quality diet to avoid skin problems and illness. You also have to ensure your dog has 24/7 access to fresh, cool drinking water to help him with digesting his food.

There are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods on the market which have been manufactured for certain stages of your dogs life. Add in some rice, vegetables and meat from time to time and every now and again you can give him some raw meat too.

Exercise:

As a hunting dog, the Spanish Pointer has always been used to a lot of exercise. If you don’t use him for hunting, you will need to take him on long walks. They just love sniffing around and following a scent. Ball and frisbee games where you get him running will be excellent for him.

Diet:

The Spanish Pointer is a large hunting dog, so when you choose commercially manufactured dog food, make sure it’s for large breed dogs. Also make sure the food is for active dogs too.

The manufacturers of these dog foods know what vitamins and minerals to include for active dogs like these. Read the packaging carefully and avoid the inferior dog foods as they are full of ingredients that can make your dog sick.

Try and feed your Spanish Pointer some home-made food too. Make sure it isn’t spicy, exotic foods as these can cause digestive problems.

Food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots are superb, simple food choices for your canine friend. You can chop it up and add some of this to the dry kibble twice a week as a treat for your pet.

Try and add some raw meat to the diet occasionally as this can be helpful in preventing skin infections.

Never leave your dog without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

The coat of your dog is short so a good brush twice a week will keep it in tip top condition. If he is super active, with a mitt or damp cloth you can wipe down his fur if it has mud stuck to it. It’s your time to check him over for ticks and fleas as well.