Wirehaired Slovakian Pointer

Grey or grey roan.

The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer has a variety of coat types within the breed. These range from soft and furry, extremely wiry to broken, but all dogs have a rough coat that does not shed.

Amber or blue.

This large, elegant gun-dog always has a coat of steely-grey colour. The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer has an elegant, but sturdy frame and is medium to large in size. It has a deep chest and strong shoulders, together with straight, long legs that carry the dog over many difficult terrains. This dog has a rectangular-shaped head which is quite broad, with ears that fold over and hang by the dog’s cheeks. 

The Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer isn’t generally kept as a pet in a home environment, but they are very loyal dogs, affectionate too, that have an eagerness to please. 

This breed makes good friends with children, enjoying messing around and playing games with them.

Although the Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer is a very energetic dog in the hunting field, when at home he has a laid back attitude. This very calm dog makes a superb companion.

Like many other working dogs, the Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer has a very high level of intelligence, making him easy to train.

The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer excels in an active environment, as a sporting companion or a working dog for a gun-dog enthusiast. He is very capable of working over any terrain and conditions, be it on water or land. 

Although this dog is very focused and biddable when out working, at home he has rather strange social habits, and doesn’t really accept strangers into his environment.

The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer is a relatively independent breed, who forms a loving bond with their owner and family. 

You will find that this breed doesn’t tend to suffer from separation anxiety when left alone. However, as with many other large dog breeds, due to his endurance and stamina, he needs to be exercised frequently. 

This breed is well known for being easy to train. This means that housetraining and training to recall should not be difficult. 

The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer isn’t known to be an excessive barker.

As a working and hunting dog, the Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer needs an enormous amount of daily exercise. It is also advisable to keep him in a large, fenced outside area, to keep him secure. 

This large, energetic canine certainly needs a good work out each day. If not, behavioural problems are sure to arise. 

As a breed with a huge amount of stamina and energy, he needs to be fed several times each day. Because of this, he is a greedy dog, always looking for snacks and treats too. 

Although the Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer is a large, imposing-sized dog, this breed is not usually kept for security purposes. 

Certainly, the Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer will make an ideal first-time pet, purely because he is a quick learner and easy to train. However, his large size and need for lots of exercise may make him unsuitable for many smaller family homes. 

Certainly due to the size and energy levels of this breed, he is not suitable for living in a flat or small house. Likewise, he needs a large living and outside space to meet his needs. 

The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer is principally a working breed, and as such needs a definite active lifestyle. A minimum of one to two hours of daily walking is advised. 

It certainly won’t be easy to take this dog onto public transport, although he will travel in the rear of a car on route to the hunting field for a limited period of time. 

The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer is known for his natural scenting ability, so care needs to be taken when he is around cats and other small animals.

You should have no issues with the Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer and other dogs in the same household. This is especially true if the dogs are socialised together from a young age. 

This breed will enjoy being around children, taking part in their games and activities. However, because of its large build and stamina, younger children should be supervised when nearby. 

This dog thrives on being active and has great stamina. Probably not best suited to an elderly owner as he’s certainly not a couch potato. 

The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer does not shed hair.

A fairly healthy breed, however this dog is noted for suffering from hip dysplasia and bloat. Its average life expectancy is 11 to 13 years.

This dog must be strong, fit and capable of working over many terrains, including in woodland and water, as he is tasked to search for and carry game.

As this dog is expected to work in all seasons, and in many different environments, he is capable of working in all weathers, including higher temperatures. 

The Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer’s coarse double coat gives him protection against the elements when out working, especially when hunting through the undergrowth. Likewise, he is happy swimming in cooler water. 

As a vigorous, active dog, he doesn’t put weight on easily. However, in his senior years when he isn’t working, he has a tendency to gain weight.

• Hip dysplasia
• Eye disease
• Arthritis

This hunting dog breed was established during the 1950’s by crossing German Wirehaired Pointers, Weimaraners, and the Cesky Fousek (also known as the Bohemian Wirehaired Pointing Griffon). The breed was developed by Kolomon Slimak, who required a breed with great stamina, who would be able to track game, point and retrieve on both land and in water. The resulting Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer certainly meets this criteria with a range of prey birds, hares and even deer.