Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher vs Spanish Pointer - Breed Comparison

The Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is an ancient dog breed and dates back to 1780. It is believed that this dog breed is extinct, but that the German Pinscher of today is family of this dog breed. The dog used to be good on the farm as an all-purpose working dog.

When you look at the history of dogs, there are so many that have come and gone, never to be seen or heard of again. Other animals become extinct because of environmental factors, but with dogs it’s a bit different and most, like the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher, died out simply because it became unfashionable.

Maybe the jobs that this dog was designed to do no longer existed and he died out because he was no longer needed.

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.

Described as a medium sized dog, the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is an extinct variety of the German Pinscher. Like that dog, the Swiss Shorthaired had a muscular, strong square build.

Possibly he also had his ears and tail docked at that time. It is thought that he stood between 40 – 48cm in height and weighed in the region of 11 to 15kg.

He had the typical looks of the Doberman Pinscher with short smooth hair in black and tan, short erect ears and a tail that was traditionally cropped. He was lean and muscular with brown eyes. They were working dogs in their day and were not considered the best dogs to have for the first time dog owner.

Tempeament

These dogs have always been hardworking, brave and fearless. They make good family pets too and get on well with children. They would have been adaptable too to life in the city or the countryside, so long as he got his exercise.

A well bred Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher was alert and a good guard dog, and one wonders why this dog with its good qualities died out.

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 Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is no longer around but he would no doubt have made a good family pet. He would have wanted to protect his human family.

He was a stubborn, bold dog, and maybe socialization and training didn’t exist then, but he would have benefited from it.

He’s the kind of dog that would have adapted well to life in the city or the countryside, but you could never neglect his exercise needs. In the right environment, this Pinscher would have made a loving, loyal pet.

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.

It is not too sure about the health status of this extinct dog but we can assume that he would have been prone to some of the typical dog illnesses there are.

Hypothyroidismd, bloat, cancer, cataracts, infections and obesity were just some of the diseases this dog would have had to contend with.

Hypothyroidism:

The thyroid glands in the neck produce hormones. These hormones affect the functioning of the body. Hypothyroidism in dogs is usually caused by shrinkage of the thyroid gland or inflammation.The disease occurs more often in Pinscher dogs.

You may notice a dulling or thinning of your dog’s hair, weight gain and reduced activity. Hypothyroid dogs also tend to battle more with ear- and skin infections. Veterinary treatment will become necessary.

Catarats:

It causes a whiteness,cloudiness or opacity on the lens of the eye. It's not painful for a dog but it can cause loss of vision. Surgery can improve vision for the dog.

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.

Diet:

In those days of the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher, maybe commercially manufactured dog foods weren’t available. If the dog were still around today, you would feed him dry kibble for medium sized dogs.

Probably the owners of these dogs fed them from the food they ate. It can be a good idea to feed any dog you have with some homemade food.

This can include things such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This is the kind of simple food that dogs love.

Being a farm dog in his day, he was probably tossed raw meat occasionally and this would have done him the world of good.

General Care:

Although the short, smooth hair of the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is looked upon as low maintenance, the dog would have needed a good brush twice a week just to keep it shiny and healthy.

After a hard day of work on the farm, the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher would have required a nice warm, dry spot to sleep.

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.