English Pointer Puppies: Adopt or Buy?

Should you adopt or buy an English Pointer?

Either route can work. The Dogs Australia breed standard, which lists the breed as the Pointer in Group 3, Gundogs, describes a dog that is “symmetrical and well built all over” with “a strong but lissom appearance”, “alert with appearance of strength, endurance and speed”, and with a temperament of “kind, even disposition”.

A registered breeder who scores hips and elbows gives you the best odds against the breed's known joint problems and a puppy you raise yourself. Rescue gives you a dog whose energy and manners you can see first; check the live listings, as numbers change daily. The route to avoid is an online ad for a cheap “pointer” with no health results, no breeder you can check, and sometimes no clarity about which pointing breed it even is.

Reference figures: the RSPCA Victoria adoption page, read 12 November 2026. Not a quote. Breeders and rescues set their own prices and change them, so check with them.

What is an English Pointer like to live with?

Gentle and affectionate at home, a galloping athlete outside. Dogs Victoria says Pointers have a kind and even disposition, are gentle and fun loving, enjoy human company and are very loyal and affectionate. It says they are ideal for an active family and suit someone who wants an active dog, because they require a good romp as part of their daily exercise, and that a good-sized, secure yard is very important. They can feel the cold easily, it adds, so they enjoy the warmth of their owner's couch or bed.

The breed's job explains the energy. Dogs Victoria says the Pointer was developed in the British Isles during the 17th and 18th centuries, bred to gallop over large expanses of land in search of feathered game, and to stop, freeze and point out the hidden birds for the hunter. The UK Royal Kennel Club lists more than 2 hours of exercise a day, and Dogs Australia's puppy-choosing advice says a working dog or gundog “will be active in mind and body and will require regular occupation and a lot of exercise”. Our Pointer exercise and energy guide covers the day-to-day detail.

Sources: Dogs Australia breed standard, Dogs Victoria and the Royal Kennel Club, read 12 November 2026.

Is a Pointer the same as a German Shorthaired Pointer?

No. Many people say “pointer” for any pointing gundog, but the Pointer (English Pointer), the German Shorthaired Pointer and the German Wirehaired Pointer are separate breeds with separate standards, and Dogs Australia counts their registrations separately. If you buy, check that the pedigree papers name the breed you want. If you are weighing up the two shorthaired breeds, read our German Shorthaired Pointer guide, which has that breed's own health tests.

Which health tests should a Pointer breeder show you?

Dogs Victoria calls the Pointer generally a healthy breed, but says conditions that occur occasionally include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and skin irritations or allergies, and recommends asking breeders what health testing they do. Our Pointer health issues guide covers the conditions in more depth.

Here is what Dogs Victoria names, next to what two overseas bodies list: the UK Royal Kennel Club and the US national breed club's recommendations published by the American Kennel Club. The overseas lists are for asking an Australian breeder questions, not Australian rules:

Sources: Dogs Victoria Pointer profile, the Royal Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club's list of national breed club recommendations, read 12 November 2026. A buying checklist, not veterinary advice.

Ask to see the certificates for both parents, with names that match the litter. Dogs Victoria warns that a claim of “clear of all hereditary disease” based on a DNA test alone should ring alarm bells, because there are many breed-specific diseases without a DNA test; hips and elbows, for example, are checked by X-ray scoring.

How much is a Pointer puppy from a registered breeder?

We quote no breeder price, because none of the member breeders whose websites we read published one. In November 2026 we read the own websites of Pointer breeders who are members of Dogs Australia state bodies, leaving out listing and classified sites. None published a price, and one said photos and price were on request. Not every breeder has a website of its own, and we found no guide price from a breed club or state body. We cannot speak for every breeder, so ask each one.

Ask for the price in writing and compare what it includes: the parents' hip and elbow scores, the vet check, vaccination and microchip, whether the puppy is on the Limited Register with a desexing agreement, and whether the breeder will take the dog back if your circumstances change. Dogs Australia also suggests asking whether your own vet can check the puppy.

You may need to wait for a litter. Dogs Australia's registration figures show 62 Pointers registered in 2025, against 170 in 2021 (registrations, not litters bred). The dog cost calculator gives a first-year budget beyond the purchase.

Survey of member breeders' own websites, November 2026. Any price a breeder gives you is theirs to set; prices change, so check with them. Nothing here is a quote.

What do Pointers in rescue look like?

It varies. Check the live listings above, as numbers change daily; a Pointer in rescue may be an adult or a cross, and a good rescue will tell you how the dog is with children, other dogs, cats, recall and time alone. If you adopt, ask whether anything is known about the dog's skin or joints, and ask your vet about a baseline check.

Our city adoption guides cover where to look locally: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide.

What does a rescue Pointer cost?

Reference only, not a quote. These are the fees each rescue published on the date shown; fees change and some dogs are priced individually, so check with the rescue. Read our guide to adopting a dog in Australia.

How do English Pointer puppy scams work?

Scamwatch warns that scammers set up fake websites, and fake profiles on social media and online marketplaces, for pets that do not exist, and that if a pet is very cheap it is likely a scam. Dogs Victoria's puppy scam fact sheet adds that fake ads may display microchip, source or membership numbers lifted from legitimate breeders. Checks to make before you pay:

• Health results. Ask for the parents' hip and elbow scores, with certificates whose names match the litter.
• Which breed. Ask which breed is named on the pedigree papers; a Pointer and a German Shorthaired Pointer are registered as different breeds.
• Borrowed numbers. Dogs Victoria says to contact the organisation a seller claims membership of and check the number is valid and matches the breeder's name, location and breed.
• Copied photos. Dogs Victoria passes on the ACCC's advice to use a reverse image search to check whether the photos appear on other websites.

Our guide to puppies for sale in Australia has the state-by-state table of breeder numbers, how to check each one, and what to do if you have already paid.

When is a registered breeder the better choice?

Rescue is not right for everyone, and if you want a Pointer puppy specifically, waiting for a registered breeder is reasonable. Check these before you pay:

1. Registration. Ask for the breeder's prefix and membership number and check them through Dogs Australia's breeder search or your state body.
2. Hip and elbow scores for both parents.
3. Any eye or thyroid checks the breeder does, and an honest history of skin problems in the lines.
4. Pedigree papers that name the Pointer as the breed.
5. A written contract covering health problems, register type, desexing and whether the breeder will take the dog back.

Is an English Pointer the right dog for you?

The appeal is real: a gentle, affectionate dog that loves being close to its people. Be honest about three things before you apply anywhere: a long run off the couch every day in a safe, fenced place; a secure, good-sized yard; and a warm spot inside, because a short-coated Pointer feels the cold. Not sure? Try the what dog breed is right for me quiz, the dog exercise calculator and the adoption readiness check, and compare with our guide to family dogs.

Find a Pointer near you

Pointers and Pointer crosses listed by rescues, by city:

• Pointers for adoption in Sydney
• Pointers for adoption in Melbourne
• Pointers for adoption in Brisbane
• Pointers for adoption in Perth
• Pointers for adoption in Adelaide

More pointing and setting breed guides: German Shorthaired Pointer, English Setter, Gordon Setter, Vizsla, Weimaraner.