Hi, and welcome to the Glencuan Pointers blog site. While there are references to other breeds contained in the material on this site this is unashamedly a site for the working pointer enthusiast. I don’t really see the need to call them working pointers as the pointer is a working breed anyway but I just want to let potential readers know what they may be in for.
When I embarked on the journey into the history of training and working pointer dogs I had much more access to grouse than I do now and while I have a method that appears to work for me it is more from circumstances than desire. I do have access to grouse in Yorkshire but for those who haven’t read any papers recently there’s a credit crunch on and it affects potential ferry customers as much as anybody else.
I’m trying to raise the profile of the pointer in general and as an all round working dog in particular. I also hope I can give some encouragement to those who like myself desire a well-trained dog without access to the once obligatory grouse moor.
Banner Photo.
“Alex working on Black Brook.”
Alex, Glencuan Alex Pointer dog. July ’12. Photo Des O’Neile.
It is nice sometimes to remember the context of a photo. I had just got Alex out of the truck and on the way up the hill, into the breeze as it happens, he stopped to void. I took his lead off and walked on expecting him to follow. When he didn’t I looked round to see what was happening and this is what I saw directly behind me. I had walked though the covey, can’t remember how many there were, without any flushing.
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Dalton the Captain, Getty and O’Neile,
Lynch and Kieran_
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
Apologies to The Bard.
I have got the grandson of oksby basso,lovely dog,superb temprement and good pointer though have only been shooting with him once and he has had no proper training just came naturally.Would like to breed of him sometime.
There is no doubt that Basso and his sire Chris have added something to my kennel. Basso in particular is engineered to be just about the most perfectly balanced running machine and Chris is the most complete pointing shooting dog (Not bad in competition either) that I have ever owned but credit for that must go to a large extent to how he was worked in Denmark. However Bess played a part in the recipe too and when people like you talk about Basso being involved in the production of natural workers I can’t help but think that she would have had a part in that and than of course Bella would add something to the mix as well. I presume Duke was the sire of your dog. Any pictures you would care to share?
great photos I particularly like Coco only saw this coloring once before on a pointer bred by Tony Kieran in Co. Mayo
hi, can you tell me if my dog is a black pointer? i saw you posted on a board and knew a lot about pointers. my ‘lab’ sure looks like a lab, but i see pointer. he is thin and has a deep chest. his chest is very long and low. he has longish legs and his tail looks like a lab otter tail but skinnier. he walks like he is roaming. he has more of a ‘snout’ than a lab? where can i send you a pic? thanks.
If you thought there was a photo with this it didn’t make it to me.
Hi Des
Great blog found it when i Googled the the Dam of my pointer, Metrinelunds Sorte of Brindlebeech Sire Mountemple john Boy,He’s just over a year old and we managed to shoot about twenty birds over him this season, great speed matched with fantastic nose has left us really looking forward to next year. I found The Glencuan Way a great read.
Des, can I have your email address? Looking for a decent English pointer dog pup if you know of any
I have sent you my email address but I’m not the person to talk to as at the moment I have no bitches and nobody has spoken to me about the use of my dogs at stud recently.