Pudelpointer Dogs Near Fort Smith, Arkansas
Where do Fort Smith buyers find pudelpointer dogs?
Most look to Foothill Kennel in Flowery Branch, Georgia, about 599 miles east of Fort Smith and a long day’s drive, where pudelpointers are bred from parents tested by NAVHDA. A call to 678-316-6780 is the quickest way to learn when puppies are expected.
The River Valley sits on the Oklahoma line, a long way from most versatile dog programs. Having a proven breeder you can reach by phone, and visit by appointment, takes much of the guesswork out of the search.
The breed itself is still unfamiliar to many people in western Arkansas. A pudelpointer is a medium to large versatile gun dog with a rough, bearded face and a practical coat, built to hunt in front of the gun and then bring the bird back from land or water. Hunters who try one often say it is the first dog that does everything they ask of it in a single season, which is why a proven pudelpointer breeder is worth the effort to find.
Can I reserve a pudelpointer puppy before the litter is born?
Yes, and that is usually the only way to get one: Foothill Kennel’s litters are small and are reserved early. Call Jim Kenny at 678-316-6780 or use the contact page, and keep an eye on the upcoming litters page.
When you call, expect questions rather than a sales pitch. The kennel matches each puppy to its owner by temperament and by how that owner hunts, so it helps to describe:
- Whether you hunt mostly birds over points, waterfowl, or both
- How often you are in the field during the season
- What the dog’s life at home will look like the rest of the year
For getting the puppy back to Fort Smith, call the breeder and he will work out the details with you.
What game can a pudelpointer work near Fort Smith?
A pudelpointer suits the River Valley well, pointing woodcock and quail in the hills and retrieving ducks and geese from the Arkansas River and its backwaters. The breed has done this kind of mixed work since its development in Germany in 1881.
Public and private ground within a reasonable drive includes:
- Arkansas River valley: bottomland fields, sloughs and oxbows that hold waterfowl in winter and doves in September
- Ozark National Forest: steep hardwood country to the north with woodcock in the creek drainages
- Ouachita National Forest: pine ridges to the south, where managed open forest can hold bobwhite quail
Every season and wildlife management area in the state is regulated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Check its current regulations before you hunt, since dates and permit rules change.
What makes Foothill Kennel a top hunting dog breeder?
Its NAVHDA results: the kennel won the NAVHDA Breeders Award in 2013 and 2017, and its dogs have posted maximum or near maximum scores in NAVHDA tests. NAVHDA judges versatile dogs on the jobs a hunter relies on, including search, pointing, tracking and retrieving from water.
The owners are active NAVHDA members. All adult dogs are hip tested, and a dog with marginal hips is neither bred nor kept at the kennel. Those habits, repeated litter after litter, are what earn a breeder the trust of hunters who plan to keep a dog in the field for many seasons.
How does a pudelpointer live day to day?
Well, provided it gets daily exercise and something to do: the breed is trainable, eager to work with its handler and good with active families. Pudelpointers tend to bond closely with their people and prefer to be part of the household.
Their harsh, wiry coat is water resistant and low shedding, so a wet dog dries quickly and the house stays cleaner than with many sporting breeds. In a River Valley summer, train in the cool of the morning and keep water and shade handy.
Fort Smith pudelpointer FAQ
How far is the kennel from Fort Smith?
Foothill Kennel is about 599 miles away in a straight line, a long day’s drive east to Flowery Branch, Georgia.
Are pudelpointer gun dogs for sale near the Arkansas River Valley?
The breed is scarce in western Arkansas. Call Foothill Kennel at 678-316-6780 to ask about its next litter.
What award has Foothill Kennel received?
The NAVHDA Breeders Award, in 2013 and again in 2017.
Is a pudelpointer too much dog for a first-time owner?
Not if the owner is active. The breed is trainable and eager to please, but it needs daily exercise and a job.
Does the kennel check its dogs’ hips?
Yes. All adult dogs are hip tested, and none with marginal hips are bred or kept.
Pudelpointer puppies across Arkansas
Foothill Kennel also serves pudelpointer buyers in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Springdale, Jonesboro. See all pudelpointer breeders in Arkansas, our upcoming litters, or contact the breeder – 678-316-6780.