The more time I get to spend with the Portuguese Pointer the more I am amazed how great this breed is.  The PP is  the most loyal dog  I have ever been around.  They love to spend time with their family and owner.  The breed tends to be easy in the house.  They are not an over-bearing dog.  They  find their niche in the family well.  They are very good and loving with children.  Most would like to be in bed with you if allowed.  The breed is responsive to commands from their owner.   I have heard the breed described as the Velcro dog , always stuck to you.

The breed looks bigger in pictures than they are.  I believe this is because of their muscle mass and broad head.  Most of my females weigh 35-45 lbs and 17-19" tall.  My males are 50-60 lbs and 19-22" tall with great muscle mass.  The PP's coat is a great asset  to the dog.  It tends to bead water when wet and sheds very little.  Lots of people ask me if their coat is like a lab because of the length and color.  Their coat is thick like a lab, but doesn't shed like a lab.  I never notice hair in the house. I think this breed might turn out to be hypo-allergenic.

They always want to hunt with their owner, rarely have I seen them hunt for themselves.  I have quit hunting and hid behind a tree and shortly the PPs were standing there with me.  I can turn and walk in a different direction without calling the dog and very soon they are back out in front working side to side.  The PP is a gifted upland dog blessed with a long range nose.  There are times they have begun to smell pheasants at 100 plus yards, dropping low and creeping toward the smell.  They are tireless hunters capable and willing to hunt all day, everyday.   This would be the best breed for a novice to train as all they require is some basic obedience commands and the dog will hunt from instinct.  With their love of hunting with their master they are a joy in the field.  The PP tends to be a weak swimmer at first, swimming a lot like most upland breeds.  They tend to bob up and down in the water and slap at it with their paws. But given time in the water, they become powerful swimmers.  They breed has great retrieving instincts, but can get hung up in picking birds up in the field.  Some retrieve to hand naturally, while some need to be retrieve conditioned.  I expected the  PPs to perform well in agility trails as they are VERY athletic.  Some have easily jumped on the hood of my pickup truck and the trampoline.   I was rebuilding an outside wind box and had taken all the wood off of the old structure. All that was left was the 2 x 4 frame. At 6 months old, a  PP male jumped up on the frame and walked around on the 2 x 4's  without slipping ....... pretty impressive.