English Pointer Cold Tolerance

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Onpoint
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English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by Onpoint » Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:24 pm

Hello everyone, first post here on GDF so bear with me I'll try and keep this brief :D . I was hoping someone with more experience with English Pointers could enlighten me about how cold tolerant they are/can be. To be clear what cold tolerance to me means is does the dog hunt hard in the cold 0 degree F conditions. Do certain lines have more cold tolerance than others? do some kennels/breeders have more cold tolerant dogs than others? I am from and hunt in Minnesota 90% of the year and as some of you know when I say cold, its COLD. Often times in late December I'll head out with my setter for pheasants or ruffed grouse and and it can be 0 degrees F when we get out of the truck and start hunting. Thanks in advance for any insight and advice!

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Sharon
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by Sharon » Sun Oct 09, 2022 9:03 am

Welcome to the forum. :) Free free to ask questions, as you've done; you'll get good help here. COLD weather for a limited amount of time, didn't bother my GSPs, but I don't know about English Pointers.
Let me know anytime I can help you in your use of the forum.
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mask
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by mask » Sun Oct 09, 2022 2:53 pm

pointers take the cold quite well as long as they keep moving. When they get wet from snow or frost they will chill when they are at rest or back at the rig. I carry some old towels and dry them off and put them in the rig with the heater on for a while before turning another loose. I have hunted pointers all my life and have never had a problem (with the cold anyway :lol:). Common sense is the way.

ckirsch
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by ckirsch » Sun Oct 09, 2022 6:03 pm

I've had four. One struggled a little with cold, particularly if he got a little wet. Not surprisingly, he was also had the best heat tolerance of the four. The other three seemed pretty oblivious to cold. That said, our western SD winters aren't quite as brutal as yours, and I'll usually stay home if it's below zero.

I see there are some Minnesota pointer breeders so I assume the dogs can handle your weather.

Onpoint
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by Onpoint » Sun Oct 09, 2022 6:57 pm

Appreciate the info ckirsch and mask, sounds like they can tolerate pretty well under most circumstances based on your experiences. I have been looking at a few of the mn breeders. Anyone have any experience with thier dogs or lines? Any reccomendations appreciated.

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Garrison
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by Garrison » Mon Oct 10, 2022 9:40 am

In my experience, cold is much less of a concern than heat when a dog is hunting. The only time I have had a dog shut down in the cold, it wasn’t all that cold out. The dog got wet running through cattails and the wind was blowing. Had to get him in the truck and warmed up, moisture and cold mixed can be a concern. I hunt in northern Nevada late season and it is often in the single digits or below. My main concerns when it dips below zero is frost bite on the ears and for males deeper snow can be a real concern. I keep vaseline on hand to coat the sensitive areas. As others have stated, a warm dog box and dog house with lots of dry hay that is out of the wind, and my short hair dogs have had no issue in the cold.

Garrison

Onpoint
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by Onpoint » Tue Oct 11, 2022 9:24 am

Thanks for the info Garrison.

ckirsch
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by ckirsch » Tue Oct 11, 2022 4:28 pm

I'm probably more concerned about my dogs staying warm on the long drives to and from December hunts than during the actual hunts. As Garrison stated, short-haired dogs seem fine as long as they're moving, but I take a few extra steps to make sure mine are comfortable while being transported. I use Mud River insulated kennel covers, with a kennel pad on the floor. I also put some 3/4" styrofoam under the kennels, and wrap extra layers of insulation inside the Mud River covers. (I use the insulation that comes with "Hello Fresh" boxed meals, works great...)

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deseeker
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by deseeker » Tue Oct 11, 2022 6:31 pm

ckirsch wrote:
Tue Oct 11, 2022 4:28 pm
I'm probably more concerned about my dogs staying warm on the long drives to and from December hunts than during the actual hunts. As Garrison stated, short-haired dogs seem fine as long as they're moving, but I take a few extra steps to make sure mine are comfortable while being transported. I use Mud River insulated kennel covers, with a kennel pad on the floor. I also put some 3/4" styrofoam under the kennels, and wrap extra layers of insulation inside the Mud River covers. (I use the insulation that comes with "Hello Fresh" boxed meals, works great...)
I agree with the mud river insulated covers, but I use prairie hay inside the kennels instead of a kennel pad or carpet--I had a couple of britts that liked to chew and eat the kennel pads(you risk a high dollar operation if the pieces don't pass thru the dog) :(

Onpoint
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by Onpoint » Wed Oct 12, 2022 3:57 pm

I have the mud river insulated cover for the intermediate kennel, worked great last winter for my 1.5 year old setter. Just had a couple lofty blankets in the bottom and zipped it up overnight. And he did fine when it was chilly out. Think it was around 0 degrees outside that night and I to the am.

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greg jacobs
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by greg jacobs » Mon Oct 17, 2022 4:15 pm

yeah. Had a shorthair shutdown and saw a wire hair right after we hit the pickup. Mine wasn't moving well. His could hardly use his Back legs. Hyperthermia. It was 32 and a hard rain. Sucked the heat right out of them. Hunted lots of times down to zero and no problems as long as they are moving. I'd never put mine in a blind in those kind of Temps though.

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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by Kirkwooder » Fri Oct 28, 2022 11:41 am

My pointer always rides "shotgun" in the front of my truck, so travel isn't a problem. I do run him with a coat and vest in the bitter cold of January and February, when we are hunting hardwoods for Ruffs up here in Western NY. Deep snow, and wet conditions do seem to bother him some. Bothers me a bit more than him though. If I need a coat to keep warm while chasing the dog, then it only makes sense to me that he should have one on as well. I also keep bitter cold or windy and damp hunts short. If I keep the dogs energy levels up he always seems fine. I agree with everyone else, warm is way more often an issue than cold is. Especially this fall with the temps we have been seeing during this pheasant season, I try and run the dog early morning and late evening and heat is certainly been an issue.

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Sharon
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by Sharon » Fri Oct 28, 2022 12:19 pm

Welcome to the forum. :) Free free to ask questions; you'll get good help here.
You'll need 5 posts approved before you can post and PM freely. This is to control spammers etc.
Let me know anytime I can help you in your use of the forum.

Sharon (mod)

PS Consider posting in the "General Chat- New member" category.
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett

S’setter
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Re: English Pointer Cold Tolerance

Post by S’setter » Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:18 pm

So Friday was 4in of heavy wet snow 30 degrees and then rain about mid morning as it warmed to 36! My E. Pointer is 8 years old now! She hunted hard with no drop off in performance! After 2 hours she was soaked as was I so we went to the Jeep… gave her a dry towel and she couldn’t wait to go again! I’ve never seen her quit… however I annoy her by taking breaks to warm myself! Not sure it is bloodline related? She is Elhew Sinbad/ Fibber/ guard rail!

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