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here are fewer than 400 Pontos in the entire world. Finding a good one is not impossible, but the future of the breed seems to be in the hands of about a dozen people. Genetically, some lines have a fairly high inbreeding coefficient, while others have been crossbred to ancestral breeds, but with little follow-up. In addition, the parent club’s support for the Ponto seems to be half-hearted.
Despite this bleak picture, I am cautiously optimistic about the breed’s future. In recent years, the few remaining breeders in France have made some significant progress. They have been joined by breeders in Finland and hopefully soon, in North America. Personally, I would love to see more hunters in Europe and North America take an interest in the breed for the unique combination of qualities it offers.
AT A GLANCE Like the Pudelpointer, the Pont-Audemer Spaniel is a combination of a curly-coated water dog breed and a pointing breed. But the Ponto has never had a rich patron or a dynamic club to ensure its overall development and improvement. And for much of its history the breed has straddled the line between pointing dog and flushing spaniel. Its traditional niche, hunting in the wetlands, is now dominated by Labs and other retrieving breeds. In the uplands, it faces stiff competition from other pointing breeds that have managed to carve out a larger portion of the market. PROS • Unique look • Easygoing personality • Very birdy • Close but animated search CONS • Extremely low population, very few breeders • Some coat issues (alopecia, hypotrichosis) • Narrow gene pool • Curly coat is a bur magnet DETAILS Name: Épagneul de Pont-Audemer, Pont-Audemer Spaniel, Ponto Country of Origin: France Parent Club: Club de l’Épagneul Picard, du Bleu de Picardie et du Pont-Audemer Population: Less than 400 worldwide Availability: Poor Health Issues: Alopecia, hypotrichosis Size: Medium/small Coat: Curly or very wavy, solid liver or liver and white ticked Range: Close to medium. Pace: Quick, lively gallop Retrieve: Fair to good Water Work: Fair to good Suitability for Protection Duty: Next to none Versatility Rating: 6. A good Ponto is a fun and effective upland gundog. Some can also be fairly decent water dogs and retrievers. Risk Profile: Extremely high Good Choice for: Upland game and early season waterfowl hunting
Part One: Pointing Dogs
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