Pointer vs African Wild Dog
Compare the Pointer to the African Wild Dog. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Pointers and African Wild Dogs.
Quick Summary
- Owner Experience - Neither the Pointer or the African Wild Dog are ideal for new owners, but the African Wild Dog is strongly discouraged for new or inexperienced owners.
- Children - The Pointer is very child friendly. The African Wild Dog is not child-friendly and is not recommended for families with young children.
- Grooming - The Pointer is very easy to groom. The African Wild Dog has very high grooming needs.
- Barking - Both breeds will bark frequently, but the African Wild Dog has the highest tendency to bark between the two.
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| Breed Name | Pointer | African Wild Dog |
| General Details | ||
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| Is Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Lifespan | 12-15 yrs. | 10-12 yrs. |
| Height | 23-28 in. | 24-30 in. |
| Weight | 45-75 lb | 44-66 lb |
| Intelligence | High | High |
| History | ||
| Origin Country | United Kingdom | Egypt |
| Origin Year | 1650 AD | Unknown |
| Temperament | ||
| Overall Friendliness | ||
| Family Friendly | ||
| Kid Friendly | ||
| Pet Friendly | ||
| Stranger Friendly | ||
| Personality | ||
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| Living Environment | ||
| Apartment | Yes | No |
| Indoor | Yes | No |
| Small Yard | Yes | No |
| Medium Yard | Yes | No |
| Large Yard | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature Tolerance ¹ | 45°F to 80°F | 40°F to 80°F |
| Barks/Howls | ||
| Exercise Needs | ||
| Energy Level | High | High-Very High |
| Exercise Required | High | None |
| Top Running Speed | 24 mph | 41 mph |
| Strength | High | High |
| Grooming Needs | ||
| Coat Maintenance | Low | None |
| Shedding | Low | Low |
| Dander | Low | Low |
| Drool Amount | Low | Low |
¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.
| Breed Name | Pointer | African Wild Dog |
| Breed Mentality | ||
| Dominant/Alpha | No | Yes |
| Family/Pack | Yes | No |
| Independent | Yes | No |
| Breed Focus | ||
| Distracted Easily | Yes | No |
| Average | No | No |
| Focused & Patient | No | No |
| Breed Instincts | ||
| Aggression | Below Average | High |
| Burrow/Digging | Below Average | High |
| Chasing | Below Average | High |
| Follow Commands | Below Average | Very Low |
| Fighting | Below Average | High |
| Guarding | Below Average | Average |
| Herding | Below Average | High |
| Hunting | High | High |
| Protection | Below Average | Below Average |
| Remove Vermin | Below Average | High |
| Sledding | Very Low | Very Low |
| Watch | Below Average | High |
| Breed Name | Pointer | African Wild Dog |
| Lifespan | ||
| Lifespan | 12-15 yrs. | 10-12 yrs. |
| Common Health Issues | ||
| Canine Distemper | No | Yes |
| Rabies | No | Yes |
| Breed Name | Pointer | African Wild Dog |
| Coat | ||
| Hair | Yes | No |
| Fur | No | Yes |
| Coat Type | ||
| Single Coat | Yes | Yes |
| Smooth Coat | Yes | No |
| Coat Texture | ||
| Straight | Yes | No |
| Rough | No | Yes |
| Coat Length(s) | ||
| Short | Yes | Yes |
| Coat Color(s) | ||
| Black | Yes | Yes |
| Black&white | Yes | No |
| Lemon | Yes | No |
| Lemon&white | Yes | No |
| Liver | Yes | No |
| Liver&white | Yes | No |
| Orange | Yes | No |
| Orange&white | Yes | No |
| Tri-color | No | Yes |
| White | No | Yes |
| Yellow | No | Yes |