Around 1710, a man named Morten Bak began crossing travelling people’s dogs with farmers’ dogs in the parish of Glenstrup. According to the FCI standard, eight generations produced a pure breed of white-and-brown pointing dogs known as Bakhounds. Today the Danish name is Gammel Dansk Hønsehund: the Old Danish Pointing Dog.
| FCI | Group 7 (Pointing Dogs), Section 1.1 Continental Pointing Dogs, Braque type, Standard No. 281, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Denmark |
| Size (height at the withers) | males 54 to 60 cm (ideally above 56 cm), females 50 to 56 cm (ideally above 52 cm) |
| Weight | adult males 30 to 35 kg, females 26 to 31 kg |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | short and dense, somewhat harsh, covering the whole body evenly |
| Colours in the standard | white with brown markings, a few larger patches or many small spots; brown to dark brown preferred |
Traces of the St Hubert hound
Farmers called their dogs “Bloodhounds”, but they probably descended from estate owners’ flushing hounds, which in turn descended from the St Hubert hound now known as the Bloodhound. The travellers’ dogs probably also traced back to Spanish pointing and flushing dogs of this type. In the standard’s account, Bloodhound ancestry therefore reached the breed by several routes. Almost extinct around 70 years ago, the population is now mainly in Denmark, with some dogs in Germany and Sweden (Karlskov-Mortensen et al. 2018).
Male and female: two temperaments
The standard counts the marked difference between the sexes among the breed’s most appealing features. Males show more strength and substance; the typical female is lighter, livelier and more capricious. Both convey calm balance, determination and courage.
A measured pace in the field
This pointing dog specialises in game birds. On a hunt, they work rather slowly, maintain contact with the hunter and point without unnecessary disturbance, in small or extensive grounds. Non-hunting owners should provide searching games, retrieving and long, calm outings with pauses to sniff.
Lips, dewlap and short hair
The short coat needs little: a brush or rubber grooming mitt once weekly is usually enough. The head demands more attention. Deeply hanging lips, folds at the mouth corners and a dewlap are breed features in the standard, although the dewlap should not be excessive. Some lower-eyelid looseness is allowed because of the breed’s ancestry, but should not be encouraged. Ectropion, entropion and double eyelashes are disqualifying faults. Check eyes and lip folds regularly. Tail docking is not permitted.
Two inherited diseases, two genetic tests
Lifespan studies are lacking; McMillan and colleagues did not analyse the breed. Two recessive inherited diseases are well researched. Congenital myasthenic syndrome causes muscle weakness from birth; the responsible CHAT gene mutation is known and a DNA test is available to breeders (Proschowsky et al. 2007). Progressive retinal atrophy, a late-onset degeneration of the retina, is caused by the same mutation as in the Gordon Setter and Irish Setter (Karlskov-Mortensen et al. 2018). Ask to see both parents’ test results.
Who will enjoy living with this breed?
Hunters with game-bird grounds, as well as calm, outdoors-minded people who provide daily scent work and appreciate a relaxed, powerful companion.
Who should keep looking?
Anyone seeking a fast partner for agility or cycling, or bothered by hanging lips. The pace is measured, and that has been the breed’s strength for three centuries.
Our breed quiz helps assess whether a calm pointing dog suits your life; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) explores it in detail. For puppyhood, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. Those brown spots stand out on a magazine-cover canvas; find more ideas among our dog portraits.
Further reading
- Beagle: a nose with a dog attached, and what that means day to day
- Calculating your dog’s food portions: how much your dog really needs
- Housetraining your puppy: the first 4-week plan
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 281 Gammel Dansk Hønsehund (Altdänischer Vorstehhund) (fci.be, German and English versions dated 12.10.1998, valid original standard dated 08.01.1998); Proschowsky HF et al., Identification of a mutation in the CHAT gene of Old Danish Pointing Dogs affected with congenital myasthenic syndrome, Journal of Heredity 2007; Karlskov-Mortensen P et al., Identification of the mutation causing progressive retinal atrophy in Old Danish Pointing Dog, Animal Genetics 2018; McMillan KM et al., Scientific Reports 2024.
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