Spanish Pointer is originated from Spain but Mudi is originated from Hungary. Spanish Pointer may grow 20 cm / 8 inches higher than Mudi. Spanish Pointer may weigh 16 kg / 36 pounds more than Mudi. Both Spanish Pointer and Mudi has almost same life span. Spanish Pointer may have less litter size than Mudi. Spanish Pointer requires Low maintenance. But Mudi requires Moderate maintenance
The Spanish Pointer is a large hunting breed. The dog hails from Spain and it is believed that the dog was used to develop other pointing breeds.
It is popular in Spain but fairly unknown beyond Spanish borders. Known as the Burgos Pointer, the official name for the dog is Perdiguero de Burgos.
It is thought that the dog comes from mixing the Pachon Navarra and the Sabueso Espanol. The dog was developed to point out game so they have the typical longish head with the pointing tail.
Sometime between the 4th and 6th centuries, the Great Migration – a variety of dogs came to live in the Carpathian Mountains on the Great Hungarian Plain. This migration period brought sheepdogs and herders brought by shepherds. These dogs were of two sizes both small and large. The smaller ones were bred together – Pumi, Puli, and Mudi. Because of this, these breeds share the same history, with the Mundi being the oldest of them all.
The Mundi was finally separated from the other breeds about 1930 when Dr. Deszo Fenyesi began to breed them. It was in 1966 when the F.C.I. finally approved the standard for the breed. Still then as today, there were not many breeders developing the Mudi. They are working dogs – farm dogs – herders, guard dogs and ratters. He is also known as a tracker, with the majority of the breed living in Hungary.
As the Mudi was bred separately from the Pumi and the Puli, differences between the breeds became clear. Many Mudi are born with a stump or no tail at all. The Mudi is not a great dog for the first timer. He is stubborn, assertive and needs a lot of socialization and exercise. In 2004 breeders in the United States created the Mudi Club of America to preserve the breed and foster responsible ownership. This is a clever, active and keen breed, very loyal to his family but wary of strangers. The United Kennel Club recognized the breed in 2006.
In Hungary, these are still a breed of herding dogs capable of running 500 sheep at a time. They are versatile, courageous, intelligent and agile. They are great in obedience trials, agility, and flyball. In Finland and the United States, they also work as search and rescue dogs.
The body of this dog is true to the Pointer type of dog with the body being muscular and lean.
He stands at between 62 to 67cm in height and weighs about 25 to 30kg. The ears are quite long and floppy and the tail is usually docked to a third of its length.
The coat which is mostly short can be whitish with tan or brown markings with freckling or it can be a brownish shade with darker brown markings.
The Spanish Pointer is a quiet, calm, gentle dog and not at all aggressive. They’re able to get on well with children and other pets.
They’re dogs that love the great outdoors and aren’t suited to city living. They’re dogs that need a good deal of exercise too. Being intelligent the pointer dog will benefit from training and socialization.
This is a medium size dog with an almost square profile. They have erect ears on wedge-shaped heads. He is not a strong boned but medium boned. That square profile is based in large part on their very square stance. Their muzzle is about half the length of their head and they have what is considered a “dare devil” expression in their dark, almond-shaped eyes. The color of the eyes is important and must match with the color of the dog or the standard is not met.
Merle fur – brown, brown speckled, blue eyes.
Brown or gray-brown fur – Brown eyes
Gray fur – gray eyes
What is not acceptable is having yellow eyes and black fur; pink eyes and white fur. The lips, eye rims, and nose must all have the same pigmentation. This should be black in all but the brown and brown-grey dogs. These dogs have brown noses, eye rims, and lips. The tail can be almost anything from full to bob. All are considered to be natural lengths for a Mudi.
Their coat is self-cleaning and won’t mat. It is on the long side. In fact, a short, flat, smooth coat is a disqualification from the standard. The color of the coat ranges from white to brown to gray, gray-brown, merle, golden, cream and white. Very little markings of any kind are usual.
Your attractive Spanish Pointer is such an amicable dog that it is a pleasure to have him around you.
He makes such a splendid pet, but only if their intense exercise needs are catered to. He can’t possibly be expected to spend days in a tiny yard with nothing to do. It would be cruel.
Their top priority is to be out in the fields hunting. Nonetheless he gets on well with children and other dogs, and with the right home and environment you’ll be so glad you chose one of these beautiful dogs as your friend.
Yes, they are great with children and love being a part of a large family or “pack”.
They are extremely versatile and great at herding and guarding.
They are adaptable if you are. They don’t need to live in the country, but they need space to run and play.
They are highly intelligent but a little stubborn. Their ability to learn is high but you have to be the boss.
The Spanish Pointer is a healthy dog breed that can live to be as old as 15 if he gets the right care.
Like other dogs, they can develop certain health problems, and you want to be aware of cherry eye, ear infections, hip dysplasia and allergies.
These dogs just love to swim, and it can be difficult to keep the inside of his ears from moisture.
Unfortunately wax, dirt and moisture can all cause an ear infection. Ear infections can be extremely painful. You’ll see your dog shaking his head and pawing at his ears. There will be redness inside the ear and possibly a discharge too. He will need to see the vet.
The Mudi does face several of the problems that medium to large dogs often face and some eye issues as well.
As a hunting dog, the Spanish Pointer has always been used to a lot of exercise. If you don’t use him for hunting, you will need to take him on long walks. They just love sniffing around and following a scent. Ball and frisbee games where you get him running will be excellent for him.
The Spanish Pointer is a large hunting dog, so when you choose commercially manufactured dog food, make sure it’s for large breed dogs. Also make sure the food is for active dogs too.
The manufacturers of these dog foods know what vitamins and minerals to include for active dogs like these. Read the packaging carefully and avoid the inferior dog foods as they are full of ingredients that can make your dog sick.
Try and feed your Spanish Pointer some home-made food too. Make sure it isn’t spicy, exotic foods as these can cause digestive problems.
Food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots are superb, simple food choices for your canine friend. You can chop it up and add some of this to the dry kibble twice a week as a treat for your pet.
Try and add some raw meat to the diet occasionally as this can be helpful in preventing skin infections.
The coat of your dog is short so a good brush twice a week will keep it in tip top condition. If he is super active, with a mitt or damp cloth you can wipe down his fur if it has mud stuck to it. It’s your time to check him over for ticks and fleas as well.
The Mudi needs a high quality, medium breed puppy dry food and should be fed 3 or 4 times a day for a total of 1 and ½ to 2 cups.
The adult should be fed at least twice a day with an adult medium breed high-quality dry dog food. Don’t overfeed as the breed can have a tendency toward obesity.
They have great stamina and agility.
This is a working dog and like most herding dogs, they need a job and a lot of activity. Long walks every day and either a large yard or visits to a dog park. Involve them in herding activities or Barn Hunt if you can. Playing is their way of working when they are not herding real animals. So, if you want this breed, be sure you have time for playing with them. They are great at agility, flyball, obedience, frisbee trials, tracking and of course herding