The breed is a fairly recent addition to Great Britain, the first arrivals coming from Germany in 1997 and later ones from the Czech Republic, the breed’s country of origin. Working gundog enthusiasts had seen the breed’s great abilities in the field, and all of the original imports were brought to the UK for that purpose. In the past few years, some specimens of the breed have made their debut in the show ring.

It is thought that the breed traces its origins to a cross between the Weimaraner and the German Wirehaired Pointer, and indeed the Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer has inherited the colour and coat texture from these two breeds. However, another likely ancestor is the Cesky Fousek, once known as the Bohemian Pointer, which is another breed much favoured by shooting men in Europe.

The Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer is a Hunt, Point and Retrieve breed and his versatility and endurance in the field has brought him great repute. He is sturdily built but with some degree of elegance and he is easy to train. His double coat, whose grey colour may be shaded with brown or sable, gives him protection and insulation. His unexaggerated conformation, bringing economical, ground-covering movement, and his serviceable coat, allied to a sensible but keen temperament, make him a truly ‘fit-for-purpose’ gundog.