Prepare for unexpected vet bills
The Ariege Pointer was developed as a natural pointing dog, a dog that indicates for the hunter where the prey is by pointing at it with either their muzzle or their paw. The Whoa command, designed so that your canine companion will hold absolutely still once you give the directive, is an essential command for any pointing breed dog that will be working in the field. This command stops your dog from lunging at their target after the point, preventing the prey from being startled and keeping the dog still so that they are not in the way of the gun either. This command is one that you can start teaching your dog at a very young age, and should be clearly understood before taking them out into the field to work with game.
The Ariege Pointer, like many hunting and gun dogs, has an extremely high drive to chase and retrieve. The fast-paced canine sport known as Flyball speaks to that drive and gives them a fun and healthy outlet for their urge to chase. Canines run Flyball competitions in teams of four which run the course relay-style, and all breeds are welcome. Like the game of fetch, the main goal of this activity is to retrieve the ball, but instead of it being thrown, the dog runs down a straight track that is punctuated by hurdles every ten feet, triggers a flyball box that releases the ball, and then returns the ball to their handler at the original starting line.
While most people typically think of dogs like German Shepherds, Labrador and Golden Retrievers, and Australian Shepherds in terms of Search and Rescue, hunting hounds like the Ariege Pointer can also make excellent Search and Rescue dogs. Their superior sense of smell is helpful to hunt not only prey, but also to help track lost humans and pets who are in need of rescue. Becoming a Search and Rescue team requires that both the canine and their human handler receive training to test their character and physical fitness, as well as provide the skills that will be needed to do their job correctly. Both you and your dog will require training and certification before you are able to take any assignments, and the training which can take anywhere from six months to two years to complete.