Catalburun

Guides for your Catalburun

The story behind the Catalburun

The Catalburun comes from the area around Tarsus in Turkey's Mersin province, where local hunters have kept split-nosed pointers for generations; written records are sparse, so its deeper origins remain uncertain. The breed was maintained as a partridge dog, valued for scenting ability and steady pointing in scrubby, uneven country. Because breeding stayed within a small regional community, the population has always been limited, and the breed is not recognized by major international registries. In recent decades Turkish enthusiasts have worked to document and preserve it, and a few dogs have appeared abroad, but the Catalburun remains essentially a local hunting dog rather than an established companion breed.

Originally bred for: Bird hunting, Pointing, Tracking. You can trace how working roles shaped today’s breeds across our dog guides.

Feeding a Catalburun

A rare Turkish pointer built for long field days, so favor a quality medium-breed formula with steady protein and fat. Increase intake modestly through hunting season and taper afterward, since idle months allow weight to creep on unnoticed.

Watch for: No widely reported breed-specific sensitivities; the population is small and thinly documented. Watch for loose stools during heavy field work or travel, and let a veterinarian direct any change of food.

Mealtime extras: training treats worth keeping in your pocket. Everything else lives in our dog nutrition and feeding hub.

Living with a Catalburun

Day to day, the basics matter most: how much exercise your dog needs, how often to get out for a walk, and how much sleep is normal.

For play and enrichment, browse our favorite dog toys and interactive toys for rainy days.

Gear that fits the breed makes life easier: a well-sized dog bed, a properly sized crate.

Raising a puppy? Work through crate training and the teething timeline — or see how old your dog is in human years with our dog age calculator.