Pointer - never dealt with one myself but have spoken to knowledgable owners whose views seem to be that they are quite loopy and energetic. I'd suggest that you get in touch with breed rescue and just ask their advice - there is no obligation but if you're as admirably honest with them as you are here they will be able to guide you with equal honesty.
Rescuing - PLEASE go to a reputable rescue and do NOT adopt from a private home unless you know both owner and dog personally and exceptionally well. People LIE! They can lie to rescue when they want to hand in a dog so eff knows what they might tell an individual like you. Only a couple of days ago a lady posted on here who had taken a dog from a private advertiser. The dog soon afterwards went for her neighbour's 3 yo and ended up being put to sleep as a result.
A good rescue will homecheck you and ask lots of questions - this is for YOUR benefit as well as the dog's. We don't care if you have a pile of washing on the side, we don't want to impose and see your bedroom or what's in your bathroom cabinet but we do want to meet ALL the household and other pets, ensure you have a totally secure garden and that the dog is as right for you as you are for him. This may mean that you go in search of a Pointer and end up adopting a Jack Russell! Take it from the woman who was looking for a female Collie cross of about 5 years and ended up with a bloody great long haired 9 yo GSD boy. It was the best decision I ever made! Go to rescue with an open mind and let them guide you, take your time.
Reputable rescue will also neuter, vaccinate, microchip, offer lifetime support and take the dog back if at ANY stage in his life you can't keep him. If they don't, walk away and find one which does. Heaven forbid that you should have a dog and need to rehome him but have nowhere to turn, and trust me, rescue places are hard to find.
Look not just to the big rescues, which often have blanket policies against allowing those with young children to adopt but also independent ones, both local and nationwide, who are often more flexible and will frequently judge on a case by case basis. Some independents only rehome in their local area but many will do so across the country. This is especially the case with breed rescue such as German Shepherd Rescue UK whilst Many Tears is an all breed rescue which rehomes across the country although it's based in Wales.
Oh, and a Greyhound is a great idea and god knows they, along with Staffies, who are another lovely family friendly breed, need even more help than other breeds. For more info on why, see Trudy's website here.
Dog Whisperer - TURN IT OFF! The man is a misguided, if not plain bloody evil so and so who should never be allowed near a dog and is the cause of some of the problems that rescue have to sort out. He#s universally hated by rescue and with good reason!
I'd suggest that you ask local rescue for recommendations on training classes and also get word of mouth advice. Might be worth asking friends and neighbours or dog owning mums at nursery and so on who they recommend.
Other breeds? Well a GSD of course! But I'm biased, there are many who'd say they are not for the novice owner but the 3 I have owned and my former foster boy are/were all perfect family pets. For a novice I'd be inclined to veer away from a Pointer tbh, going on what has been said to me by experienced owners, just as I would Border Collies, who need on the whole a lot of mental stimulation as well as exercise.
On the whole though, it's not about the breed, it's the personality which is important, which is why I recommend that you let rescue guide you and go with an open mind. If you'd like to give your area (county or nearest city/town will do), I'll do my best to suggest a rescue. Although I can't promise I can help, I have contacts in rescue across the UK as I'm a network dog rescuer who gets dogs out of pounds or unsuitable homes and into rescue across England and beyond as well as a volunteer for my local one.
HTH. :)