Introduction
German shorthaired pointer was presented in the 19th century. The primary purpose of this dog breed during that century was probing.
These dogs are medium to large-sized breeds. They are a flexible hunting breed, being a productive shooter dog acceptable for both land and water. The German Shorthaired Pointer is up-to-date yet energetic with muscular legs.
Quick Facts of German Shorthaired Pointer Breed
History of German Shorthaired Pointer Breed
In the 17th century, the German Shorthaired Pointer was bred in Germany by interchanging the Spanish Pointer with a few of the early German bird dog breeds and, some historians propose, detective. It was a victorious achievement, but the dog breed was large and lazy. However, In the 19th-century, dog lovers upgrade the breed by crossing them with the English pointer that has a bright, quick dog.
So, they always focus on the breed’s searching of this rather than their speed. They were happy to work on land and water. The German Shorthaired Pointer is the perfect, all-around gundog for their supporters.
According to the AKC, the German Shorthaired Pointer decreased from before time breed known as the German Bird dog and, it was a combination of the smooth earlier Breeds.
So, they have some traits of both Spanish and English pointers. They also have the characteristic of many hounds, watchdogs, and follow dogs.
Appearance of German Shorthaired Pointer
The first thing everyone notices about GSP is the ears. They have pretty adorable ears, and their eyes look as if they have thousands of tales to tell you. Moreover, this hunting dog looks athletic, and you will see how smart they are with the passage of time.
Height
German Shorthaired Pointer dogs vary in size. These dogs are small and also sometimes big. Thus, you can find the perfect pet partner. They have good posture and a glorious attitude.
- Male: 23 to 25 inches
- Female: 21 to 23 inches
Weight
German Shepherds are slightly skinny, have a body figure at the waist, and their ribs aren’t bright. German short-haired is a thin, muscular dog with a strong body.
- Male: 55 to 70 pounds
- Female: 45 to 65 pounds
Life Span
10 – 12 Years
German Shorthaired Pointer dogs don’t mature quickly. For at least one to two years, these dogs look big. However, keep in mind that they have a mentality of a small pup. After two years, these dogs become mature. They start behaving like normal adults. Careful training is still necessary for increasing obedience levels.
Coat and Color
The coat of GSP is usually in liver black or brown color. It is long, smooth, and free from harm due to water. The coat or fur of the German Shorthaired Pointer is shiny and huge often. It is a pure liver or a mixture of liver and white. It can be deceiving (small, isolated areas of black hairs on a white background). The coat is also present in a fine mixture of colored hairs with white hairs.
Rare Coat Color:- Solid Black
Additional Traits
- Male German Shorthaired pointers are more faithful and kind and can quickly gain the trust of their owner.
- Females German short-haired does not easily give their loyalty initially, but earning their loyalty would be a wonderful feeling.
- Female German Shorthaired Pointer can sometimes become temperamental and hostile.
- Males are uncomplicated to pleasurable. They do not have to exhibit the same behavior as some other breeds. They do not respond well when left alone for an enormous time.
- Male is much more likely to demand regular exercise because of a massive body figure and athlete structure.
- Females always have a lighter body figure and a small body size.
Personality and Temperament
Smartness
The German Shorthaired is bold, affectionate, and ready to hunt. German short-haired is passionate about everything and without being nervous or changeable. They don’t like being left alone and growing in separation distress.
Family Dogs
The German Shorthaired loves everyone in the family, but they select a favorite. They are oriented and make a good partner for an energetic family. You can give them the exercise, training, and awareness they need. The German Shorthaired Pointer is very close to its owners and dependable with the small soft animal.
German Shorthaired Pointer Care and Maintenance
Taking care of pets is a responsibility, not a privilege. They always rely upon us for various reasons such as food, training, exercising, etc. Therefore, being a guardian of them, you need to feel your commitment. Care can take many forms. We briefly outlined some of them below.
Shedding Level
Often dogs shed a lot, which is a constant cause of nuisance for the pet parent. However, the German Shorthaired Pointer does not shed a lot.
In contrast to other breeds, the German Shorthaired Pointer shed a lot to a medium amount. Their coat sheds mainly in the spring and fall.
Grooming
When we mention hairs of GSP, then you do not need to trim them daily. You can clean it with a cloth and brush it weekly from time to time. Thus there is no extra money going to this concern. However, veterinarians suggest at least trimming nails of your GSP weekly. Other than that, cleaning teeth is also necessary. By following cleanliness and basic hygiene, the risks of getting diseases due to teeth will become low.
Cost–5 to 15 dollars per month
- If you want your German Shorthaired Pointer to be off-leash trained, females will do this more easily than males. Therefore, German short-haired is more emphasized by their owners and not as simply inattentive. They do well, learn everything quickly and remember easily.
- When it comes to training, male German short-haired pointers might show some resistance while training. Moreover, they will not learn more quickly than females. On the contrary, female German short-haired pointers can not focus on one thing for a considerable period of time. Thus, short training sessions are efficient in increasing the obedience level of this pup.
- As we just studied in this article, the German Shorthaired Pointer is full of energy. Thus, not training these pups and relying on simple techniques is a risky task. You can face precarious circumstances due to your negligence. We have plenty of tools that are helpful in training your pup. Dog lovers all around the world love these training tools.
German Shorthaired Pointer is a muscular dog who requires regular opportunities to outlet its energy and gallop. On the other hand, they will become boisterous and bored, which dogs generally express by barking and devastating chewing.
The German Shorthaired Pointer has a very lowering bark, but that’s about as far as their home-protection routine goes. They are friendly, outgoing dogs who love meeting new people or strangers.
The pet parents facing dog barking issues should refer to our dog collar guide. We have compiled a list of the best dog collars. Train your dog with these effective dog training collars.
Exercise
German Shorthaired Pointer is fun playing dog who love to be out and about, exercising as frequently as available.
So, data have shown that German Shorthaired Pointer owners don’t daily walk their dog, an attitude that, if comfortable, can result in health problems for a long time.
German Shorthaired Pointer Food
These dogs are medium to large-sized dogs. A German Shorthaired Pointer is an active hunting breed with skinny bodies. A mature dog eats 2-3 cups of high-quality food daily. So, this gives it the best amount of nutrition, but it may require 4-5 cups if the dog needs more nutrients and minerals.
The cost of food varies depending on the amount of food your dog consumes. However, it is not more than 50 dollars. Always feed your dog high-quality food. If your dog is showing signs of obesity or the opposite, don’t hesitate to consult your doctor.
You can also check out a comprehensive dog food guide to know more about treats for your dog.
Cost – 30 to 50 dollars per month
Best Food for Dogs
However, check whether your dog has any allergies. Notice any allergies or poor reactions due to fruits, veggies, and food.
Worst Food for Dogs
You can feed various other food items to your pup. These can be treats, fruits, or anything else. However, most people do not know what to feed a GSP. We have a wide range of articles that tell which food is best for a dog. Must read these articles to know more about a dog’s eating tastes.
The merits and demerits of any pet, especially dog breeds, largely depend upon the expectations of individual owners. However, some of the most significant pros or cons of the German Shorthaired Pointer are below:
Pros of Owning a German Shorthaired Pointer
- Loyal: The German Shorthaired Pointer breed is a loyal, loving dog who wants to hang out with its pet parent. These dogs have easygoing nature and are friendly with new people or strangers. The German Shorthaired Pointer dogs enjoy working and are aware of dogs they keep an eye on.
- More Affectionate: The German Shorthaired Pointer dogs make Lovely pets and like to be affectionate. However, they are not entirely compassionate to all the animals. German short-haired pointers are lovely and shower their parents with all of their love. GSP will make sure to hurt anyone who tries to break you. GSP does not let such excruciating behavior slide.
- High Energy: The German Shorthaired Pointer has high-energy dogs that need awareness, company, and love to show a healthy life. According to the AKC sporting group, The German short-haired are members of this group. It is the main reason that people all around the world who love hunting own this dog. They know the importance of hunting, and GSP makes little to no noise. They commonly point with their tails. Thus, this singular communication will make you a hunting prodigy too.
- Eager to Please: They are highly brilliant and willing to be good. The German Shorthaired Pointer is a versatile hunting dog with a strong sense of smell and a keen passion for work.
- Easy to Socialize: They need to socialize with different people. When the German Shorthaired Pointer becomes young, other dogs and animals and vision, sounds, and experiences to ensure that he grows up to be a well-informed dog.ave brown eyes or bi-color eyes.
- Bond with more than one person: German Shorthaired Pointer usually gets along with other pets and includes everyone in the family. So, these are still hunting dogs. However, their natural impulses may source them to “hunt” squirrels, birds, or unfamiliar cats.
Cons of Owning a German Shorthaired Pointer
- Exercise: German short-haired pointers are an incredibly brilliant and energetic breed. However, they have physical and mental excitement levels of need due to high maintenance. You do not have to spend extra bucks on grooming and cleaning. However, you have to spend your time and effort training these dogs. Moreover, regular exercise is also necessary, or else this dog breed will put all the energy somewhere else. Slacking off on training exercise is risky.
- Cat Chasers: GSPs do not show love and affection to cats. Even they are notorious for chasing cats. Thus, if you have a cat or maybe you are thinking about buying a new cat. Then you should definitely reconsider your decision. You can check our extensive dog breeds to know more comprehensively. You will definitely find a dog that will fit your criteria.
- Boss: The German short-haired breed is clever and independent. GSPs will need some tolerance to train to show that they are not the boss. Then, German Shorthaired Pointer is also anxious to teach. With the right approach, you can teach this pup many things. Training tricks to this pup is a piece of cake. So, they will usually be open to training and learning new tricks about their life.
- Touch a lot: This dog is not for people who do not love physical touch. It is for people who are touch starved. This dog breed loves to cuddle its master. These dogs do it adorably that you will never get tired of their affectionate behavior.
- Attention Seeker: German short-haired pointers love attention. They want attention 24/, and GSPs are not apartment dogs. They love going to parks, museums, art galleries and exploring the world.
Thus, if you are someone who is usually busy and do not have enough time. Keeping all this in mind, you might face serious issues if you buy this dog. You can look at other options like Boston terrier and French bulldog. These dogs can manage to overcome loneliness to a certain extent.
GSP Health Issues
Responsible breeders attempt to maintain the highest breed standards accepted by kennel clubs like the AKC and The Kennel Club. Dogs bred by these standards are less likely to acquire health conditions. So, some congenital health problems can occur in GSPs.
The following are some conditions to be attentive to:
- Hip Dysplasia: Many elements, including genetics, environment, and diet, are thought to give to this distortion of the hip joint. In understanding cases with actual diet and effort, the animal can guide a complete and energetic life. In more different cases, clinical correction must require. An animal specialist can x-ray your dog’s hips for further assessment.
- Cancer: According to the German Shorthaired Pointer club in America, it is one of the most prescribed health problems in a recent survey. There are different types of that most often reported as breast tumors, spar cell tumors, and lymphosarcoma.
- Lymphedema: A disorder that resembles blockage of lymph flow or twisted lymphatic tube cause tissues to swell from gathering fluids.
- Entropion: This imperfection is generally apparent by six months of age, source the eyelid to roll inward, annoying the eyeball. One or both eyes can be concerned. If your German Shorthair has an inner eyelid, you may observe him rubbing at his eyes.
- Von Willebrand’s Disease: It is a blood disorder that humans and dogs both suffer from the disease. It affects the clotting process due to the depletion of the von Willebrand factor in the blood. A dog concerned by von Willebrand’s disease will have signs such as nose bleeds, gingival gums, longish bleeding from surgery, and longish bleeding during heat cycles or after a puppy.
- Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV): When German shorthaired pointers are one large meal a day, eat quickly, drink water after eating, and exercise after a meal. GDV happens when the stomach is bloating with gas or air and then twists (tortuosity). The dog is inefficient to vomit to rid itself of the excess air in its stomach.
Ranking
According to a survey in the United States by the American kennel club, an amusing result came up. This list was about the most popular dog breeds nationwide. To everyone’s surprise, German short-haired pointers were in the top 10 in this category.
It proves that people are finally discovering how fun this breed is. You can perform various tasks and enjoy adopting the dog breed.
In Westminster kennel club, they awarded GSP as the best show dog. Not only for one year but for three years. These three years are 1974, 2005, and later on after a gap of years in 2017.
Long ago, a German Shorthaired Pointer was donated to the air force. The name of this GSP was Haus, and this dog had exceptional skills in detecting bombs. After extensive training, the skills of Haus were multiplied by 10×. Haus was able to locate explosives and many other things that were helpful for the air force.
Just like Haus, another GSP dog whose name was Pina served humanity. They donated this dog to Transportation Security Administration. She was the best at her job. United States is still taking the help of GSP in various departments of police.
Celebrities own a German Shorthaired Pointer
- Bradley Cooper: is a well-known American actor. You might know him from his famous movies such as limitless, American sniper, and the hangover. This star owns a German Shorthaired Pointer. Bradley Cooper is a huge dog lover. He loves to adopt rescue dogs and has a soft spot for dogs.
- Ben Stein: is an American writer and politician. He is well known for his remarkable contribution to the making of various blockbuster movies. THE MASK is one of his tremendous and famous works. His popular and worth reading books are YES YOU CAN TIME THE MARKET, the little book of bulletproof investing, and many more. He is the owner of a German Shorthaired Pointer, and the name of GSP is Julie.
- Tim McGraw: is a country music singer. He is American and loves to play guitar. He is good friends with famous songwriter and singer Taylor swift. Tim McGraw has a hunting dog. Yes, you guessed it right, his dog is a German Shorthaired Pointer.
People who should own GSP
- People who prioritize friendship: German short-haired pointers are friendly and fun-loving. They are hail-fellow, which means that they are joyful. So, they love to spend time with their pet parents. German short-haired look to you for friendship, advice, and love.
- People who love challenges: German shorthaired is a very energetic, friendly, and temperamental breed when they are younger. The German Shorthaired Pointer has an almost purposive supply of power and an intense wish to be with their humans. The German Shorthaired Pointer is intelligent and generally easy to train. So, it also is challenging and aggravating in younger years.
- People who are a fan of hunting: This dog breed is quite popular in the dog hunting community. You will see that German short-haired pointers are incredibly good at hunting. Moreover, these dogs are best at hunting and show loyalty to their owner. They will protect you at all costs.
However, we suggest starting with small dog breeds. But if you are a pro in this category, what are you waiting for? Adopt this dog breed right now.
