The German Shorthaired Pointer

The German shorthaired pointer is a breed of dog that was developed in the 18th century in Germany with the goal in mind to produce a dog that would excel at hunting.

The German shorthaired pointer is a descendant of the old Spanish Pointer which came to Germany in the 1600’s. It is not really known how many different breeds played a role in the development of the German shorthaired pointer, two breeds that are thought to have been used are the schweisshund, a German hound, and the Foxhound, of course there were many others but it is left up to guesswork when it comes to figuring out which breeds did their part in making the German Pointer. They think that maybe some French hounds, some dogs from Scandinavia, various German hounds and a pointer from Italy were all used to develop the German Pointer but as I said, there is no proof of any of that and it is all guesswork.

One certain thing is that the English Pointer is accredited with being the dog used to bring out the style and form of the breed, although it wasn’t until 1870 that a real studbook was created. Early breeders bred their dogs for performance rather then looks and thanks to them, we now have the stylish dog today that we call the German Shorthaired Pointer.

The German shorthaired pointer has a nicely streamlined body with good powerful hindquarters that allow it to get about quickly; they have soft floppy ears and a good strong jaw that allows them to retrieve bigger game then the average retriever. They should have a roman nose and brown eyes, yellow eyes are usually disqualified. The tail is usually docked, what is interesting is that they dock it in such a way that it perfectly balances out the rest of the body. They also have webbed feet, that’s cool.

The German shorthaired pointer has a livered colored coat that is water resistant and it is also the kind of coat that keeps the dog warm while he is out working during the winter. The color of the coat is liver, usually the head is a solid liver color with the rest of the body being ticked with white (or grey) and liver; saddles can also be present and they are perfectly accepted. Always check with the kennel club that you are planning on using because different kennel clubs have different standards for the breed.

The German shorthaired pointer is a breed of dog that was developed to be able to hunt but to also be able to live with the family; they are a versatile hunter that possesses great intelligence and a certain boldness as well. The German Shorthaired Pinter is very good with children and any signs of aggression are not characteristics of the breed. Fearfulness, submissiveness and aloofness are also undesirable traits. This is the perfect breed for the active family; they can be used in almost any type of hunting and almost any other type of activities that require energy and stamina.

This is a breed that gets along well with other dogs, but beware when it comes to anything else, usually cats, pigeons and other small animals are viewed as prey, and if the dog does not get enough exercise it has been known for him to go hunting on his own and bring back "presents" for his owners. To mention that the presents might be already unwrapped and you might not exactly wish for that…

This is a breed of dog that needs a very capable handler and they are not suited to the home of people that are not very active. They need good training because a German Pointer can be destructive if left to his own devices.

Whenever you are looking for a puppy, always take the time to look for a good breeder because puppy mills breed animals that have health problems and many times their dog do not come even close to the breed standard. It might cost a little bit more money but it will be worth it in the end because you will have a friend that will be beautiful and live a good long life, something that the puppy mills cannot guaranty.