German Shorthaired Pointer

German Shorthaired Pointer  Temperament:

active, friendly, intelligent  Cost:

around $650 Lifespan:

10 - 12 years Maintenance:

low  Recommended for:

active owners 

Breed:

German Shorthaired Pointer.

Costs:

From $650

Temperament:

Friendly and intelligent

Child compatibility:

Amenable with kids. May be too energetic around small children.

Grooming:

Wipe with a mitt once weekly

Activity level:

Very high. Needs energetic exercise daily

Aggression:

Not regarded as aggressive

Owner satisfaction:

Some returns occur because of demands on exercise

Trainability:

Highly trainable. Start with puppy preschool

Availability:

Some waiting lists. But supply is constant

Health & Lifespan:

Hip dysplasia is best prevented with good breeding and sensible feeding and exercise at a young age. 10-12 years.

Noise:

Not Noisy. May bark at a stranger, but not excessively

Indoors potential:

An outdoors dog

Ideal for:

Energetic owners

Popularity:

Maintains a constant following. Ranked around 30 of 180

Turn-ons:

Intelligence

Turn-offs:

High exercise demands

Interesting facts:

Bred for German Aristocracy

History

German Shorthaired Pointers were developed in Germany as a multi-purpose gun dog, to replace the need for both a pointer and a retriever. Pointer refers to the stance a dog takes when it finds game and then strikes a rigid pose to indicate to its handler that there is game ahead.

Appearance

The German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) is a medium sized dog, with a rather noble, square outline. It has a short, smooth coat in four variations; solid liver, liver with white markings, black and white markings and solid black. Adults are around 53 to 63.5cm tall and weigh around 20 to 31kg. Females being the lower end of the scale. Traditionally the tail has been docked. But docking tails of show dogs is now banned throughout Australia. Tails are still occasionally docked if it can be established that the dog is a working animal and it is in its best interests to have the tail removed.

Temperament

An energetic, even-tempered and protective breed. Ever the vigilant watch dog, the German Shorthaired Pointer will alert owners of a stranger’s approach but should never be aggressive. It is tolerant of other dogs and affectionate towards its human family. Although intelligent, the breed is late to mature. It is important that the dogs be obedience trained whilst young and given plenty of daily exercise both mental and physical.

Health and lifespan

The selective breeding for a good working dog has meant an overall soundness of the breed. There is a very low incidence of hip dysplasia, a condition not uncommon to dogs of this size. 10 to 12 years average lifespan.

Feeding and cost

A German Shorthaired Pointer will cost from around $650.00. These are hearty eaters. Breeders recommend a diet of dry food, fresh meat and brisket bones. Overfeeding will quickly lead to obesity. Feeding costs about $20 per week.

Grooming

A low maintenance breed, these dogs require only a wipe over with a hand mitt once a week to remove loose hairs and a bath when warranted. Ears should be checked and wiped clean at least once a week. Even though they have a single, fine coat, they will still moult a fair bit of hair, which will be evident on furnishings if the dog is allowed indoors.

Ideal owner

A very active breed, requiring a similarly-minded family, especially suited to families with energetic, older children who can include the dog in their games. These Pointers needs an absolute minimum of one hour's walk each day. Two walks daily is preferred. They excel at agility training and field trials.

Further information

If someone chose a G.S.P and it proved too difficult to keep or circumstances changed, some breeders are more than happy to have the dog back. Christine Cunningham is one such breeder who makes it very clear to new owners that she will take the dog back any time during the dog's life if they can't keep it.

Christine lives south of Sydney and can be contacted on 0412 429 966.
 

NSW

VIC

Royal New South Wales Canine Council
Phone: (02) 9834 3022

Victorian Canine Association
Phone: (03) 9376 2255 TAS
SA

Tasmanian Canine Association
Phone: (03) 6272 9443

South Australian Canine Association Inc
Phone: (08) 8349 4797 QLD

WA

Canine Control Council
Phone: (07) 3252 2661

Canine Association of Western Australia
Phone: (08) 9455 1188

ACT

NT

Canberra Kennel Association
Phone: (02) 6241 4404

North Australian Canine Association Inc
Phone: (08) 8984 3570

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