Get to know

German Shorthaired Pointers

Written by
Caroline Coile, Ph.D.,
 author of 34 dog books.
Veterinarian reviewed
 by Nate Ritter, DVM.
Written by
Caroline Coile, Ph.D.,
 author of 34 dog books, including the top-selling Barron's Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds.

Veterinarian reviewed

| | | | |

They are attentive, affectionate, and biddable, with energy to burn.

The German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP or Shorthair for short) is an active bird dog that’s equally at home in the field or on the couch.

At a glance

Very High Energy

Energy level

5/5

Minimal Maintenance

Grooming

1/5

Large

Size

Energetic, biddable

Temperament

10-12 years

Lifespan

Quick to Learn

Training

4/5

Medium Vocality

Barking

3/5

At a glance

  • Energy level

    Very High Energy

  • Grooming

    Minimal Maintenance

  • Size

    Large

  • Temperament

    Energetic, biddable

  • Lifespan

    10-12 years

  • Training

    Quick to Learn

  • Barking

    Medium Vocality

Why people love the breed

German Shorthaired Pointers are popular because they have something for almost everyone.
For the active person, GSPs can spend hours outside hunting, hiking, or jogging. For the dog competitor, they can excel at hunting trials, agility, nosework, and tracking. For the parent, they are playful, affectionate, and considerate companions for young children. GSPs do require a lot of exercise and entertainment, but they don’t require much grooming or special care. Though fairly large, they are nimble and seem like a much smaller dog because they don’t bulldoze their way through your belongings. GSPs truly are good all-around companions for active families.

Appearance

The GSP has a sleek, athletic build that combines power with agility. It is very clean-cut with a short, close-fitting coat with a distinctive color pattern.
The GSP is built to run for hours, ranging afield in search of birds. To this end they are muscular yet sleek, combining speed, agility, and endurance. They are square or slightly longer than tall, with a short, strong back and defined tuck-up. The head is fairly long, and the stop defined but not as much as in the Pointer. They have almond-shaped eyes and broad, highset, rounded ears. The tail is traditionally docked to 40% of its length in countries where it is legal to do so. The gait is powerful and ground covering yet lithe. The coat is short, tough, and close-fitting. The coat color can be solid liver or solid black; or a combination of liver or black and white. The combination can be white with ticking, or with patches, or both, or roan.

Grooming

Grooming a GSP is as easy as it gets.
GSPs need only an occasional bath. They do shed, so you’ll need to brush with a rubber bristle brush during those times, but even that is not the shedding you see in most other breeds. There’s no trimming or special needs grooming. Trim the nails as needed, brush the teeth daily, and check the ears for debris weekly.
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Legacyk Gun Dogs

Breed temperament and characteristics

GSPs traditionally needed a combination of independence and biddability in order to work with hunters and locate hidden birds. They are generally willing to please—unless something else captures their interest.
GSPs love nothing more than a day outside, preferably in the field hunting. They are very active dogs, but were bred as close-working gundogs, which means they don’t range as far away as other pointing breeds. They will tend to check-in with you as well. This creates a dog with a good combination of independence that also is willing to please. They do need to burn energy, but once that requirement is met they can be calm house dogs that enjoy lounging by the fire or in your bed. Even so, they are always ready for a game. They make great children’s companions because they are interactive, cuddly, and playful, as well as protective (but not overly so). They can be rambunctious so may not be ideal for very small children, but even so, most are considerate enough to be careful around them. They are generally good with other dogs and pets, but some can be overly dominant with other dogs or rough with cats and other pets or livestock.

Exercise

The GSP was bred to use its nose and legs to find hidden birds. It needs physical and mental stimulation to be happy.
Finding birds requires lots of ranging back and forth, so don’t be surprised that GSPs can run for hours. It also requires being mentally alert, so again, don’t be surprised that a GSP needs mental activity. Most people aren’t in a position to take their dogs hunting, but your GSP can be fully satisfied if you can go hiking or jogging, preferably for about an hour a day, and then spend another hour at another time in the day with games like fetch, find it, Frisbee, tricks, or nosework. They are great for an active family. Agility provides a great combination of physical and mental exertion, and is an ideal exercise for GSPs. Many have excelled at competitive agility and field events. Tracking is another activity GSPs enjoy that allows both physical and mental exercise. Most GSPs greatly enjoy swimming, and some do well at dock-diving.
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Tiner GSP’s LLC

Training

GSPs are smart, attentive, and willing to please, a combination that makes for a good training prospect. They do, however, have a streak of independence and can be easily distracted as well.
GSPs are very strong-willed, so trying to force them to do anything is more likely to be met with resistance than compliance. And despite their tough exterior, GSPs are actually very sensitive. As with all dogs, reward-based training will be more effective. Their main problem in training is that although they try very hard to be attentive, they are easily distracted. After all, a bird might fly by…or an intriguing odor… So you have to make sure to keep training fast-paced and never boring—with great treats or games as rewards. GSPs do well in organized obedience, earning titles at the highest levels in competition. They also excel in agility and tracking-–and of course, pointing trials. Like all puppies, GSPs need socialization with other dogs, people, and environments at a young age. They tend to be clean dogs and are fairly easy to housebreak.

Diet and nutrition

The GSP was developed in the 1600s as an all-around hunter, purposefully bred to combine pointing, retrieving, trailing and even killing game. Only later did it specialize in pointing birds.
The GSPs ancestors included a heavy type of Pointer called a Spanish Pointer, a scenthound called the Hanoverian Hound, and English Pointers. This created a dog with exceptional scenting abilities that was equally interested in bird and mammal prey, that could locate prey in the bush or trail after it, and that could even kill it when it caught up. The breed was originally called the Deutsch Kurzhaars. In the early 1800s, two of these dogs, named Nero and Treff, so distinguished themselves at pointing trials that they are credited as the foundation of the modern breed. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the GSP in 1930. It is a member of the AKC Sporting group. It remains a favorite with hunters, but is also a very successful show dog. Owners include Ben Stein and Christy Turlington.
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Windsong Pointers

Health issues

GSPs are an exceptionally healthy breed, with no particular health problems that stand out.

Lifespan: 10 to 12 years.

They do have a few conditions to be aware of, but these are still less common.

They include orthopedic issues such as hip and elbow dysplasia, ocular diseases like cone degeneration and entropion, von Willebrand's disease, and hypothyroidism.

Learn more about health issues that may impact German Shorthaired Pointers

History

The GSP was developed in the 1600s as an all-around hunter, purposefully bred to combine pointing, retrieving, trailing and even killing game. Only later did it specialize in pointing birds.
The GSPs ancestors included a heavy type of Pointer called a Spanish Pointer, a scenthound called the Hanoverian Hound, and English Pointers. This created a dog with exceptional scenting abilities that was equally interested in bird and mammal prey, that could locate prey in the bush or trail after it, and that could even kill it when it caught up. The breed was originally called the Deutsch Kurzhaars. In the early 1800s, two of these dogs, named Nero and Treff, so distinguished themselves at pointing trials that they are credited as the foundation of the modern breed. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the GSP in 1930. It is a member of the AKC Sporting group. It remains a favorite with hunters, but is also a very successful show dog. Owners include Ben Stein and Christy Turlington.
About the author

Canine specialist, Caroline Coile, Ph.D., is the author of 34 dog books, including the top-selling Barron's Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds. She’s written thousands of magazine and web articles about dogs. She specializes in canine science, health, breeds and competitions. Caroline has won 20 national dog-writing awards, and was a 2015 Inductee into the Dog Writers Association of America Hall of Fame.

Veterinarian reviewed

Dr. Nate Ritter, DVM is the Veterinary Medical Director at Good Dog. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Lafayette College and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, New York State Veterinary Medical Society, the Veterinary Medical Association of New York City, and the Society for Theriogenology. Additionally, he is a USDA-accredited veterinarian.

Breed Scorecard

Characteristics and temperament
  • Affectionate with family

    4

  • Watchdog level

    4

  • Playfulness

    4

  • Adaptability

    4

  • Social needs

    4

  • Temperament

    Energetic, biddable

  • Intelligence

    3

  • Good with other dogs

    3

  • Good with cats or other pets

    3

  • Friendly with strangers

    3

  • Good as a service dog

    3

  • Good for apartments

    1

  • Barking level

    3

Appearance
  • Height

    21-25"

  • Size

    Large

  • Colors

    Liver, Liver and white, Liver roan, White and liver, Black roan, Black, Black and white

  • Coat texture

    Smooth, close-lying

  • Coat length

    Short

Training
  • Trainability

    4

Exercise
  • Exercise needs

    5

  • Exercise time

    2 hours daily

  • Mental exercise needs

    4

  • Favorite activities

    Bird-hunting, agility, hiking

Grooming
  • Grooming needs

    1

  • Brushing frequency

    Monthly

  • Needs professional grooming?

    No

  • Drooling level

    1

Health issues
  • They do have a few conditions to be aware of, but these are still less common.

Other
  • Bred for

    Pointing birds

  • Country of origin

    Germany

  • Popularity level

    5

FAQs

  • On Good Dog, you can search for German Shorthaired Pointer puppies or dogs in rescues and shelters. Adopting a German Shorthaired Pointer from a shelter or rescue is generally less expensive than buying a puppy from a breeder with ethical practices. Across the United States, there are dedicated rescues that specialize in specific breeds and may even help transport a German Shorthaired Pointer dog to you from another part of the country. Although it can be more cost-effective, adopting the exact breed you're looking for is typically more difficult than working with a responsible breeder. Learn more about adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue.

  • Prices may vary based on the breeder and individual puppy for sale. On Good Dog, German Shorthaired Pointer puppies are around $1,400. We recommend speaking directly with your breeder to get a better idea of their price range.

  • GSPs are easy to groom and keep, but they require a lot of exercise.

  • The pros are their high energy, affectional level, and easy maintenance. The cons are their high energy.

  • They make a great family dog, being active, fun and biddable companions for people of all ages.