Dog Breed Guide

German Shorthaired Pointer

Profile

Size

Large

Country of origin

Germany

Origin

19th century

Bred for

Versatile hunting

Height

male 58 - 64cm (23 - 25in), female 53 - 59cm (21 - 23in)

Weight

male 25 - 32kg (55 - 71lb), female 20 - 27kg (44 - 60lb)

Life span

10 - 12 years

A hunting dog with a lean, muscular body and a short, harsh coat. It is solid liver (brown) or liver and white, and many have a pattern of fine brown ticking scattered over the white. It has webbed toes and is a good swimmer.

Bright and cheerful, the GSP is affectionate with its family. It is very smart and highly driven to work. It was bred as an "all-purpose gundog" that can do anything on land or in water: point and retrieve birds, plunge into water and track rabbits and deer.

As a result, its energy is boundless and its exercise needs very high. Without plenty of running and mentally challenging play every day, mischief and nuisance barking may increase.

Good to know

In 19th-century Germany, hunters set out to create "one dog that can do it all." Until then, hunters used different dogs for different jobs: one to find birds, one to retrieve and one to track. What they wanted was a single dog that could handle every task.

Its talents have been recognized in the show ring too. In 2016 at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, America's biggest, a German Shorthaired Pointer named CJ was chosen Best in Show from more than 2,700 entries. It was the third win for the breed, and CJ's grandmother had won the same title in 2005.