German Shorthaired Pointer

Training: German Shorthaired Pointers are very intelligent and easy to train. They are eager to please and therefore respond well to positive reinforcement. Keep your training sessions limited to 20 minutes to keep them engaged. One of the keys to training is getting enough exercise into their life. A German Shorthaired Pointer will an abundance of energy is much harder to train and command.

Barking: German Shorthaired Pointers have a deep, sharp bark that is meant to draw your attention to intruders or strangers on your property. It is meant to convey information to their owner, not to terrify anyone. If your dog is barking excessively, it might be a sign of mental or emotional distress and it may be worth a trip to the vet for a checkup.

The key point to understand about your German Shorthaired Pointer is their intense drive to run and hunt. If you provide safe and healthy opportunities for them to run and play, you can help them learn appropriate behavior and maintain a high quality of life. If you keep your dog inside or locked in the backyard all day, don't be surprised if they break out to taste some local rabbit or squirrel. It's up to you to foster good habits and suppress bad ones.

Temperament & Behavior: German Shorthaired Pointers are cheerful and friendly with people they trust. They are eager to please and display a strong, confident character at work and play. German Shorthaired Pointers have a keen enthusiasm for exercise and don't display flightiness or nervousness if properly trained.

They need a lot of exercise to maintain a healthy body and mind. German Shorthaired Pointers without enough exercise in their life will act out with poor behavior. This breed shows a high degree of wanderlust and prey drive if you don't keep up a rigorous regime of long walks. Free-running is a good idea to burn up their energy, but only if you have somewhere nearby that allows off-leash dogs and can trust your dog's recall abilities.

Behavior with kids: German Shorthaired Pointers are incredibly gentle and loving dogs when it comes to children. They are very permissive and eager to share their love with anyone around them. Very small children and anyone not familiar with good dog handling should be supervised at all times with your German Shorthaired Pointer.

Protection: The German Shorthaired Pointer is an intelligent and loyal breed, perfect for life as a watchdog. While they do tend to wander and escape if they don't get enough exercise, they are usually happy to lie around the house and keep a close ear out for any intruders or strangers calling in the night.

Life Span: On average, German Shorthaired Pointers live to be about 11-13 years.

Inherited health issues: Common health conditions in German Shorthaired Pointers are either inherited or occur at a higher frequency in the breed include, but are not limited to, the following: aortic stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, sensory neuropathy, black hair follicle dysplasia, discoid lupus erythematosus, exfoliative cutaneous lupus erytematosus of German Shorthaired Pointers, muzzle folliculitis/furunculosis, Von Willebrand's disease, blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, nasal cavity tumors, acquired myasthenia gravis, aongenital deafness, GM2 gangliosidosis, cataracts, cone degeneration and progressive retinal atrophy.

Preventive care: Since German Shorthaired Pointers are such an active breed, keeping your dog at an ideal body weight is beneficial in the long term to mitigate the long-term effects that additional body weight can place on the joints. All dogs should receive regular veterinary care, even if no medical issues seem apparent at home. Your veterinarian has been extensively trained to pick up on the subtlest changes that can occur as a result of larger disease processes.

Genetic testing is available for some of the conditions listed above (cone degeneration, von Willebrand's disease and exfoliative cutaneous lupus erythematosus), and is most commonly performed on your dog's parents prior to breeding. It is always a good idea to discuss testing your dog for von Willebrand's disease (a blood clotting disorder) with your veterinarian, particularly prior to any surgical procedure.

Nutrition: German Shorthaired Pointers should be fed a well-balanced diet with proper portion control to maintain a healthy body weight. Since these dogs exercise vigorously, they have a propensity for burning a larger-than-normal amount of calories. This may mean that your German Shorthaired Pointer may require a slightly larger than average portion of food. If needed, your veterinarian will be able to help you accurately calculate your dog's individual calorie requirement for their lifestyle, body weight and age.

Daily Consumption: Average daily consumption for an adult GSP is 2 to 4 cups.

Energy Level: Frisky, energetic breed that is always ready for action

Exercise: German Shorthaired Pointers love to go on long walks, hill runs, and dips in the local watering hole. They thrive best in homes with backyards or a nearby dog park to run around and burn off their energy. If you keep your pet inside all day, they will develop a tendency to act out and get exercise on their own less favorable terms. Since they display a high prey drive, German Shorthaired Pointers love to play with toys that resemble their "catch" in the wild. It pays to be mindful of what constitutes a "safe" toy – avoid anything soft toys or fabric that will degrade. These unsafe toys can cause digestive problems and even medical emergencies if they swallowed. Ask your local pet store for advice on choosing the right toys for your German Shorthaired Pointer.

Make sure your German Shorthaired Pointer has a comfortable place to sleep that can accommodate their size and weight.

Climate: German Shorthaired Pointers can thrive in most climates, but they don't like extremely cold temperatures. If you live in a Northern climate with harsh winters, it's worth investing in some warm dog clothes to protect their extremities. Don't fall into the trap of shorter and less frequent walks in the winter! They need just as much exercise in the cold months to stay healthy and happy.

Living space: German Shorthaired Pointers are a medium to large dog with a lot of gas in the tank. If you don't have a backyard or nearby dog park, you need a plan to give your dog some running space. Don't stick them into a small apartment in a high-rise downtown.