German Shorthaired Pointer Puppies for Sale

Country of Origin:

Germany

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Breed Characteristics

Average Size: Medium

Average Lifespan: 10-12 years

Kid/Pet Friendly: Sometimes

Registry: aca,akc

Activity Level: high

Shedding Level: low

Grooming Level: low

Trainability: moderate

Good For Novice Owners: moderate

Adaptability: moderate

Prey Drive: high

Watchdog: very alert

Breed Information

Overview

“Enthusiastic” is a good all-around adjective to describe the German Shorthaired Pointer’s personality. They are intelligent and cheerful in a stimulating and nurturing environment. The GSP is not a yard dog and does not like to be left alone. These dogs may experience acute separation anxiety with prolonged absences from their human families. Bred to serve, they crave interaction and purpose. They are not known to be irritable or aggressive, but they will bark at strangers in an attempt to protect the family. They are great with kids, but may be a bit too energetic for very small children. Properly socialized and cared for, the GSP has a curious disposition. It’s important to set boundaries for your German Shorthaired Pointer, as they may wander to inspect what lurks beyond their immediate surroundings. They also tend to get along well with other dogs. However, due to their exceptional hunting instincts, other small family pets, such as rabbits or guinea pigs, should be protected from your GSP, at least until they have been properly trained not to hunt them.

The German Shorthaired Pointer’s (GSP) extraordinary versatility may account for its popularity - even celebrity - during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This dog breed was featured in numerous works of fiction by well-known authors as the smart, agile, and loyal sidekick to the stories’ heroes.

Prior to this, the GSP was bred to be a superb hunting dog. One of the facts about German Shorthaired Pointers is that they were bred to be uniquely suited for hunting fowl and small prey as both a pointer and a retriever. They were even competent trackers for deer hunters.

The AKC recognized the German Shorthaired Pointer in 1930 as a member of the Sporting Group. During World War II, German Shorthaired Pointers were so valued that they were smuggled away along with other valuables such as jewels and artworks to avoid confiscation in Nazi Germany.

Because of the German Shorthaired Pointer’s intelligence, dependability, and sporting talents, they are considered one of the best hunting companions. Yet, the elegant and athletic GSP also makes an outstanding family companion. These energetic dogs are highly sociable and really work to please their human families. They are highly trainable and will perform for praise or food.

Temperament

“Enthusiastic” is a good all-around adjective to describe a German Shorthaired Pointer’s personality. They are intelligent and cheerful in a stimulating and nurturing environment. They tend to be affectionate “velcro dogs” that do not like to be left alone. They prefer to be with their families and thrive on attention from them. Well-socialized GSPs tend to get along well with children, other dogs, and sometimes other pets. They do have a high prey drive so they will need extra training and socialization around smaller pets in the household. They generally can do well with small pets they were raised with, but will usually maintain that urge to chase prey-type animals outside of their family. German Shorthaired Pointers tend to bark to alert you. Provided they are socialized well, barking should not become a nuisance. It’s not a bad idea to train your dog to stop barking early on to keep it from going beyond alerting and becoming an issue.

Did You Know?

In 1968, three out of the top four AKC National Field Trial Champions were German Shorthaired Pointers. In 2016, the winner of “Best in Show” at the 140th Westminster Dog Show was a GSP.