Nona Kilgore Bauer - German Shorthaired Pointer

Physical Characteristics of the German Shorthaired Pointer

(from the American Kennel Club breed standard)

Head: Clean-cut, neither too light nor too heavy, and in proper proportion to the body.

Eyes: Of medium size, full of intelligence and expression, good-humored and yet radiating energy. The preferred color is dark brown.

Nose: Brown, the larger the better, and with nostrils well opened and broad.

Muzzle: Sufficiently long to enable the dog to seize game properly and be able to carry it for a long timeshould equal the length of skull.

Mouth: The jaw is powerful and the muscles well developed. Lips are full and deep yet are never flewy.

Teeth: Strong and healthy. The molars intermesh properly. The bite is a true scissors bite.

Chest: In general gives the impression of depth rather than breadthit is in correct proportion to the other parts of the body. The chest reaches down to the elbows.

Forequarters: Shoulders are sloping, movable, and well covered with muscle. The shoulder blades lie flat and are well laid back. The upper arm is as long as possiblestraight and muscled legs, when viewed from the front, appear to be parallel. Pasterns are strong, short and nearly vertical with a slight spring.

Ears: Broad and set fairly high, lie flat and never hang away from the head. Their placement is just above eye level.

Neck: Of proper length to permit the jaws reaching game to be retrieved, sloping downwards on beautifully curving lines.

Back: Short, strong, and straight with a slight rise from the root of the tail to the withers. The loin is strong, is of moderate length, and is slightly arched.

Tail: Set high and firm, and must be docked, leving approximately 40% of its length.

Color: May be of solid liver or a combination of liver and white such as liver and white ticked, liver patched and white ticked, or liver roan.

Hindquarters: Thighs are strong and well muscled. Stifles are well bent. Hock joints are well angulated and strong with straight bone structure from hock to pad.

Coat: Hair is short and thick and feels tough to the hand.

Size: Height of dogs, measured at the withers, 23 to 25 inches. Height of bitches, measured at the withers, 21 to 23 inches. Weight of dogs 55 to 70 pounds. Weight of bitches 45 to 60 pounds.

Feet: Compact, close-knit and round to spoon-shaped. The toes are sufficiently arched and heavily nailed. The pads are strong, hard and thick.

Contents

Come into the fields and meet the remarkably versatile GSP. Learn about this Continental pointers development in Europe as well as its spread in popularity to the US and the UK. Known throughout the world for its hunting prowess and professionalism in the field, the GSP has a long history of excellence in Germany, where it is regarded as the nations pride and joy.

Find out if the GSP is the right dog for you and your family. Blessed with a hardy constitution, a high activity level and superior intelligence, the GSP makes an unbeatable companion for the right owners. New owners will learn about the breeds physical characteristics and pet attributes as well as health concerns.

Learn the requirements of a well-bred German Shorthaired Pointer by studying the description of the breed set forth in the American Kennel Club and German standards. Both show dogs and pets must possess key characteristics as outlined in the breed standard.

Be advised about choosing a reputable breeder and selecting a healthy, typical puppy. Understand the responsibilities of ownership, including home preparation, acclimatization, the vet and prevention of common puppy problems.

Enter into a sensible discussion of dietary and feeding considerations, exercise, grooming, traveling and identification of your dog. This chapter discusses German Shorthaired Pointer care for all stages of development.

by Charlotte Schwartz

Be informed about the importance of training your German Shorthaired Pointer from the basics of housebreaking and understanding the development of a young dog to executing obedience commands (sit, stay, down, etc.).

Discover how to select a proper veterinarian and care for your dog at all stages of life. Topics include vaccination scheduling, skin problems, dealing with external and internal parasites and common medical and behavioral conditions.

Recognize the signs of an aging dog, both behavioral and medical; implement a senior-care program with your vet and become comfortable with making the final decisions and arrangements for your senior German Shorthaired Pointer.

Experience the AKC dog show world, including different types of shows and the making of a champion. Go beyond the conformation ring to obedience trials, agility trials and more.

KENNEL CLUB BOOKS GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER
ISBN 13: 978-1-59378-274-0

Copyright 2000 Kennel Club Books A Division of BowTie, Inc.
40 Broad Street, Freehold, NJ 07728 USA
Cover Design Patented: US 6,435,559 B2 Printed in South Korea

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

PHOTO CREDITS:

Norvia Behling, Mary Bloom, T. J. Calhoun, Doskocil,
Isabelle Franais, Bill Jonas, Mikki Pet Products
and Alice van Kempen.

Illustrations by Renee Low.

Showing off his natural versatility as a hunter, this German Shorthaired Pointer is posing with his fluffy retrieve.

Born to runborn to reign. In a sporting world dominated by several breeds of utility gundog that are proficient in hunt, point and retrieve (HPR), the German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) stands alone as the premier hunting dog of Europe and the revered national gundog of Germany. Possessed of that indefinable ability to run unerringly on a scent in all types of cover and terrain, then, upon finding the game, slow into a feline crouch and freeze, sculpture-like into stone, the GSP is universally regarded as the near-perfect all-around gundog.