PetCare Breed Information

Other names/Nicknames:

• Deutscher Kurzhaariger Vorstehhund
• GSP
  

Country/Date of origin:

• Germany
• 1800’s

Height:

• Females:  21 to 23 inches
• Males:  23 to 25 inches
  

Weight:

• Females:  45 to 60 pounds
• Males:  55 to 70 pounds
  

Personality:

• Even-tempered and sensible.
• Boundless energy.
• Can become destructive if not given ample exercise.
• More often than not, this is a one-person dog.
• Intelligent and very trainable.

History:

German sportsmen do not favor a specialist hunter.  They want a dog that can do it all.  The German Shorthair can.  With great skill it does the work of a pointer, a retriever, and a spaniel.  It tracks, points, and retrieves on land and water.  In a land where hunting for the table was important, it was bred not for speed or drive, but rather for thoroughness.  In the 1870’s, the German parent club established physical standards and required that the dogs also be able to demonstrate hunting ability and intelligence.  Dr. Charles Thornton imported some dogs to the United States in 1925.  The German Shorthair’s prowess was so evident that it was able to gain entry into the American Kennel Club (AKC) by 1930.

Body Type:

• Medium-sized, well-balanced gun dog.
• Males and females differ considerably in size.
• Broad, hanging ears are not altered.
• Tail is docked to about 40% of its original length.
• Webbed feet to assist in water retrieving.

Coat:

• Coat is short, thick, and rough to the touch.  Excellent water repellent qualities.
• Allowable colors are solid liver or any combination of liver and white.
• The white is usually a speckled pattern known as ticking.
• Low grooming requirements.

Health and Wellness:

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus syndrome (GDV, also commonly called bloat).
• Sub-aortic stenosis.
• von Willebrand’s disease.
• Metabolic bone disease.
• Muzzle folliculitis.
• Osteosarcoma.
• Oropharyngeal neoplasia.

What you should know:

• The most popular all-around hunting dog in the world.
• Likes to roam.
• Noisier than most hunting breeds.