60-71 lbs
23-26"
Germany
The German Longhaired Pointer is a friendly and intelligent breed who can be prone to separation anxiety. He is a typical German pointer breed and does have webbed feet. If not properly trained, he can become aggressive, especially with food. The German Longhaired Pointer must be socialized starting at a young age to ensure he is a well-adjusted companion. He does require a significant amount of exercise to ensure he is happy and maintains a healthy weight. He has to have a specific job to do and is not ideal for an inactive life. Children make excellent playmates for the German Longhaired Pointer.
The German Longhaired Pointer was originally a slow moving dog so German breeders began adding setters and English Pointers into their lines in the 19th century. By adding these other breeds, the speed of the German Longhaired Pointer improved. He is derived from bird, hawk and water dogs as well as scent hounds or Brackens as they are known in Germany. He originated in Germany. In 1878, the first German Longhaired Pointer was shown in Frankfurt and the first breed standard was written. His exact date of origin is unknown, but it is known that pure breeding of the German Longhaired Pointer has been occurring since 1879. The officially adopted breed standard was written by Baron von Schorlemer in 1897. The German Longhaired Pointer comes from spaniels and pointers. He is considered to be one of the oldest longhaired pointers that is also a versatile breed and is also one of only a few that does not allow the dog to be solid black or black and white. The Large Munsterlander came from the German Longhaired Pointers that were black or black and white. Eventually, the Large Munsterlander evolved into a distinctly looking breed from the German Longhaired Pointer. In 2006, the United Kennel Club (UKC) recognized the German Longhaired Pointer and allowed him to participate in UKC events. In 2011, the American Kennel Club (AKC) began allowing the German Longhaired Pointer to be recorded into its Foundation Stock Service. He is allowed to compete in AKC performance events but has not been accepted into a specific group.
The German Longhaired Pointer’s skin should fit close to the body without wrinkling. Excessive skin will inhibit his working abilities. Even though he is a longhair breed, his hair is to not be excessively long or too short. Hair that is too long will cause him to have problems when going into the brush and hunting. His hair should be 3 to 5 cm in length on his body with longer hair on his ears and backs of his legs as feathering. The hair on his ears is wavy and has nice feathering whereas the hair on his body is sleek, straight and close fitting to his body. The hair on his body may have a slight wave, but not as wavy as the hair on his ears. His underbelly has medium-long hair and his tail should be bushy. He has a brown nose and amber eyes. The German Longhaired Pointer comes in several different colors: brown, roan, brown roan, dark chocolate, white and chocolate. Mottled is acceptable but not desirable. Mottled is when there are many small brown spots on a white background with his head being brown. White markings are allowed, but should not detract from his overall look. Black or black and white are not acceptable colors.
The German Longhaired Pointer is a relatively low maintenance dog even though he has longhair. He does require weekly grooming to ensure that no tangles or mats occur. When he is used for hunting, he should be brushed when he comes in from the field to remove any tangles and debris that has gathered in his coat. Use a pin brush, metal comb and a dog safe de-tangler on his coat. He does have seasonal shedding and will shed his undercoat in the spring and fall. During the times of seasonal shedding, he will need to be brushed daily to keep the loose hairs from gathering on furniture or clothing. The German Longhaired Pointer is not a hypoallergenic dog and does not drool or have a strong dog smell. He does not require many baths, usually two to three a year. Trim his nails as needed, generally every couple of weeks. You can use nail clippers or a nail grinder to keep his nails well trimmed. Check his ears weekly for dirt and moisture to prevent infections.
Generally, the German Longhaired Pointer is friendly, gentle and smart, but when not properly socialized, he can become shy or even aggressive. He loves his family and quickly forms a strong bond. This can cause him to have severe separation anxiety when his family leaves him alone. He should never be left in the yard for long periods of time without supervision; he will find things to entertain himself. The German Longhaired Pointer can become a nuisance barker. He does require a lot of exercise to keep him happy. Long walks or running at the dog park will help him expend his energy. He loves playing games with children. Families that expect him to sit quietly at home without much exercise will be disappointed in him. He will become destructive and a pest. The German Longhaired Pointer would excel at dog sports such as agility, obedience, rally or dock diving. It is very easy to train the German Longhaired Pointer. He wants to please and thrives on positive reinforcement.
Written by Kathleen Egger
Published: 10/22/2017, edited: 02/24/2021
More articles by Kathleen Egger
hi I am thinking of buying a german longhaired pointer, but I have a little concern is that, does this breed comes in black and white colour
