Gun Dog Forum

I have been scanning posts and looking at some dogs listed for sale and even in my neck of the woods, it seems that the German Shorthaired Pointer is a very popular dog.

What sets these dogs apart from others that make it so desirable? I assume they are great quail dogs, what about grouse? How are they as a family dog?

Just courious.

Thanks!!!!!!
Bill

I think the biggest reason is their overall versatility, minimal coat maintenance, and trainability. I am bias but at 8 weeks old a well breed GSP has all the natural ability in almost all areas of hunting and with proper socialization will make a great family pet.

I'm not saying they are the best at everything, but they are very well rounded.

Just my 2 cents.

IMO... I see them as a Jack of all trades, same could be said about the Wirehair also...

TAK wrote:IMO... I see them as a Jack of all trades, same could be said about the Wirehair also...

Exactly right! Shothairs are popular because you can get one in any flavor you want. You can find them hunting grouse, ducks, chukar, quail, pheasants, huns.... baying feral hogs and blood tracking deer. Get one bred well and turn it in to whatever you want!

Because they are nice dogs,

Neil

Why are they so popular? hmm not sure I can answer that.

Darn things think they own the house right from the get go.



Attack anybody that comes over.



Start taking over all the furniture.



Terrible bed hogs.



Hate the water.



And all they want to do is stand around half the time.

Sold, I'll take two of those and a large coffee to go.

Those are some awesome pics dp

Two reasons: AKC and NGSPA field trials and pheasants, not in that order.

ACooper wrote:

TAK wrote:IMO... I see them as a Jack of all trades, same could be said about the Wirehair also...

Exactly right! Shothairs are popular because you can get one in any flavor you want. You can find them hunting grouse, ducks, chukar, quail, pheasants, huns.... baying feral hogs and blood tracking deer. Get one bred well and turn it in to whatever you want!

I agree. Not so many breeds of dogs are capable of doing a decent job of retrieving in water and also doing a decent job of pointing in the uplands. They are, on average, a little larger than Brittanys(which can also do a lot of things quite well), and that is important to some folks. It is also true that there are tons of very nice shorthairs out there to choose from...much more so than for a breed like the WPG, for example. I think that the "sharpness" that is part of a breeds abilities regarding baying and killing game such as deer, hogs, etc, has been somewhat "de-emphasized" in many of the shorthairs of today, making them, as a breed, much more "family" friendly.

Thus it is often far, far easier to find a good shorthair within easy driving distance than many other breeds especially versatiles. That widespread availability contributes to their popularity as well, I think.

RayG

Grandpa had setters, made money from them in the depression days, Dad had springers. One was the best hunting dog a 9 year old ever had (me). When I was 15 I hunted with a guy had a shorthair. I was hooked, never looked back.

Used to have to comb the dog after each outing (springer/setter days) no longer. Found the shorthair was good at everything I did, fishing partner yep, coon hound heck ya and his bay is enormous. Find wounded by the blood trail, never lost a deer in this fashion. No varmints or stray animals to be found on my place out in the country, they take care of that for me.

Heaven help the guy gets on my place and is asked to leave and doesnt 4 land sharks at my command they seem to know what is going on and love to bark a person off the place, doubt if they would bite tho.

Then we get to the cuteness factor, how can anyone resist a shorthair puppy? I cant so I try not to look at them or I find one has come home with me....

Thus it is often far, far easier to find a good shorthair within easy driving distance than many other breeds especially versatiles. That widespread availability contributes to their popularity as well, I think.

RayG[/quote]


As one who has just gone through the selection process on deciding what breed to get for my first hunting dog, I second this. If I had decided on a verstaile, there appeared to be several highly thought of GSP breeders within a few hours of me (or less). The other breeds of versatile aren't nearly as available nearby making the visit to see the kennel and parents much more difficult. I would've struggled to justify getting a breed of dog that I had never even seen before (on a side note, I did get to hunt pheasants over some DD's this past week and was very impressed).

All the above...I wouldn't have anything else.

In breeding dogs for hunters there are several challenges. In these times, most of us want a highly skilled stylish dog that is very trainable and has a great personality around kids, the family, and the neighbors when they come over. Also, because alot of us do hunt pheasants and other birds that, when wounded, like to take off on a run, we want a dog that comes with built in tracking and retrieving skills. Finally, we hunt many types of birds in many different areas, we need a dog that is not a one bird dog, each bird is hunted differently. The GSP fills this bill very well. This is my personal list, and why, having had and/or trained and/or helped train and/or hunted over just about every breed that points, I came to the GSP some years ago. It was not the breed I thought I would land on. The GSP of a few decades ago was a sharp tempered hard head. But people did not want that, and GSP breeders in general were not willing to accept that in the US, and so we have what we have today. Maybe not perfect, frustrating on some days, but pure gold on most days.

JMc - Absolutely LOVE that pic!

They are very biddable dogs, that have the athleticism to run big if needed. Great gene pool. Minimal maintenance. Great dispositions. The only thing I wish existed is a "southern" GSP and a "northern" GSP line. Obviously the northern one would be bred for a thicker coat, and the southern with a lighter one. I know, I know, I can wish in one hand, and sh1t in the other. They are a fantastic breed.

Blitz, is that a particular breeding that is that way, or a trend with SS kennels?

Kill large game?
Sharp tempered and hard headed?

adogslife wrote:Kill large game?
Sharp tempered and hard headed?

Capable of all of the above, yes.

Who uses them to kill big game, what proof is there
what does sharp tempered and hard headed mean
Predator sharp is good,hard headed may mean more prey drive coupled with an handler who may not know how to handle such a driven dog nor the interest in wanting to hunt versatile
it may be more so that the handler is hard headed and not the dog?

leeave96 wrote:I have been scanning posts and looking at some dogs listed for sale and even in my neck of the woods, it seems that the German Shorthaired Pointer is a very popular dog.

What sets these dogs apart from others that make it so desirable? I assume they are great quail dogs, what about grouse? How are they as a family dog?

Just courious.

Thanks!!!!!!
Bill

I've had 2 GSPs and setters. I think the GSP is easier to keep clean for the house. The setter takes more grooming too. The GSP takes an occasional brush.
I found both equally calm in the house if properly exercised. To me both are very attractive.

I had only one GSP so keep that in mind with the following answers to your question:
easy-keepers
hardy
workhorses
good kennel dogs
top retrievers
swell nose
often forgiving of mistakes and heavy-handedness in inexperienced training...to a point.
fine Preserve/Guide dogs around paying sports
handle trials well
Good Internet message board press
all above results in a large pool of dogs which is somewhat self-perpetuating

Just a shame they ain't a setter.

I've never seen one that was as good as a middle of the road setter or pointer.

gpblitz wrote:

Grouse Dog Guy wrote:I've never seen one that was as good as a middle of the road setter or pointer.

I guess that depends on the type of dog your looking for and whos eyes your looking thru. I've owned a few good Setters and pointers in past years. All well bred but weren't my type of dogs. The ES and EP lack what I liked about GSP. In the end it's all personal preforance.

Don't you know personal preference has nothing to do with it on here.....there is only right and wrong.

Charlie

Mostly marketng. Like labs they are popular because of the perception of versatility. Considered mellow for family pets.

As they say talk is cheap.. Just go hunt behind a couple well breed , well trained GSP`s an you decide it will make things alot easier for ya:) Any good breeder should be willing to show of his dogs.

GSP - Why So Popular???
Good question, I'm guessing it's due to a large majority of strange folks out there .

Ron R wrote:GSP - Why So Popular???
Good question, I'm guessing it's due to a large majority of strange folks out there .

I am guessing it's because they've never seen a good bird dog or they're breed blind.

PkerStr8tail wrote:
Mostly marketng. Like labs they are popular because of the perception of versatility. Considered mellow for family pets.

Its just that some of us don't think it should require 2 months of training and $1500 for a dog to make a simple retrieve. Any dog that requires that much training probably wasn't much of a dog to begin with.

Re: GSP - Why So Popular?
by Grouse Dog Guy » Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:26 pm
I've never seen one that was as good as a middle of the road setter or pointer.


typical cover dog answer. how many real shorthairs have you seen? go take a look at some horseback trials and then give an answer. I know of shorthairs that have won pointer trials. you don't see shorthairs in cover dog trials because the breed bias istoo much to overcome

a shorthair is an English pointer with a docked tail. the tail length is what u judge.

jasonw99 wrote:Re: GSP - Why So Popular?
by Grouse Dog Guy » Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:26 pm
I've never seen one that was as good as a middle of the road setter or pointer.


typical cover dog answer. how many real shorthairs have you seen? go take a look at some horseback trials and then give an answer. I know of shorthairs that have won pointer trials. you don't see shorthairs in cover dog trials because the breed bias istoo much to overcome

a shorthair is an English pointer with a docked tail. the tail length is what u judge.

I've imported a couple GSP, DK's from Europe owned and trained fifteen or so and hunted over worked with or trained a bunch more. Did the breed club thing, worked pups for months to pass a natural ability test and still didn't have a wild bird dog that was half what a six month old setter or pointer was.
You may be right about the tail thing they cut the best part off and through it away.

I've imported a couple GSP, DK's from Europe owned and trained fifteen or so and hunted over worked with or trained a bunch more. Did the breed club thing, worked pups for months to pass a natural ability test and still didn't have a wild bird dog that was half what a six month old setter or pointer was.
You may be right about the tail thing they cut the best part off and through it away.

You pointer people are some of the most sensitve and biased people I have ever seen. I also love pointers but I currently have GSPs and they are addictive. If they weren't at least as good as pointers or setters on wild birds I wouldn't have them. Plus I have a little more versatility with them, such as tracking skills. It has more to do with the individual dog and breeding than the particular breed though.

Charlie

Grouse Dog Guy wrote: I've imported a couple GSP, DK's from Europe owned and trained fifteen or so and hunted over worked with or trained a bunch more. Did the breed club thing, worked pups for months to pass a natural ability test and still didn't have a wild bird dog that was half what a six month old setter or pointer was.
You may be right about the tail thing they cut the best part off and through it away.

This is a statement that says we have a member who has tried to train a lot of dogs and hasn't been able to get it done. I've found little difference in the ability of the finished product or the difference in their ability to learn as far as breeds go. There is a difference in personalities style possibly but any trainer should be able to train any of the breeds. This is the first self-admitted example of someone not being able to get it done.

Ezzy

I like that, well said ezzy:)

Hattrick wrote:I like that, well said ezzy:)

I loved it!!

Charlie

There so popular because even the most inbred hick from say Bunker Hill, IL can train one to do a half way descent job hunting they are basically a lab with a different coat type and a higher pointing drive

ezzy333 wrote:

Grouse Dog Guy wrote: I've imported a couple GSP, DK's from Europe owned and trained fifteen or so and hunted over worked with or trained a bunch more. Did the breed club thing, worked pups for months to pass a natural ability test and still didn't have a wild bird dog that was half what a six month old setter or pointer was.
You may be right about the tail thing they cut the best part off and through it away.

This is a statement that says we have a member who has tried to train a lot of dogs and hasn't been able to get it done. I've found little difference in the ability of the finished product or the difference in their ability to learn as far as breeds go. There is a difference in personalities style possibly but any trainer should be able to train any of the breeds. This is the first self-admitted example of someone not being able to get it done.

Ezzy

Thanks for claifying why people call this the coon hound board.

GDG,

Don't be mad at everyone because it took you months of training to get a dog through a natural ability test. Need a better bred dog or do a better job of exposing dogs to birds and water.

gittrdonebritts wrote:There so popular because even the most inbred hick from say Bunker Hill, IL can train one to do a half way descent job hunting they are basically a lab with a different coat type and a higher pointing drive

Ditto!!

Charlie

Jealousy :roll:

I would own one if I had no neighbors with in hearing distance, I personally haven't meet a non Vocal GSP yet I wonder if they even exist ?
:roll:

gpblitz wrote:Leave it To some ES, EP guys. Always gotta jump in and trash anything that doesn't have a long tail.

Since you mention it, them brown dogs are pretty good at hunting trash but I guess that is what they were developed to do.

gittrdonebritts wrote:I would own one if I had no neighbors with in hearing distance, I personally haven't meet a non Vocal GSP yet I wonder if they even exist ?
:roll:

They do not. However, in my experience, Britts are more reactive barkers and usually get the ball rolling (hamster reference, BTW), when you've got a mixed line. Then, the pointers and setters chime in and the shorthairs take the bass line. The GSPs are the most difficult to shut up. After several months of observation and comparison, I'd say barking is nearly obsessive with the breed (GSP) in some dogs. The whole line would quiet down and my little dark boy would be standing there, chain slack, barking. E-collar didn't fix it. Best efforts of Very Famous Dog Trainer didn't fix it. He didn't have a reason for barking, he just couldn't stop. Finally, someone barked back and it worked.

gittrdonebritts wrote:I would own one if I had no neighbors with in hearing distance, I personally haven't meet a non Vocal GSP yet I wonder if they even exist ?
:roll:

Yep they exist, I have two that have never been barkers....The third one does bark but I am fixing that.

Charlie

Thanks for claifying why people call this the coon hound board.

You got something against coon hounds?

Charlie

Funny.

Three days ago I got a pup from Europe .

Not quite three and a half months old.

Two days after I got it it pointed both the pigeons I planted for it and it has never seen a bird or smelled one before.

Retrieves to hand naturally anything you throw out to play and with tons of wild birds and training it will make a great dog.

It is a German short hair , it is liver and white and it has some great breeding behind it.

Calm ,quite and full of spank when something good hits its nose.

Breeding is everything on dogs and a great GSP is above the rest for hunting.

I have had some great ,Britts, setters, spaniels,and hunted with EPs a lot.

Nothing beats a properly bred DK in finding game ,pointing from unreal distances and being tops in recovery no matter what.

If you go to you tube or Google huntcrazed1 you can see what a good pup does with no training at three months and a few days old even with jet lag........haha

There is awesome dogs in every breed ,it is not the brand of dogs but the line that matters.......unless is a hot GSP or DK

Mario

Grouse Dog Guy wrote:I've never seen one that was as good as a middle of the road setter or pointer.

It takes a pretty good ego, or a dedicated troll, to post this just a few posts after one by a 2 time NGSPA national champion.

Greg Jennings wrote:

Grouse Dog Guy wrote:I've never seen one that was as good as a middle of the road setter or pointer.

It takes a pretty good ego, or a dedicated troll, to post this just a few posts after one by a 2 time NGSPA national champion.

Maybe It's your breed blindness that causes you to attack me for having and opinion based on facts. I would think that over a hundred years of cover dog trials and never one cover dog championship won by a GSP would be enough proof.

Our cover dog trials are open to all breeds, how many setters and pointers ran in the NGSPA National Championship?

GSP's are popular because they are birddogs, intelligent, personable, oh, and beautiful....

gittrdonebritts wrote:There so popular because even the most inbred hick from say Bunker Hill, IL can train one to do a half way descent job hunting

Grouse Dog Guy wrote:

Greg Jennings wrote:

Grouse Dog Guy wrote:I've never seen one that was as good as a middle of the road setter or pointer.

It takes a pretty good ego, or a dedicated troll, to post this just a few posts after one by a 2 time NGSPA national champion.

Maybe It's your breed blindness that causes you to attack me for having and opinion based on facts. I would think that over a hundred years of cover dog trials and never one cover dog championship won by a GSP would be enough proof.

Our cover dog trials are open to all breeds, how many setters and pointers ran in the NGSPA National Championship?

Should have known you're a cover dog guy...