German Shorthaired Pointer

DK: Amba vom Großen Meer

Deutsch-Kurzhaar am Wasser
Wassertraining an der Leda

the useful hunting dog - a must for small prey hunting


German Shorthaired Pointer - Character by performance

As a fully capable hunting dog and  girl Friday the German Shorthaired belongs to the pointers who is capable to find the game on large areas. When finding the hidden game he points at in his remarkable manner and tells the hunter that prey is ahead and hiding. Hunting can be very selective, fair and disturbance can be kept as small as possible.

There is a treasure (at least in German) of readable literature for the German Shorthaired, a competent forum on the web and many enthusiastic and good websites created by breeders, associations or fans. In addition the main association German Shorthaired hosts an informative and always up to date page where to find current topics, trial results and often many good pictures, literature, kennels, genealogy, formulars, contacts and many more. Visiting Wikipedia will give some more basic info's, links and pictures.

The German Shorthaired Pointer is a very useful allrounder. His typical characteristics are power, endurance, a sensitive nose, elegance and maybe the most important property a good social understanding, obeyance and his typical family friendlyness. His hunting wit show up very often for example when finding game under wind and in the field he understands how to adapt his particular strategy. Typically he shows himself up as a teamplayer - hunting with a German Shorthaired you'll understand often as not hunting with two individuals but than a unit. In the water he is swimming enduring an profits of his genious nose.  Curiosity and a  strong association to his master will turn him to the perfect partner while hunting on who always can count. There is just a small drop of bitterness:  you'll need to be a hunter (licence) to get a German Shorthaired Pointer.


Here in the upper north-west of Germany in particular in "Ostfriesland" there are exactly the conditions that are ideal for having a German Shorthair: endless fields and meadows, water or mixture of both showing up as huge reedplaces. On the one hand the dog must search large areas, on the other hand the parcels are divided by trenches or drainage channels. The embankments are a good place for the game to hide, this is understood by the dogs in short time, trains them and makes them more sensitive for the search.

Because the circumstances here in the north of Germany are so favorable there exists a lot of know-how in breeding and training. Many things one can learn by books others one has to see by himself.


Dog and German-shorthaired pointer

Dogs and humans passed some kind of co-evolution that lasts some thousands years now and were founded on the benefits from either side. If you are new to the subject and plan to step into the community you should be aware of some important points concerning the behaviour, needs, likes and of course dislikes of your future partner with four paws. Here one can find a small  checklist, that might help to find out whether a hunting dog is a good idea or maybe better not. My favorite writer Tabel writes in his book on the training of the hunting dogs, that man must try to think as a doc to better understand him. This of course means sensibility, intuition and empathy.

Dogs accompany humans since long time and in the most different situations. It seems hard to believe, that there is another animal that reads us better than dogs do. He's nearly perfectly able to integrate in our daily life and our community. Since they convince us through their loyalty and devotedness they serve in many situations as irreplaceable members. For many dogs also have a vast social and psychological value. 

Following the temper of the wolf, his ancestor, the dog represents a strong enduring predator and excellent hunter. It doesn't surprise much that this property has been recognized, mastered and used and thus it happend, that the social and pride organized  animal got part of another social structure. Out of the perspective of the dog hunting is a basic action to guarantee the survival of the pride. Even if the pride consists of man and the leader has two legs it doesn't matter for the dog. Using the dogs wit and senses makes it much easier to find healthy, injured or dead game. Hunters rely on this natural talent to hunt fair and sustainable.