Is my dog a German Shorthaired Pointer?
A solid liver head on a ticked or roan body, high-set ears and an athlete’s outline: the GSP has a pattern few other breeds share. Upload a photo to see how your dog compares.
Also known as: GSP, German Shorthair, Deutsch Kurzhaar
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About the German Shorthaired Pointer
The German Shorthaired Pointer, the Deutsch Kurzhaar, was developed in nineteenth-century Germany as an all-round hunting dog: it points game birds, retrieves from land and water, and tracks wounded game. It is a familiar gundog across Europe and North America. Friendly, eager and very energetic, it bonds closely with its family and gets on well with children, but it needs hard daily exercise and something to do with its nose.
At a glance
- Type
- Pedigree breed
- Size
- Large
- Adult weight
- 20–32 kg
- Life expectancy
- 10–12 years
- Exercise
- Very high
How to recognise a German Shorthaired Pointer
- Short, coarse, dense coat lying close to the body, slightly softer and thinner on the head and ears.
- Colours: solid liver, or liver and white in patches, ticking or roan; black and white versions are accepted in Europe but not by the AKC.
- The head is usually solid liver, sometimes with a white blaze; lean, with a slightly arched nose and a long, strong muzzle.
- Broad, rounded ears set high and hanging flat; almond-shaped brown eyes.
- Athletic, short-backed and deep-chested with a clear tuck-up; tail docked where docking is allowed, full length elsewhere.
Photo tip. Photograph the dog standing side-on with the head and front legs in view: the solid liver head against a ticked body is the clearest sign, and it shows best in daylight.
German Shorthaired Pointer or look-alike?
English Pointer
The Pointer’s coat is finer and glossier, often lemon, orange or black with white, and its head has a dished face and a marked stop. The GSP’s nose is straight to slightly arched.
German Wirehaired Pointer
Same colours and build, but a harsh, wiry coat with a beard and eyebrows. A smooth coat means the Shorthair.
Weimaraner
A solid liver GSP can resemble a Weimaraner in outline, but the Weimaraner is grey, with light amber or blue-grey eyes and no ticking.
Dalmatian
Dalmatians have round, clearly separated black or liver spots on a pure white coat and a fine, rounded head. GSP ticking is small and dense, and the head is usually solid liver.
German Shorthaired Pointer mixes
GSP crosses with Labradors (“German Shorthaired Labs”), Poodles and other pointers are common in hunting homes and in rescue. The liver head and ticked legs are often what shows through, along with the high-set ears and a lean waist; a Lab parent may add a black coat and a broader skull. On a photo, a GSP mix usually comes back as German Shorthaired Pointer alongside a retriever or another pointer. Ticking on the legs of a black mixed dog often points to GSP ancestry.
Health and care
- Hip and elbow dysplasia are both recognised in the breed. Ask for hip and elbow scores, a cardiac check and an eye examination on both parents.
- Cone degeneration, or day blindness, is screened with a DNA test; affected dogs see poorly in bright light.
- As a deep-chested breed, the GSP is prone to bloat. Feed two or three meals a day and avoid exercise for an hour before and after; a swollen belly with retching is an emergency.
- Ear infections are common in dogs that swim or work in water. Dry the ears after swimming and check them weekly.
- Exercise needs are very high. An under-exercised GSP often turns destructive, so plan for running, retrieving and scent work every day.