Health, Needs and General Information for the German Shorthaired Pointer
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General Health Information of the German Shorthaired Pointer
This is a breed of dog developed in the 1800s in Germany for hunting. This gun dog was developed by crossing an older German Pointer breed with the English Pointer to create a lean, athletic, and responsive breed. Some authorities consider it to be the most versatile of all gun dogs and its intelligence and affectionate nature make it a popular companion dog for active owners.
Appearance: The breed is lean, athletic, and graceful yet powerful with strong hindquarters that make it able to move rapidly and turn quickly. It has moderately long flop ears set high on the head. Its muzzle is long, broad, and strong, allowing it to retrieve even heavy furred game. Its profile should be straight or slightly Roman-nosed; any dished appearance to the profile (such as seen in the Pointer) is incorrect. Eyes should be as light as possible; dark eyes are a fault. Its tail is commonly docked, although this is now prohibited in some countries.
Coat and color: The coat is short and flat. It is not dense enough to be water-resistant. The color can be a dark brown, correctly referred to in English as liver (incorrectly called chocolate or chestnut), black (although any area of black is cause for disqualification in American Kennel Club and Canadian Kennel Club sanctioned shows), or either color with white. Commonly the head is a solid or nearly solid color and the body is white that is speckled or ticked with liver or black, with saddles or large patches of solid color. Roan coats are also common, with or without patching. While the German standard permits a slight sandy coloring ("Gelber Brand") at the extremities, this is extremely rare, and a dog displaying any yellow coloring is disqualified in AKC and CKC shows.
Health: The Shorthaired Pointer is generally a healthy breed. Seizures have been a problem in some lines, and a few individuals may suffer from hip dysplasia, genetic eye diseases, or skin cancer. Like all dogs with flop ears, it can be prone to ear infections and its ears require regular checking and cleaning. It has a longer life expectancy than many breeds of this size, commonly living 12 to 14 years, with individual dogs living to 16 to 18 years not uncommon.
Care: Its short coat needs very little grooming, just occasional brushing. The dog should be bathed only when needed. As it is a large, active breed, it can require considerable food; however, it can also become obese if too much food is given for its activity level. A healthy weight should permit the last two ribs to be felt under the coat, and the dog should have a distinct waist or "tuck-up".
