I've read that GSPs can be a bit aloof. How are they as family dogs? Do they seek out the company of their people, like to snooze on the sofa, etc.?
Thanks, RS
FTR, I have owned a male GSP, a female GSP, and a 1/2GSP+1/2APBT mix. Doesn't make me an expert, but I can spell, "GSP." Due to circumstances(1), none of them were trained to hunt/point (though that did not stop them), but were just family dogs.
Yes, they are great family dogs if you manage to get them some exercise. The easiest, laziest way to get GSPs enough exercise is to have TWO GSPs, or one GSP and some other dog. TWO GSPs will create a whole lot less drama than a single GSP without a dog buddy to play with when you're gone. They wear each other out playing with and chewing on each other or wrestling over "The Best Stick In The World (for today)." Frankly, I would only own a single dog if death took one of our two dogs. The two-dog dynamic is so much better. And if you stagger them a bit, the older dog will show the newer dog all the ropes. For potty training, we let the old dog (female GSP) teach two newcomers how to use the doggie door and where outside to take care of things. No crates, only two pee incidents from two new(er) dogs. Easiest potty training ever, x2.
We WANT our dogs to bond tightly to us, especially the kids when they were younger. So, they were welcome to sit next to us on the couch and sleep with the kiddos at night. (Want to stop the whole, "I'm afraid of monsters" deal with toddlers? Never an issue after we told my then-toddler older kiddo that Misty the GSP could sleep with him and that "She bites monsters." Younger kiddo never had a single monster incident due to GSP monster protection from the get-go.)
And all our 2.5 GSPs were serious snugglers and were pretty happy doing whatever it was you were doing, as long as they had enough exercise (see above).
Yes, different blood lines will impact behavior. Both full GSPs were from families that bred their good hunter to another good hunter, but our oldest male was naturally more hunty and roamed a bit more when off leash. He was happy if he could see or hear us. The female GSP stayed closer to her people. Our German Shorthaired Bulldog sticks close and still will point.
(1) We have a tendency to take on dogs other family members can no longer care for due to circumstances.
