Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs German Short-haired Pointers - Comment?

Qtip, Homer sounds like he was a hell of a good dog. From his picture he was also easy on the eyes. The prospect of getting a dog like that makes me think hard about getting another dog.
Pat

I think he may have my "oner"; meaning a once-in-a-lifetime dog. He just about trained himself. His grandma won best of breed at Westminster according to the breeder I got him from. I never bothered to look that up as it had nothing to do with hunt. He was a spoiled little baby around home and a great watchdog to boot. I miss him tons.

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!

My family, for the last 4 generations at least, has been involved in raising dogs for conformation (among other things) so it's kind of bred into me to look at a dog (and many other animals) with that in mind. The quality of your dogs' grandma was apparent in the photo, and GSP are a very striking breed to begin with.
Only problem with getting the "oner" is that it's a bit unfair to all the dogs who follow that one, they just never measure up.

There are lots of breeds I'd like to try but I don't think I could ever bring myself to pick anything other than a GSP. I have two and they're absolutely great family dogs that will hunt until they drop. Very easy to train and will hunt ANY range you specify if you do your part. Course that goes for everything else you ask as well.....

This little girl deserves her own Hall of Fame.... Lookin' at that pic took me back to when I was training her. I bought that Tri-Tronics collar so I could be like all the other guys I saw but with the help of a few trainers who trained ME how to train her, it turned out to be money NOT well spent. I started slow, let her have a bunch of fun, used positive re-enforcement, repeated my lessons ALOT, kept control over her with a check-cord until she was 100% on, patiently increased the range, and varied the training areas. When ya figure that out, just about any breed is a push-over to train IMO. She's coming up on 13 now and getting really slow. It'll be hard to hunt again after she's gone....

I missed that before but it sure couldn't be more true....

Man am I getting fired up to get a GSP. What's the best time of the year to get one? Christmas? Springtime? Fall?

?? sse ??

Ayuh, me too.

I'm thinking April - June?

Comments?

Harold

Anybody ever wonder why NAVHDA GSP's tend to be so much more dark colored than the ones you see around Field Trials?

Harold,

Over 25-years worth of GSP's here - I agree with the good traits mentioned on this thread. The detractors don't know much about handling GSP's.

I hunt pheasants 90% and grouse 10%.

That said, your profile lists Vermont as your location - a GSP (or any pointer) might not be my first choice for grouse hunting in thick cover that stays thick much of the season. I'd probably go with a Springer.

Don,

I recall a gent of your same name from Iowa that trains gun dogs - any resemblance?

I've had three GSPs,two of which I'd have to describe as once in a lifetime dogs,they were father and son. He sired 23 pups,he was so well known through my two hunting clubs that most of the litters he sired were pretty much presold.Only once did the pups go unspoken for longer than a few days.Four pups in that litter lasted until week 11,then all sold in two days.He's been gone twelve years now.
The reason:he was beautiful,smart,tremendous desire to hunt,great family dog,great watchdog.What else do you want? His son that I kept,same way,except he turned out to be sterile.None of his other offspring were to my knowledge.He's been gone about three years.Both males lived until passed twelve.
The bitch that I bought with the idea of mating to the son was almost,but not quite in the same class as the two dogs.I found her to be a little more willful,but still an excellent all around hunting dog and faithful four legged family retainer overall.
These dogs were designed to do it all.They were originally intended to be versatile...to hunt feathered and furred game,retrieve,guard,and live in town instead of on big estates.
My experience is that if they become a problem,or don't do it all,it's much more likely the fault of the owner than the dog.Most GSPs bring everything they need with them when they come.
My dogs came from lines of dual champions (show and field) and I'll be getting another as soon as I return from Africa in August.Unfortunately , my female died recently.If the next one is anything like the first three,the pup I get in august will be hunting by November..... not a finished dog,but finding birds,making points,and perhaps starting to retrieve.

Speak of the devil.
I was at the range this evening (BIG range),the rangemaster has four GSP pups for sale.They all looked pretty good to me.The dam is also his,and she is exceptional.He had the sire,who he says was even better,but he was killed by a bear,right in front of the pens the pups have been kept in,about three months ago.That's less than three miles from my house,hadn't heard about that incident.
At any rate,these pups are 11 months old,left from a total litter of 12.Two males,two females.They are liver and white as opposed to liver and rhone.He's asking for $350 for each of the males,$250 for one female with an undocked tail,$850 for the other female.
If I wasn't getting ready to leave for Tanzania at the end of the month,one of the males would have come home with me.As is I'm going to have to board my Brittany,couldn't see buying one of these pups and then boarding him almost immediately.Around here that will cost almost as much as the purchase price would be.
If you are interested,contact Keith at 973-764-4100.I'm sure he can answer all your questions.He has a reputation for being a pretty stand up guy.

I've owned GSPs since 1989, bred, trained, showed, trialed, but mostly hunted and loved them. Mine were absolutely reliable with people, unless those people weren't welcome. Wonderful family dogs and guard dogs. As many have stated, they need room to exercise. The vast majority I've been associated with had good to excellent noses, and strong natural pointing and retrieving instincts. Probably 60% were natural backers. Most were medium to big running dogs. I've owned some very well bred high dollar pups. The best one I ever owned was my first GSP, a back yard bred hot ticked male who died about 5 years ago. Every hunter who owns bird dogs is due one great dog. Tucker was mine. There will never be another quite like him.

I've had the extreme pleasure of hunting over a couple tremendous Dixieland bloodline GSPs. They didn't make me a better shot, but they sure found quail (and dead dove/deer). Neither were plodders and we always covered tons of ground. They never hesitate to stuff their face in a cactus and both have survived snakebites. I have no problem letting my one year old pull on their ears (but I won't let him near the red heeler.)

I have 3 Shorthairs now, and think you would be hard pressed to find a better upland dog. Do your homework and you'll have a great huntin' partner. Talk to a reputable breeder and tell him your want and needs.
--Mike

Just reading back on this thread and noticed the "best time" to get one question. Myself I prefer a dog born in March. You take then home in May and do yard work all summer and start hunting them mid September on wild birds until the end of January.

Thanks Planemech.
I'm kinda thinkin' the same way.
Suppose I'll have to start getting on the phone this fall?
Best wishes,
Harold

Hi there

I hunt upland and woodland small games (mostly rabbits, hares, partridges, pheasants, woodcocks and foxes) with a female GSP (konwn as Bonnie "Nom de Dieu", now 5 years old).



Excellent at pointing, very good retriever, very pleasant at home and with childrens ... very beautiful dog and good guardian too! How could I ask more ?

Germans usually use them as well as small games pointing dogs and as big game blood hounds. There are not lots of dog breeds able to produce good performances in those two very different disciplines.

Nice looking dog.

We're on #'s 7 & 8 gsp's and will probably never be without as long as I'm able to hunt. They like all large active dogs, need attention & at times a firm hand. But they can be as well behaved as you want them to be it just depends on how much time you are willing to spend with them & not just training time. Mine have all been good to great hunters but also wonderful family dogs even the largest at over 85# still makes a pretty darm good lap dog. All have good retrievers though a couple had a little trouble deciding that fetching was as much "fun" as it turned out to be.