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I have a Geman Shorthaired Pointer. He just turned 11. They are not diggers, but they can be chewers and chew/swallow stuff they're not supposed to so keep stuff away from them. Mine has lots of chew toys, so he hasn't chewed anything that he wasn't supposed to for a long time.
They do need exercise daily or they get frantic and they will also get bored and can get destructive by chewing. After about three years of age, they calm down a bit.
GSP's a great dogs. Mine is part of the family, very loving, and very good with people, kids and other dogs. We have a cat that we got when our GSP was about 2, and he chased her at first, but then got used to her and pretty much leaves her alone.
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Originally Posted by Stormcrow73
I've been giving some thought to getting one of these guys and I was hoping to maybe find some other owners and finding out what they're like and some of their specific needs. We have a modest sized privacy fenced yard with an outside cat and plenty of walking trails in our neighborhood that we use two or three times a week. What kind of walking requirements do these guys need? How prone are they to digging?
German shorthairs are one of the best working breeds out there. Are you a quail/pheasant/chukar hunter? If not, you may want to look elsewhere. They aren't terribly emotional, can be aloof and don't seem to need (or necessarily respond to) lots of affection. They need a job more than anything. These dogs are happy when they are running and they scent-hunt obsessively. This is a very high energy breed that can easily jump six feet off the ground. They are bred to run and to run all day. The exercise requirements are astounding and they are prone to destructiveness if the needs aren't met. My grandfather had two. When he got too old to hunt the dogs would just run circuits in the backyard, always looking for quail. They ran around the backyard to the point of creating a trail in the grass and had a tendency to dig up the azaleas (they were just certain that there were quail in that yard somewhere). If you are a runner the dog will be an excellent partner for you. Just make sure you are getting this dog for a reason, they aren't satisfied as hobby dogs and make poor lap-dogs. Oh, and they have a tendency to bay.
They aren't terribly emotional, can be aloof and don't seem to need (or necessarily respond to) lots of affection. They need a job more than anything.
I would agree with the energy comments especially before three years old, where our mellowed a bit. Still high energy, but very manageable. Also, my experience with emotion and affection are totally different. Ours is somewhat needy, and wanting affection regularly. If I am laying on the floor watching TV, he will curl up against my legs. He loves being petted and is a wonderful and loyal companion.
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Originally Posted by Pilot1
I would agree with the energy comments especially before three years old, where our mellowed a bit. Still high energy, but very manageable. Also, my experience with emotion and affection are totally different. Ours is somewhat needy, and wanting affection regularly. If I am laying on the floor watching TV, he will curl up against my legs. He loves being petted and is a wonderful and loyal companion.
I have to admit, my experience with GSP's is limited to kennel-raised dogs. My grandfather's dogs were the pointers I knew best and they were acquired from a trainer at 2 years of age. Up to that point they had basically lived as soldiers in a barracks. Probably had something to do with it. He had a 6' brick wall around the perimeter of his backyard. When the neighbor was doing yard work, those two pointers would stand immediately across the fence from him and jump up and down to keep an eye on him. I got endless kicks out of that. Sometimes I would hear him laughing because wherever he would move along the wall, these two dogs would follow, popping their heads up for a quick glimpse every .75 seconds.
German shorthairs are one of the best working breeds out there. Are you a quail/pheasant/chukar hunter? If not, you may want to look elsewhere. They aren't terribly emotional, can be aloof and don't seem to need (or necessarily respond to) lots of affection. They need a job more than anything. These dogs are happy when they are running and they scent-hunt obsessively. This is a very high energy breed that can easily jump six feet off the ground. They are bred to run and to run all day. The exercise requirements are astounding and they are prone to destructiveness if the needs aren't met. My grandfather had two. When he got too old to hunt the dogs would just run circuits in the backyard, always looking for quail. They ran around the backyard to the point of creating a trail in the grass and had a tendency to dig up the azaleas (they were just certain that there were quail in that yard somewhere). If you are a runner the dog will be an excellent partner for you. Just make sure you are getting this dog for a reason, they aren't satisfied as hobby dogs and make poor lap-dogs. Oh, and they have a tendency to bay.
This is a great synopsis. unfortunately many of these GSH pointer and other true working/field type dogs wind up in shelters because well meaning people chose them without researching the breed and found them to be a handfull. You are very smart to look into the traits and needs of different breeds before choosing one.
If you have a lot of time to devote to this type of dog and are a high energy person/family then this might be a good dog for you. If you are not interested in hunting, you could try tracking, search and rescue, and/or agility with this type of dog to keep them exersized mentally and physically.
Remember there are enough dogs out there needing homes for you to be selective and take your time. Good luck with your search.
The SAR thing is a major time commitment - it is not centered around the dog - the dog is just a tool; Search and Rescue is a huge time committment involving a lot more than doing something with the pet...............There are GSPs doing it though - SAR is simply another form of hunting as far as the dog is concerned [but the stakes are *much* bigger - you miss a bird, no big deal, you miss a person, they could die.
GSP's have a great nose, partially due to having a little bit of Bloodhound in them. When I went through customs in Toronto recently, the Canadian Customs agent had a GSP to sniff everyone's bags in line. When I saw it was a GSP I bent down to pet it and tried to strike up a conversation saying, hey I have one too! She just looked at me like, "Buddy, if this dog smells something on you your toast, so don't pet it or talk to me, are you crazy?"
Don't be intimidated. They are wonderful pets. Just let them run in the backyard or walk them daily and they are fine. I play ball with mine to give him exercise and walk him or take him on hikes in the woods with me. I do hunt birds with him sometimes.
I have one pointer/pitbull mix best dog I ever owned, actually he walks a few times a day but generaly lazy around the house. doesnt ever go after small animals we have 6 dogs 2 snakes and a few visitors of all sorts, he is great with anything I throw his way. you will need to step up your walking schedule if you want a good dog.
I have an American Pointer and while he certainly loves to run and play when it's time, he is just as happy to lay on his pillow and sleep. When he was younger, I brought him to day care until I found out he spent 3/4 of the day in the office with the owner sleeping. He has some anxiety issues and I swear he has OCD but I think this has more to do with his life before me. He is very sweet though, and doesn't have a mean bone in his body. I have two other dogs and a two year old so he can handle a lot of situations.
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