Animal register · DogIn the app
German Shorthaired Pointer
GSP, German Pointer, Deutsch Kurzhaar
The German Shorthaired Pointer is a versatile, all-purpose gun dog from Germany, built for work in field and water, with a short, thick coat that feels tough to the hand, broad flat ears set high and dark brown almond-shaped eyes. Its American standard allows solid liver, liver and white (such as ticked), solid black and black and white; red, orange, lemon or tan areas and a solid white dog are disqualified. Its standard describes a docked tail — PetPrep always shows the dog with its natural tail.
Its standard calls it friendly, intelligent and willing to please. The Royal Kennel Club and the PDSA say it needs more than two hours of exercise a day; the PDSA adds that its instinct to hunt, point and retrieve may kick in on a walk, so it needs good recall training, and that it is fairly easy to train. It needs grooming once or twice a week and sheds moderately. A large UK study puts its median life expectancy at 13.4 years.
Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).
Updated:
At a glance
- Size
- large — PDSA S188
- Adult weight
- males 24.9–31.8 kg, females 20.4–27.2 kg — German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America S186
- Daily exercise
- more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S187
- Brushing
- once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S187
- Shedding
- sheds — Dogs Trust S189
Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.
Who it suits
The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.
What it needs
From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.
Exercise
- Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S187
Coat and grooming
Meals
General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):
Lifespan
Life stages
- Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10
General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):
Size and weight
Training
Questions and answers
Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.
How much exercise does a German Shorthaired Pointer need?
According to our sources, the German Shorthaired Pointer needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S187.
How long does a German Shorthaired Pointer live?
According to our sources, the lifespan of the German Shorthaired Pointer is: median 13.4 years — Dogs Trust S123; more than 10 years — PDSA S188. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.
How big does a German Shorthaired Pointer get and how much does it weigh?
Size and adult weight of the German Shorthaired Pointer, according to our sources: Size: large — PDSA S188; Adult weight: males 24.9–31.8 kg, females 20.4–27.2 kg — German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America S186.
How much grooming does a German Shorthaired Pointer need?
Coat and grooming of the German Shorthaired Pointer, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S187; Shedding: sheds — Dogs Trust S189; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S187.
Who is the German Shorthaired Pointer a good fit for?
Our sources describe the German Shorthaired Pointer as a good fit for: an active family — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S187S188; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S187. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S187S188; sheds — Dogs Trust S189.
Game rules, not veterinary advice
How PetPrep simulates it
In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.
| Life stage | Starts | Meals a day | Daily step goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy | arrives at 2 months | 4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 2 | 1,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12 |
| Young dog | month 9 | 2 | 9,000 → 12,000 steps |
| Adult | month 36 (3 years) | 2 | 12,000 steps |
| Senior | month 121 (10.1 years) | 2 | 9,000 steps |
- Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
- Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
- Becomes a senior in month 121 (10.1 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
- Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
- Combing twice a week.
Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S123S187S188
Health
For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.
- Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S188
- Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S188
- Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited problem with blood clotting that can cause excessive bleeding, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S188
- Cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart caused by a weakening of the heart muscle, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S188
- Skin allergies (atopy), which cause itching and sore skin, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S188
- Eyelids that turn inwards (entropion) and cherry eye, where the third eyelid pops out, can occur in the breed; cherry eye can be corrected surgically. — PDSA S188
Before you buy: what to check with the breeder
Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.
For every breed
- See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
- The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
- Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
- Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
- National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
- Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10
Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.
Health tests of the parents for this breed
We have not yet found a reliable source that lists health tests for the parents of this breed. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.
Similar breeds
Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.
Sources
Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.
- S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
- S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
- S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
- S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
- S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
- S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
- S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
- S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
- S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
- S123Dogs Trust (UK) — Life expectancy for 155 breeds and crossbred group (table of McMillan et al. 2024 data) (PDF)https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/downloads/life-expectancy-breeds-table-2024.pdf
- S185FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — Deutsch Kurzhaar (119)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/DEUTSCH-KURZHAAR-119.html
- S186German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America (AKC parent club) — Breed Standard — German Shorthaired Pointer (approved October 11, 2022, effective January 1, 2023)https://www.gspca.org/?p=240302
- S187The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — German Shorthaired Pointer — breed information page (Breeds A to Z, older address)https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=2035
- S188PDSA — German Pointer (shorthaired and wirehaired)https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/german-pointer
- S189Dogs Trust (UK) — German Shorthaired Pointer — breed pagehttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/breeds/german-shorthaired-pointer
- K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
- K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
- K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
- K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
- K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.
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