The German Longhaired Pointer is a relatively rare dog breed and a pointing type of gundog, originating in Germany and bred for hunting small and big game alike. Like any other type of pointer, this breed has the ability to point to its owner the whereabouts of the quarry and remain still after locating it. This breed is a gundog par excellence ? an instinctive hunter, a reputable water worker, a steady and calm tracker and an excellent retriever, but it is not quite as popular as the German Shorthaired Pointer or the German Wirehaired Pointer, although it is the oldest breed of pointers of German descent.
In terms of general appearance, the German Longhaired Pointer has a well-proportioned, strong and muscular body, moderate bone structure, but with plenty of substance, webbed feet like all pointers, slightly rising stop and an elegant and noble allure. The average height at the withers is 23 inches (for females) to 28 inches (for males) and the average weight is 67 pounds. The length of the coat is very important for the breed standard and it has to be neither excessively long, nor too short. A medium length is preferred, with slightly longer feathering. The breed standard requires a shiny, dense and smooth coat, yet also allows it to be somewhat wavy, but never curly. The breed also has a dense undercoat. The color ranges from various shades of brown as well as of roan (dark/light), brown and white or white and brown with either brown patches with saddle or white chest patches.
This breed is even-tempered, well-balanced, gentle, very affectionate and friendly, and it makes an excellent family pet. It loves children, around whom it gets very frisky and playful. It thrives on close interaction with its family members, to whom it makes a loyal and trustworthy companion. It gets so attached and devoted to its people, that it is known to suffer separation anxiety if left alone and unattended for too long. It is not an attention grabber like most toy breeds, but, deep down in its little heart, it begs of its owner to at least acknowledge its presence. If the owner ignores it for too long, it still does not hold a grudge, and, the minute it receives a little TLC, it is back to its joyful and happy self. This is how good-natured and people-oriented this breed is.
It also enjoys socializing with other dogs, but not so much cats. Furthermore, it needs plenty of daily exercise, suchlike a long walk or run to keep it healthy and fit. Also, if properly and regularly exercised, it can adapt to any living conditions, but ideally a rural area house is preferred. Also, this breed loves water, no wonder it is a water worker, so allow it to swim if you have a pond nearby your house.
Due to its high intelligence, docility and devotion to its master, this breed is very easy to train, preferably by the owner himself. Originally slower and heavier than other pointers, this breed has been far improved, and the desired result of German breeders is the current breed. Its uniqueness comes from the spectacular duality of this dog ? a fierce and reliable, top performance gundog out in the fields, and a loving and faithful companion in the family house.
Moreover, it requires only moderate grooming, every two weeks, and almost no trips to the vet, thanks to its sturdiness. Due to the fact that this breed is quite rare, there is no excessive breeding by puppy mills and its bloodline descent is left almost intact, which entails the lack of any inherited disorders. Therefore, in addition to all the other positive traits, a sound healthy dog is the icing on the cake.
If you adopt a versatile and athletic breed such as the German Longhaired Pointer, you will get an amazingly rare working dog and a loyal, gentle and loving family dog at the same time.
