With so many dog breeds, it can be hard to choose the right pet for your household. The German shorthaired pointer and the German longhaired pointer are well-known hunters and family pet breeds, but which one should you go with? When considering the German Shorthaired Pointer vs German Longhaired Pointer, there are a few crucial factors to keep in mind when making your decision. This guide compares these two dog breeds in terms of their appearance, health issues and training needs so you can choose the right dog breed for you!
Despite sharing similar backgrounds and breeding purposes, the German Shorthaired Pointer and German Longhaired Pointer differ in some areas. In this article, we will discuss the similarities and differences between GSPs and GLPs, but first, let’s take a look at their history.
History of German Longhaired Pointer
I think the best way to describe the German Longhaired Pointer is to describe it in appearance as Continental Europe’s version of the Setter: This pointing dog has a full tail, a long coat with dense guard hairs, and a moderate undercoat. The GLP’s love of swimming and waterfowl hunting is one notable difference. Like a German Shorthaired Pointer, the coat colour reflects a mixture of markings.
As a gun dog, the German Longhaired Pointer is expected to hunt, point, track, and retrieve games; therefore, they are designed to be used in hunting situations. Hunting situations they excel at include waterfowl hunting, upland bird hunting, and retrieving furred game in the woods or prairies, the most common being rabbit hunting and squirrel hunting. Their ability to switch from a calm house pet to a passionate hunter is unique. They are a proven hunting partner with over a century of hunting experience.
It’s worth mentioning that Deutsch Langhaar is another name for the German Longhaired Pointer.
History of German Shorthaired Pointer
Americans call it the German Shorthaired Pointer, but Germans call it Kurzhaar (Shorthair), and Europeans call it Deutsch Kurzhaar. Among all the other traits the German Shorthair should possess, pointing was one of the essential traits to the breed’s originators. The breed, therefore, shares a great deal of its ancestry with several different hounds of the day, as well as with the Spanish Pointer, English Pointer, and Arkwright Pointer – dogs that were used to reinforce the pointing instinct at various times in the past.
German Shorthaired Pointers belong to the Sporting Group of dogs, as they are a breed of dog that was developed in Germany during the 19th century with the purpose of performing hunting activities. Various types of games and terrain required a dog that could hunt them all.
A number of different theories exist regarding the origin of the German Shorthaired Pointer, but most experts believe that it derived from a cross between old Spanish pointers and continental pointers with other crosses with German Bloodhounds and French Gascons to improve scenting abilities.
As the dog’s popularity grew, the Klub Kurzhaar was formed in 1891 to maintain its guidelines.
German Shorthaired Pointer vs German Longhaired Pointer
Despite being quite similar, GSPs and GLPs differ significantly in hair length, temperament, coat type, and more. We’ll talk about the differences and similarities between German Shorthaired Pointers and German Longhaired Pointers regarding coat, span, etc.
Lifespan
German Shorthaired Pointer and German Longhaired Pointer have the same life span. The German Longhaired Pointer and German Shorthaired Pointer can easily reach 12-14 years of age with an excellent diet and lots of love and care.
Size
German Longhaired Pointers are athletic and lean dogs weighing 25 to 32 pounds and standing 60 to 70 centimetres tall.
German Shorthaired Pointers are athletic, muscular, sleek, and fabulous on land and water. He is estimated to be between 53 and 63 cm in height and weighs roughly 20 – 32 kilograms.
Appearance Description
In German Shorthaired Pointers, the eyes are brown, and the ears are floppy, long, and set high on the head. Tails are docked to a certain length and held straight out from the body so that they form a line with the entire body and head.
As a German Longhaired Pointer is a dog with webbed feet that allow him to move very quickly, this is the reason the dog isn’t suited well to life in the city, as he has always been a dog that has worked hard over long distances and is used to working on large lots. Being with an active owner will be of great benefit to him.
Temperament
There are many factors to consider when determining a dog’s temperament. Dogs’ owners can make a huge difference in how they become. To become obedient and relaxed around strangers and other animals, every dog, including the German Shorthaired Pointer, will need training and socialization. A German Shorthaired Pointer is intelligent, confident, bold, affectionate, and easy to train. He loves all interactions with humans, including children. To prevent him from becoming bored, frustrated, and destructive, he will need plenty of exercises.
On the other hand, the German Longhaired Pointer is an intelligent, gentle and amicable dog who is affectionate, loyal, and social, getting along well with other pets and children. Since he’s such a loyal dog, he’s prone to separation anxiety, so never put him in the backyard on his own.
Grooming
There is no evidence that the German Shorthaired Pointer sheds heavily; he has a short coat that requires brushing at least twice a week to remove loose hairs and keep the coat shiny and smooth. Check his ears inside and out, clip his nails, and brush his teeth twice a week.
It is important to brush the German Longhair’s coat at least twice a week in order to prevent loose hairs and burrs from building up and making the coat untidy and tangled. It is also essential to monitor the ears since thick matting may develop; additionally, check the inside of his ears in order to prevent dirt and wax accumulation that may lead to ear infections.
General grooming will also be needed, like checking the nails’ length. Moreover, Ensure to brush him two or three times a week.
Which breed is more adaptable?
It would be best if you considered the adaptability factor of a dog when looking for a new pup. So let’s examine the adaptability factor of longhaired pointers and shorthaired pointers.
Hunting dogs generally are known for their adaptability to the outdoors, and both have many similar traits. However, they don’t adapt well to apartment life.
The Longhaired Pointer adapts better to apartments than the Shorthaired Pointer. On the other hand, Hot weather doesn’t bother shorthaired pointers.
In general, the German Longhaired Pointer adapts better to modern life than the Shorthaired Pointer. The two differ in terms of the extent to which they are adaptable, but it is a very close call between them, and they share more similarities than differences in this regard.
Conclusion
Here in this article, we have tried to give you an idea of what you can expect from German Longhaired Pointers and German Shorthaired Pointers. As mentioned before, It is vital to bear in mind that while both of these dogs are similar in some aspects, they differ significantly in others. Now that you know more about these popular breeds, you can choose the best pup for your lifestyle!