In just about every respect you can think of, the German shorthaired pointer is the “happy medium” of pointing dogs.
Years ago, I saw a sign near the first tee of a golf course that had a phrase in Latin inscribed above its translation in English. I don’t remember the Latin, but the translation read, “In the middle is best.” Now, it’s obvious how that relates to the game of golf, but it strikes me as a pretty good metaphor for what the German shorthaired pointer brings to the party, too. It’s not the fastest dog, but it’s not the slowest; it’s not the widest-ranging, but it’s not the closest-working; it’s not the flashiest, but it’s not the most methodical; it’s not the highest-strung, but it’s not the most laid-back.
The GSP is the lowest-maintenance of all the pointing breeds, and one of the two lowest-maintenance breeds in the entire sporting group.
In just about every respect you can think of, the GSP is the “happy medium” of pointing dogs.
It’s not the strongest natural retriever, either, although as pointing dogs go, it’s right up there. This is one of the big reasons the shorthair’s been the most popular pointing breed among Midwestern pheasant hunters since, well, forever.
The GSP also rates highly on the heat-tolerance index and for its ability to handle rough, rocky terrain, which explains why you see quite a few of them in the trucks of quail hunters in the desert Southwest and chukar hunters in Idaho and Oregon.
It simply gets the job done.
Indeed, I think you can make a good case that the GSP is the lowest-maintenance of all the pointing breeds, and one of the two lowest-maintenance breeds in the entire sporting group. (The other, not surprisingly, is the Lab). Once a German shorthair learns his trade, he rarely backslides. As a friend of mine likes to say, “Owning a good German shorthair is like owning a reliable car. No matter how long it sits in the garage, when you turn the key it starts right up.”
Hunters and non-hunters alike will recognize in these poignant tales the universal aspects of owning dogs: companionship, triumph, joy, forgiveness, and loss. The hunter’s outdoor spirit meets the writer’s passion for detail in these honest, fresh pieces of storytelling. Here are the days spent on the trail, shotgun in hand with Fido on point—the thrills and memories that fill the hearts of bird hunters. Here is the perfect gift for dog lovers, hunters and bibliophiles of every makeup.
This is a delightful, handsome volume that captures the wild spirit of dogs and those who love them.This is the story of the author’s powerful connection to his family, friends and the northern outdoors. Loosely organized by the changing seasons, different sections feature essays on such topics as family fishing trips in the wilds of Maine, trophy fly fishing, turkey and deer hunting in Vermont.
