 German Pointers Dog Breed Origin and History
The origin of the German Pointer dog breed, or German Shorthaired Pointer, is not entirely clear, though the breed does come from Germany and has been more or less known since the 1600s.
As with other pointing dogs related to German Pointers, their ancestors include various pointing and hunting dogs that were used in Europe as early as the 13th century. The German Pointer itself was developed as a cross between the Spanish Pointer and other German hunting and scent dogs such as the Bloodhound and Foxhound.
The breed was later refined with the introduction of the English Pointer in the late 1800s and the German Shorthaired Pointer developed its elegance and utility found in the breed today. Ideally suited as a proficient hunting dog, the German Shorthaired Pointer dog performs well as an all-around hunter in both the field and the water, primarily for game birds, in addition to having a wonderful temperament and being long lived.
The German Shorthaired Pointer is a cousin to the German Wirehaired Pointer, a dog popular in its homeland but less so in both the United States and also Great Britain. Though the two dogs have similar ancestors, the Wirehaired dog breed does not contain any Bloodhound or Foxhound in its ancestry. Instead, this unique breed derives from the Pudelpointer, itself a cross between the German Pudel and the English Pointer among others.
German Pointers Breed History
Although the German Pointers breed history is centered around its prowess as an ideal, all-around hunting dog, the breed is popular for many other reasons as well. After reaching some final refinement with the addition of the English Pointer in the late 1800s, the German Shorthaired Pointer was standardized and was registered by the German Kennel Club in 1872. The breed was brought to the United States in the 1920s and has slowly become a popular dog breed. The AKC listed them recently as the 20th most popular breed in America.
German Pointers were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1930 and the first specialty showed sponsored by the German Shorthaired Pointer parent club was held in 1941 in Chicago. The breed has had some success as a show dog and in 2005 a German Shorthaired Pointer dog won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show--an impressive achievement for any large breed dog.
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