THE GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER– A HISTORY
by PATTe TITuS, DebbIe KIng & CHRISTY FeATHeRSOn German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America
“ H ere is a group of dogs that can follow wounded game or track deer and boar, work with the fal- con, quarter ground close or wide, hold game on point, flush on command, mark and retrieve shot game, work in water and dense cover, withstand the cold and wet, and yet provide companionable loyalty and a ff ection for their owners.” Also referred to as a “jack of all trades” or “canine triath- lete” because of its ability to hunt, point & retrieve. “A good German short-haired pointer which knows its job is not sim- ply part of the equipment, it is the most important member of the team.” — Hunter Pointer Retriever, Th e Continental Gundog . Dogs that pointed were known to have existed in Europe as far back as the 13th century. In the 17th century Gesner, referred to them as vorstehund literally
translated, dog that stands before. Th e Germans and French called them quail dogs while the Italians referred to them as net-dogs. Not easily identified by type hunting dogs were found in all shapes, sizes, coat types and used in all types of hunting. At the end of the 17th century de Selincourt coined the generic term “gun- dogs” which separated the braques from the spaniels. According to him, setting dogs were braques that hunted with a high nose and stopped at the scent while span- iels hunted with a low nose following track and were used with falcons. Germany as we know it today did not exist, rather it was part of a large area of central Europe that subsequently became 360 states ruled by various Kings and Princes. When they weren’t at war with one another formal visits took place with invi- tations extended to go hunting and often
“THE GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS A ‘JACK OF ALL TRADES’ OR ‘CANINE TRIATHLETE’ beCAuSe OF ITS AbIlITY TO HunT, POInT AnD ReTRIeve.”
S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , O CTOBER 2014 • 211
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