Breeds / Large
German Longhaired Pointer puppies
Even tempered, affectionate and driven to hunt, the German Longhaired Pointer is a versatile gundog best suited to an active hunting home.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Germany
- Adult weight 24.9 to 36.3 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 55 to 80 lb
- Adult height 56 to 71 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Medium double
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan 12 to 14 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Usually good
About the German Longhaired Pointer
The German Longhaired Pointer is a versatile hunting dog from Germany, expected to point, track wounded game and retrieve from land and water rather than specialise in any one of them. This is a large, strongly built gundog with a medium length brown or brown and white coat, feathering on the legs and tail, and heavy drop ears. Temperament was selected alongside working ability, so the breed is even, biddable and strongly bonded, easy with children and reliable around other dogs.
This dog belongs with committed bird hunters. They are high energy with real drive, and an occasional weekend walk will not touch them, so plan on daily running, swimming or field work. The long coat picks up burrs and the ear bases knot, so brush weekly and check the ears often. Training is easy once the dog has a job. Choose one on looks alone as a family pet and you will likely live with a frustrated, destructive gundog.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a German Longhaired Pointer puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, screened by x-ray evaluation of breeding stock
- Ear infections in the long drop ears, caught by regular ear checks
- Bloat and gastric torsion, a surgical emergency in deep chested dogs
Your German Longhaired Pointer puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a German Longhaired Pointer.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 24.9 to 36.3 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 42 inch (42 x 28 x 30 in, 107 x 71 x 76 cm) for an adult of up to 36.3 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other large breeds
More on the German Longhaired Pointer
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
- Health notes from German Longhaired Pointer breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/german-longhaired-pointer/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: NLVince91, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.