German Shorthaired Pointer

[atothek]

Hey Roksliders,
I am starting the planning/research process of purchasing a new german shorthaired pointer puppy. I was wondering if any of you know of some quality breeders and could point me in the right direction. I am looking for a great family pet and bird dog. My fiance and I are highly active people that are looking for a dog we can take out and be active with. I will be moving back to Southern California in July after finishing my residency program here in San Antonio TX. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Aaron

 

[OR Archer]

Howard Meyer at Chippewa Kennels. He wont sell to just anybody though. He's picky on who get's one of his pups. My boss has a dog from him and it's a fantastic dog.

http://chippewa-gsp.com/

He may be able to give you some suggestions on good breeders closer to your location.

 

[Yeti]

Palermo ranch in Oroville ca, two friends have picked up their GSP pups from them both are great dogs, I've been lucky enough to hunt behind them this year.

 

[Lukem]

I don't have any breeders for you, but a little advice in picking the dog and a little of my experience with GSPs. When I picked out my shorthair, I didn't get a chance to see the father, but the mother was a 50# dog which was about the size I was looking for. When I picked up Landis (my male) the father was there. All 90# of him. Guess how big my shorthair is? Also, I now you're prepared for a high energy dog, but not everybody knows what that means. Landis will be 7 this summer and still runs laps in the house and chews on logs in the backyard. I hunted over him at 4 months and he found a couple roosters I never would have. I'm pretty sure he's smarter than I am, he's done more training of me than I of him. He's really pretty good around kids, although sometimes his energy gets the best of him. GSPs are great dogs, good luck.

 

[2rocky]

So are you looking to get the pup in July when you move? There are a few breeders in Southern California that I have heard of. Might be helpful for when you start to train your pup to have someone who has had their parents to counsel you on roadblocks and personalities..

A friend who hunts chukar in the Owens valley said this about breeders last January:

Larry Lowell has the Rockin Rollin Billy blood lines. Great dogs...best I've had or seen.
Our dogs are house dogs...Woody even sleeps under the covers at my wifes feet.
Go small if you can...but not at the expense of good bloodlines.
For a pet/hunting dog, Ben Williams book Bird Dog is the best I've read.
I don't recommend hunting your young pointer with a flusher...he won't get steady with a dog flushing in front of him.
If larry doesn't have any RRB dogs, try Carl Porter or Roy Yamamoto.

Larry's number - 760-963-9790

from a convo last year...

My males range from 50-65lb and every once in awhile depending on the breeding and if you feed heavy they can go 70lbs. The males out of the 6 week old breeding will go around 60 lbs. With the 11 week old pups one is bigger one smaller so I think they'll range between 55-65 lbs

Larry Lowell

 

[Shrek]

I don't have any breeders for you, but a little advice in picking the dog and a little of my experience with GSPs. When I picked out my shorthair, I didn't get a chance to see the father, but the mother was a 50# dog which was about the size I was looking for. When I picked up Landis (my male) the father was there. All 90# of him. Guess how big my shorthair is? Also, I now you're prepared for a high energy dog, but not everybody knows what that means. Landis will be 7 this summer and still runs laps in the house and chews on logs in the backyard. I hunted over him at 4 months and he found a couple roosters I never would have. I'm pretty sure he's smarter than I am, he's done more training of me than I of him. He's really pretty good around kids, although sometimes his energy gets the best of him. GSPs are great dogs, good luck.

++++1 on the high energy , intelligence , willful. You have to be consistent with training and working them or them become bored and destructive. They can be the best dog in the world with a disciplined master or the worst dog ever if you slack up on the training and work. My roommate in college had one and he was a hunting machine ! Hunt ducks at dawn , a dove shoot and point quail all in the same day ! Piss him off and he would destroy something of value to the person who made him mad. He was smart enough to connect the who and what .

 

[Lukem]

++++1 on the high energy , intelligence , willful. You have to be consistent with training and working them or them become bored and destructive. They can be the best dog in the world with a disciplined master or the worst dog ever if you slack up on the training and work. My roommate in college had one and he was a hunting machine ! Hunt ducks at dawn , a dove shoot and point quail all in the same day ! Piss him off and he would destroy something of value to the person who made him mad. He was smart enough to connect the who and what .

I'll echo that. Mine would dig through the laundry and whoever's attention he was trying to get, he'd grab their sock and carry it around the house until he got your attention. He could decipher between my wifes and I's socks. The wife learned not to pay him any attention, now he only grabs my stuff... When he was 12 weeks old, we had gotten the house training pretty well down, and he knew how to ask to go outside. Well, he asked for a 5th time in 20 minutes and I told him "no" because he hadn't gone the other 4 times we went out. Well, he squatted down there right in front of the door without even breaking eye contact...12 weeks and he knew exactly what he was doing. I'll admit, I've been a little lax in his discipline and it's been to my own detriment. They need discipline and structure for sure.

I'm mostly highlighting my failures as a GSP owner here.

 

[Shrek]

I'll echo that. Mine would dig through the laundry and whoever's attention he was trying to get, he'd grab their sock and carry it around the house until he got your attention. He could decipher between my wifes and I's socks. The wife learned not to pay him any attention, now he only grabs my stuff... When he was 12 weeks old, we had gotten the house training pretty well down, and he knew how to ask to go outside. Well, he asked for a 5th time in 20 minutes and I told him "no" because he hadn't gone the other 4 times we went out. Well, he squatted down there right in front of the door without even breaking eye contact...12 weeks and he knew exactly what he was doing. I'll admit, I've been a little lax in his discipline and it's been to my own detriment. They need discipline and structure for sure.

I'm mostly highlighting my failures as a GSP owner here.

Yep ! That's the dog I knew. But please nobody think I'm down on them because I'm not. They are great dogs with bottomless hearts for hunting. If you can handle them they are the best.

 

[atothek]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the info/advice. 2Rocky, in regards to when I am looking to getting a pup, sometime next year is when I will be ready. Once I move back I have to get settled with a new job etc. I just wanted to start my research now. So how much exercise/training time do these bundles of energy need? Some of you guys are making me a little nervous.
Thanks
Aaron K

 

[Arrowslinger]

Hey Guys,
So how much exercise/training time do these bundles of energy need? Some of you guys are making me a little nervous.
Thanks
Aaron K

I will say this, you WILL NOT be able to run that dog enough! I have a 4yo GSP at home and i'm 100% convinced he has a disorder where he can only run or sleep, there's no in between. Come take him for a week and see what you're in store for.

But they sure are good looking dogs......

 

[atothek]

But they sure are good looking dogs......


I couldn't agree more. I was 14 when I started hunting behind one on a pheasant hunt in Kansas, I instantly fell in love with them

 

[Shrek]

They are not a dog training beginners dog. Once trained a couple sessions a week or month but always acknowledged and dominated . Not an apartment dog . Need a yard for them to run in at least. As for energy level , well , one guy I knew let his pull him six miles on his skateboard twice a day and the dog still had plenty of gas left. Very smart dogs who need interaction with you . If you have never owned one you need to have a trainer experienced with GSP's train you to work your dog. Again , great dogs and very rewarding to own and hunt with . They are not a dog to lock in a house all day and just let out to pee and poo twice a day and a bowl of food and forget dog.

I don't know if you have kids yet but they are great training for having children. When you learn to train him you will have the training skills to train a young child.

 

[atothek]

No kids yet, but we thought this was a great way to train ourselves

 

[Shrek]

Thats no joke about learning to train a smart and strong willed dog being good training for children. It's the same basic skills and just like your dog if you train them right from the beginning it makes it easy later.

 

[vcb]

I have a gsp and a vizsla. They are very high energy. There is a reason why there is a gsp rescue. People buy them because they like the way they look etc...they are not apartment dogs. My sister is a physician ( neurology) and she has like no time. Her life is her job. Maybe a flusher instead of a pointer....a flusher will sleep all day until u come home. a pointer will take it out on your house molding. pointers are the best dog ever but you have to give them time like a child. Don't ever not follow through with a command! I love my pointers and shoot birds every November over them. However I also love training them, running them, swimming them etc.. They are my kids!

 

[Shrek]

Aaron , if you decide to get a GSP go to a training breeder and start training with him some before you get one yourself. Six months of helping and working with them will get you ready and you will have a clear understanding of what you're getting. I'm not saying six months of everyday training. I mean taking a morning or two a week and meet the trainer and have him train you to train dogs. You need to have a firm working knowledge of dog handling before you get your dog. Reading a book and a weekend class at petsmart is not going to get it. These are not beginners learn as you go dogs. And again , great dogs !

 

[vcb]

Trouble #1 and #2

 

[Shrek]

Vcb , how long have you had your pointers ? Do you think Aaron has been sufficiently warned of the commitment it takes ?

 

[atothek]

Dave I have definitely been warned about the commitment. I am a dentist and my fiance is a hygienist, so we will be away from the house from 8-5 at least 4 days a week. We can make a trip home at lunch, but is that too much time for a gsp to be at home alone? Is letting one stay in a crate a horrible idea? Once we get home we have plenty of places to take the dog out, we have a big park 2 blocks away and a dog friendly beach about 8 blocks away. I am the type of person that wants to know as much as possible before I jump into this. I am not a compulsive shopper, unless I find a cool gadget haha. I really appreciate everything you all have to say. I want to go into this knowing what it will really be like, I dont want to have any doubts about the commitment and time necessary to properly handle this type of dog. Keep the advice and warnings coming!!!

 

[atothek]

By the way, how are they with shedding? Is the small hair very hard to get out of furniture, carpet etc?