German Longhaired Pointer Dog Picture
By 
Dogs have been used for hunting since the 4th and 5th Centuries when they were known as “bird dogs” or sometimes “hawk dogs”. There are some people who believe these hunting dogs were descendants of what is known as “Silk Dogs” from the highlands of Tibet. These dogs did not flush out game, but rather stood still and pointed while other dogs flushed birds out first.
It was at the beginning of the 19th Century, that hunting enthusiasts in Germany began a breeding programme to produce highly skilled gundogs and by the middle of the century, a slim, long dog with a large head and strong “nose” was developed. Although, very pleasing to the eye, these dogs were strong-willed, headstrong and stubborn which made them that much harder to handle. With this said, they were known to be hard working dogs no matter what the weather. Coat colours were originally brown and white, black with white very much like the Spanish water dog.
Over time, other breeds were introduced into the mix which included Pointers as well as English Setters and the various German associations set about establishing breed standards for each of their clubs always trying to promote dogs with the better hunting skills. The first of the gundogs were exhibited in Frankfurt in 1878 and then again in 1879 after which breeders set about further improving their dogs with an end goal being to improve their hunting abilities. Thanks to the efforts of breed and hunting enthusiasts, the German Longhaired Pointer was a success and the dogs we see today can trace their ancestry to the best dogs used in breeding programmes back in the day.
The German Longhaired Pointer like their wirehaired and shorthaired cousins have always been highly prized not only in Germany, but in other parts of the world including here in the UK as an exceptionally skilled gundog. The breed was first introduced to Britain in the 1980’s but was re-introduced in the 1990’s before being officially recognised by The Kennel Club in 1997. There are three German Pointers with the Longhaired being just one of them and although they boast having different coat types, the GLP was bred to be the largest of the three.
Today, the German Longhaired Pointer remains a very popular working gundog not only in their native Germany, but here in the UK where they are also often seen competing in field trials. These elegant, noble dogs are also gaining popularity with people who lead active, outdoor lives and who would like to share their country homes with an intelligent, active canine companion. However, anyone wishing to share a home with a GLP would need to register their interest with breeders first and go on a waiting list because, so few puppies are bred every year.
Interesting facts about the breed
- Is the German Longhaired Pointer a vulnerable breed? No, although they are quite rare in the UK and well-bred puppies can therefore command a lot of money
- A German Longhaired Pointer won the Hunt, Point and Retrieve Championship
- The breed is known to be the “Ferrari” of all gundog breeds
- There are only 2 acceptable breed colours namely white and brown in all sorts of combinations
- German Longhaired Pointers are strong, powerful dogs that can cover a tremendous amount of ground when they need to
- Traditionally, a GLP’s tail was always docked, but since the law banning the procedure came into effect in 2007, tail docking is now illegal with the exception being for some working breeds and if a dog suffers from some sort of health issue that requires their tails to be docked. The procedure must be agreed and authorised before being performed by a qualified vet without which anyone owning a GLP would be liable to heavy fines