Year of the Dog - German Pointers “(1, Pudelpointer) In 1881, a German breeder, Baron von Zedlitz, worked on producing his ideal tracking, pointing, and retrieving gun dog, suitable for work on both land and water. From seven specific Poodles and nearly 100 different pointers, he developed the Pudelpointer. The original sire was Tell, an English Pointer belonging to Kaiser Frederick III and the original dam was a German hunting pudel named Molly who was owned by Hegewald, an author known for works on hunting dogs.
The goal was to produce a dog that was willing and easy to train, intelligent, and loved water and retrieving, like the poodle, and add to that a great desire to hunt, a strong pointing instinct, and an excellent nose, like in the English Pointer, as well as being an excellent companion in the home.
The Poodle breed had much stronger genes, and so many more Pointers were used to achieve the balanced hunting dog that was desired. A mix of 11 Pudels and 80 Pointers were used during the first 30 years to achieve the desired traits and results.
(2, German Longhaired Pointer, Langhaar) The GLP was developed in Germany for use as a pointer. It was originally a rather slow dog, and was crossed with setters and English Pointers in the 19th century to improve speed. It was very stubborn and temperamental, and has since been bred for a steady, friendly temperament. It was first shown in 1878 in Frankfurt, at which time the first breed standard was written. Breeders then began to focus their efforts on producing dogs that performed equally well in the field and the show ring, an endeavour continued by breeders today.
Function became preferred over form. As Karl Brandt, an early expert and theorist on this breed and its precursors, wrote in the llustrierten Jagdzeitung (1883) that: "At field competitions (trials), which should be part of breeding programs, the dogs will hopefully prove that they have not lost their natural hunting ability during the years when only looks dictated breeding" (i.e, pre 1878.) five genealogical sires, constituting separate but parallel lines, are within the Longhair breed.
Like most of the longhaired pointing breeds, the breed is descended from the point spaniel. One of the oldest of the "versatile breeds," it is but one of a few that disallow black as a color. The Large Munsterlander was developed from the GLP after it was decided that GLPs must only be brown-and-white (there were thoughts that coloration also involved some undesirable characteristics), the black-and-white strain became the ancestors of the Large Munsterlander.
This breed now is a multipurpose field dog that combines: pointer, retriever (including water work), setter and tracker (of wounded game).
(3, German Shorthaired Pointer, Kurzhaar) The German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) is a medium to large sized breed of dog developed in the 19th century in Germany for hunting. A versatile hunting breed, being an all-purpose gun breed of dog suitable for both land and water, it is streamlined yet powerful with strong legs that make it able to move rapidly and turn quickly.
The precise origin of the German Shorthaired Pointer is unclear. It is likely that the GSP is descended from a breed known as the German Bird Dog, which itself is related to the Old Spanish Pointer introduced to Germany in the 17th century. It is also likely that various German hound and tracking dogs, as well as the English Pointer and the Arkwright Pointer also contributed to the development of the breed. However, as the first studbook was not created until 1870, it is impossible to identify all of the dogs that went into creating this breed.
(4, German Roughhaired Pointer, Stichelhaar) Deutsch Stichelhaars are the oldest wirehaired pointers of them all. In 1888, Hans von Kadisch proved conclusively that the breed was descended from the wirehaired variety of old German Partridge Dogs, rather than German Shorthaired Pointers. The breed club was formed in Germany in 1892.
(5, German Wirehaired Pointer, Drathaar) German Wirehaired pointers trace their origins back to 1880. They originated in Germany, where breeders wanted to develop a rugged, versatile hunting dog that would work closely with either one person or a small party of persons hunting on foot in varied terrain; from the mountainous regions of the Alps, to dense forests, to more open areas with farms and small towns. The breed the Germans desired had to have a coat that would protect the dogs when working in heavy cover or in cold water, yet be easy to maintain. Careful crosses of the German pointer with many other breeds. Sources differ on the exact lineage, though the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Pudelpointer, Stichelhaar, and Deutscher-Kurzhaar are commonly accepted as the most likely contributors.
Some consider the "Drahthaar" (the original breed of German registry) to be a different type of dog than the domestic German wirehaired pointer. While the two breeds are genetically indistinguishable, all "drahts" must meet rigorous hunt and physical evaluations before being eligible for breeding. In addition to searching and pointing, these tests include the tracking and recovery of all game including wounded game such as fox, rabbit, deer and boar, which may not be required of a dog that hunts birds predominantly. A desire to recover and retrieve game must be present in all "drahts" because of German statutes requiring the recovery of all game.”
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