The Training and Temperament of the German Shorthaired Pointer

When a family is looking to adopt a dog, they obviously want one that works well in a family environment. The German Shorthaired Pointer is the perfect dog for a family. It is intelligent, bold, affectionate, and very easy to train. It is also known for being a great hunting dog which could be part of the reason it is easy to train as hunting dogs need to be able to follow many directions. Some of the German Shorthaired Pointer training should include immersing them into the family as a whole from a young age so that if other animals, such as rabbits or cats, exist in the family, they can learn that those are not prey. If they are taught from a young age that those are not prey, they will learn and remember that.

The German Shorthaired Pointer is great with children although should be supervised as they are large dogs with great amounts of energy and could accidentally hurt a young child while playing. When owning a German Shorthaired Pointer, they need a lot of exercise and they enjoy living with a family that will give them ample play time and outlets for their excessive energy. Some of the German Shorthaired Pointer training needs to come while letting the dog exercise. They are so full of energy and life that when they do not have the proper outlet for that energy, it can come out in undesirable ways. You must train them that being outside means that playing and running around is fine, but when inside, that kind of behavior is not acceptable.

Other German Shorthaired Pointer training should involve teaching this dog where their home is and where their yard ends. These dogs have been known to jump fences or barriers as high as six feet! Rather than enclosing them in a cage, if you can teach them that the fence marks the end of the yard, they will learn not to jump it. Remember, if they don’t get enough outdoor exercise though, that will increase their desire to escape so make sure you train them well from a young age.

As a hunting dog, the German Shorthaired Pointer works well with and away from their owner. Their sense of smell is as good as any other hunting dog which makes them popular among hunters of all nationalities. They are wonderful companions and very intelligent which makes them a great dog overall.