Lowdown on German HPRs

Elegant and efficient, German HPRs have found a niche here; David Tomlinson examines their enduring appeal

- David Tomlinson

HISTORY notes that the first German shorthaired pointer was shown in England in 1887, but it wasn’t until after World War II that these elegant, all-purpose dogs appeared in the shooting field in the UK, brought back by British Army officers who had served in Germany.

I wonder what sort of reception they received on shoots. I’m sure it was a mixture of interest, suspicion and scepticism. The GSP was the first of the continental hunt, point and retrieve (HPR) types to be imported. Today, 17 breeds of HPR are recognised by the Kennel Club. Only six are German, but all have made a mark on the British shooting scene.

All have dedicated breed societies. The first was the German Shorthaired Pointer Club in 1952, the most recent the German Longhaired Pointer Club in 1996. All the clubs have strong working sections. A club is the recommended starting point for anyone planning to take on one of these breeds.

1 German shorthaired pointer (GSP)

For many the classic HPR, the GSP, has long been the most popular of the German gundogs in the UK. It was the introduction of English pointer blood into the breed in the 1860s that gave it its athleticism and speed, making it, at least in the eyes of enthusiasts, the perfect rough-shooter’s dog. Like all HPRs, it can be both noisy and hard-mouthed, but it’s difficult to find a more versatile gundog than this.

2 German wirehaired pointer (GWP)