German Longhaired Pointer

The German Longhaired Pointer is not a longhaired variety of the German Shorthaired or Wirehaired Pointers, but is a breed with its own Standard and an almost completely different origin. It was developed at the end of the nineteenth century. The aim was to produce a gun dog with more speed than the Short and Wirehaired varieties of the time. The German Longhaired Pointer is appreciated for its versatility as an all-round gun dog.

The early ancestry of this powerful dog is similar to that of the other German pointers, consisting of early German gun dogs. At later dates, however, a number of other bloodlines were introduced, some deliberately and others rather more haphazardly. These latter additions are believed to have included the old Water Spaniel, the Gordon Setter, the Irish Setter, the Newfoundland and French spaniels.

Ideally, the coat is solid liver, but may also be liver and white. The attractive, feathered tail should remain entire, although it has sometimes been docked.

The rarest of the German pointers, this is a dog that has never known great popularity, but has always enjoyed a moderate following. It remains little-known outside its homeland, although some have been exported to Canada, where it is officially recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club.

Ideally, the height at the withers should be 25-30 inches/63-66 cm for males and never under 24 inches/60 cm or over 28 inches/70 cm. Females should be 24-25inches/60-63 cm and never under 23 inches/58 cm or over 30 inches/66 cm. The body should be rectangular, very muscular and with a purposeful build. This breed is never as elegant as, for instance, a Setter, but it is capable of doing the same sort of work. The coat should be about 1 1/4-2 inches/3-5 cm on the body, lying flat and close, or slightly wavy and with a hard texture. It is longer on the throat, chest and under the belly, and longest on the ears, backside of the legs and the tail. The undercoat should be thick. Its color should be either liver brown, with or without white markings, and liver roan or white with brown on the head and patches on the body. Tan markings are also allowed.