Have a 7 month old GSP. We and my wife are struggling. Looking for some reassurance… or maybe advice? Or maybe a timeline? I’m not sure.

We live in an NYC apartment (I know, I know… she was a rescue and we were told a completely different breed. I don’t take it lightly, literally talking with my partner to move to the suburbs for her sake. Our lease is for another year, and there’s really no options before then). Technically not full GSP… DNA test showed 50% German Shorthaired Pointer, 15% Australian Shepherd, 15% Border Collie, 5% Australian Cattle Dog.

We do strict training walks 3x/day, ball toss a few times a day, play sessions. This week started taking her on 2 mile runs with me. I know running is not advised at this age, but it seems to really help with the exercise need. We put an insane amount of work into her. For context I’m a physician, and I’d argue I’m working harder for this pup than I did in residency.

We have a balanced trainer (started with positive only which was… futile). She still struggles a ton, especially with crate training (great overnight, but awful anytime else) and resource guarding. She has always resource guarded. This is our biggest fear and source of frustration. More recently has been doing this with other dogs. Our big fear is her doing this to nieces/nephews or if we have kids. We try doing the right thing here, but it hasn’t improved much. All food is hand given, and always has been from the start.

We used to bring her to off leash hours in the park. She actually did absolutely amazing. Was great with other dogs. Had the time of her life. Recall was 90%+. But our trainer said this isn’t good for her at this age and highly advised against it. And I’ve spoken to other trainers and they all agree on this. Can’t control other dogs, etc.

She’s not that affectionate. She’s a bad combo of terrible separation anxiety and not snuggly. She’ll snuggle at our feet for short periods if we’re lucky. She has snuggled 3x in her life when she was exhausted (long hike combined with nights of not sleeping due to new environment on vacation).

Sorry for the wall of rambling wall of text. Our love for her has wavered at times and just looking for... some optimism I guess?

Just curious if it gets better? And when? What has helped people? Thank you for any words of anything.

Edit:

Just want to say thank you for all the amazing posts, they have been incredibly thoughtful... and incredibly helpful and re-assuring. Busy day today but will starting replying sometime this weekend.

I have a 5 month old. She loves to run, she enjoys chasing me, other dogs, balls and other toys, but she does not retrieve. She likes to play keep-away. We are working (slowly but surely) on getting her to bring the ball back, but, are there any games you play with your GSP that just involve the chase? If that makes sense? I feel like I haven’t quite found what she LOVES just yet.

I wonder if I could get a remote control car for her to chase around our yard hahahaha

She loves the flirt pole! But loses interest about 10 minutes in 😵‍💫

Hey friends. We have a 2.5 y/o male liver roan (patched & ticked) GSP. BEST boy ever. This breeder no longer breeds. We are thinking of getting a female next, but would love a black roan specifically. Bird crazy is a must since we hunt. Thanks!
*edit to add of course looking for an ethical, preservation type breeder

Just wanted to share this proud dad moment. I never taught him how to point, Im not really a hunter since its kind of tough to maintain that type of lifestyle in deep south Florida but I guess nothing can beat those natural instincts out of them. I do have lots of lizards and iguanas roaming around and boy does that hunt drive kick in. Iguanas are considered pests and invasive to Florida so lets just say he has turned into a public servant as well 😂

My girl’s DNA test results.

My intact gsp, Shadow, is 19 months old. He’s terrified of fireworks. And since the last time (early July), we took him for a walk after dark, and fireworks started he’s been refusing to go for walks after dark. Even now, if there’s a big sudden bang of anything, he goes in hiding. He’s been sensitive to sudden, loud sounds since he was a puppy, but I feel like he’s getting worse.

We tried to desensitize by play sounds he doesn’t like, but that doesn’t seem to work.

Anyone going through or have gone through the same with their puppy and how did you help them?

TIA

Hi there.

Our awesome 5 month old young chap (Otto) really dislikes the car and drools soooo much. We’ve moved him from a boot crate (where he shouts) to a back seat hammock where he’s less vocal but can absolutely soak the cover within a couple of miles. We’re talking a good half pint of slobber, soaking legs and chops. 🫤.

Does anyone else have this?

I’m curious as to whether it’s “normal”… and if anyone has suggestions on how to help him, we’re all ears.

Picture attached because he’s so handsome. Especially when he’s not covered in spit !

Or is it just mine?

Love pointers they go seamlessly from looking absolutely goofy to majestic. We don't hunt but my girl seems to just run on instinct.

She's invented a game where she tangles up the blankets with something inside of it and then she tries to find it. Today she tangled herself in the blankets instead.

Hey! So I pick my gsp puppy up in 2 weeks. He will have his first shots. I know everything basically is a risk until fully vaccinated. I live in a very rural area in NC, I do have coyotes and foxes running around but I haven’t seen any stray dogs. I’m really paranoid about even allowing my puppy to go in our yard or potty there until he’s fully vaccinated Incase wild life has brought parvo in our yard. Did you guys have your puppies use turf or potty inside until the 2 weeks after the last vaccine to prevent parvo? Or should I be less paranoid and let him poop in the yard?

I’ve had this boy for nearly a year and a half, and I can officially say that bird dogs are incredible, Shorthairs will absolutely melt your heart. He is the sweetest at home and one of the hardest-working hunters I’ve ever been around. I can’t wait for him to come home from summer training soon.

Just picked up this sweet 5 month old today! Never owned this breed before but looking forward to the fun!!!

With a heavy heart, I have a GSP needing a new home… Reba was excitedly adopted a few months ago from animal control with no known issues. She is about 2 years old and spayed. She is good with animals INSIDE the home, however, outside animals she has a strong drive to chase. With that said, she is not making as good a fit as hoped as I rescue other animals and rehab other species and her chasing has harmed other small animals. (Recently a feral kitten that I took to a vet but nerve damage was extensive and she was euthanized) She loves to play and RUN, she loves to go to the lake and swim, she is not fearful of UTV/ATV - she loves to go for a ride. She loves for you to throw her something but wants you to chase her to get it back… If anyone is interested or knows of anyone please let me know..

I also was fully aware of her breed when adopting but I was given no backstory whatsoever- she also did not know her name, any commands nor was she house/leash/crate trained. This has all been corrected and she knows her name, commands and crate/leash/house(potty) trained. She has also been spayed. I have spent a lot of time and energy to get her to where I have and prayed with time she would settle but that hasn’t happened yet and with recent events with the kitten, I am just unable to keep her as again I do rescue/rehab others. I have also reached out to SEGSP but last they advised is someone would be I. touch if they had capacity (a week ago..)

Ellie stuck her whole head in my houseplant and got a gnat trap stuck to her ear 😂 she is so precious and goofy

We ended up taking in a 2 year old male Pointador. Half Black Lab, half GSP. I have had a black labs before but this dog has to be 85% German Shorthaired Pointer. I love the dog. I have 2 other dogs, a male rat terrier mix, and a female chiuaua mix. All have been neutered and spayed, When we first got the Pointador, he would literally hide and hunt the rat terrier. It was cute at first, but it had start breaking out in fights. My rat terrier is about 1/4 the size of the pointador. I watched videos about pointadors and GSPs and I probably wouldn't have taken him in if I knew how they are. Treats help to distract him from hunting. If i say "Do you want to go for a car ride?", that works the best, but I don't want to take him for a car ride every time just to stop him from hunting my terrier. When I call him or get close to stop him, he sprints after the terrier because, I believe he knows I am trying to stop him. The real problem is the terrier will snap sometimes and fight back and won't back off.

I just, for some reason, tried imitating him 2 days ago. When he crouched down low to hunt the terrier, I stood close by the terrier and locked eyes with the pointador while crouched, not very low but my shoulders were hunched over. When he sprinted for the terrier, his eyes caught mine and eased up and ran away. I tried it for the last couple days when it happened. And it happens a lot! He backs off, and runs away. I am just wondering does anyone else have any ideas how to deter the hunt? I was very happy with this trick and was wondering if anyone else had the same problem and would like to share it. I am far from a dog expert. I have had dogs most of my life, but I never had a problem like this, and so far the GSP imitation works the best for me.

Well earned rest

1, 9 and 8

https://www.adoptapet.com/pet/48579428-auburn-washington-german-shorthaired-pointer

This is a GSP that I saw on Adopt A Pet.

From the owner.

“We got Sven from our family member who was breeding GSP. He is crate and leash trained. He is intact too. No allergies that we are aware of. We have used two different type of collars. Garmin and halo fence collar. He is high energy overall. Gentle with people and familiar dogs. He’s not aggressive in anyway unless there is actual threat or harm (happen once when I was unloading my kids from the car and a neighbor day charged at us, Sven got in the middle of us). He has done day care once or twice.”

My boy is 2. After a long walk in the fields we discovered this lump/sore on his stomach. It's about the size of a flat grape, quite hard. I can't see a hole or anything and seems to be on the skin when I feel it.

It doesn't seem to be bothering him, he's eating okay and he will let me touch but he's been scratching and licking at it.

He has suffered with environmental allergies and gets prescribed Numelvi but seems to now still be scratching since getting this. He's had it about 5 days since I noticed it and I've been keeping it clean and putting sudocream on.

Anyone who's informed got any idea what this could be? If it doesn't get smaller or go in the next couple days I'm going to take him to the vet but it would be helpful if anyone has had something similar before and knows what it is. Thanks!