Or GSP's. These two boys belong to my friend, Cappi is the one standing & sitting & Paddy is laid down. Like my girls they belong to the HPR (Hunt, point, retrieve gundog group) The precise origin of the German Shorthaired Pointer is unclear. According to the American Kennel Club,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. The breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1930. The German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) is a medium to large sized breed of dog developed in the 19th century in Germany for hunting. The breed is streamlined yet powerful with strong legs that make it able to move rapidly and turn quickly. It has moderately long floppy ears set high on the head. Its muzzle is long, broad, and strong, allowing it to retrieve even heavy game. The dog's profile should be straight or strongly Roman nosed; any dished appearance to the profile is incorrect. The eyes are generally brown, with darker eyes being desirable; yellow or "bird of prey" eyes are a fault. The tail is commonly docked, although this is now prohibited in some countries. (Only working gundogs can be docked. You cannot show docked dogs, where the public are paying to go into the show) The docked tail should not be too long or too short but should balance the appearance of the head and body. Like all German pointers, GSP have webbed feet. They are known for going after water fowl in the water. The German Shorthaired Pointer is a member of the Sporting Group. German Shorthaired Pointers along with other sporting dogs requires a lot of exercise and space to run. GSPs have a lot of energy and if not given the right amount of attention, can become bored and destructive. GSPs do not do well left alone all day or if relegated to a kennel without plenty of human interaction. GSPs are a very clean breed. The short GSP coat needs very little grooming, just occasional brushing. They typically shed constantly. GSPs should be bathed only when needed. (One necessary time would be after hunting.) Like all dogs with flop ears, GSP can be prone to ear infections and their ears require regular checking and cleaning. The GSP has a median lifespan of 9 years in a Danish survey and 12 years in a UK survey. In the UK survey about 1 in 8 lived to 15 years with the longest lived dog living to 17 years. Info Wikipedia. Thanks for all the lovely comments & favs, so, so appreciated. xxx