Have you just adopted a German Shorthaired Pointer? As you may know, this noble dog was originally bred as a Hunting dog and, though these days are now practically over, the German Shorthaired Pointer has still got its hunting instincts, making it one of the most high-energy breeds. This means that your dog will need to release as much energy as possible in order for it to be both healthy and happy.
At OneHowTo.com we'd like to explain how much exercise a German Shorthaired Pointer needs and how to distribute its time so it can grow appropriately.
Characteristics of a German Shorthaired Pointer
The German Shorthaired Pointer is considered a high-energy sporting breed. When it reaches adulthood, this breed should weigh between 45 and 60 lbs (20 and 27 kilos) depending on the size of your dog.
These dogs not only need to release a lot of energy, but they are also very sociable animals, so it's important to pay extra attention to it, not only so it gets enough exercise, but to avoid it getting nervous and excited, which is what it does when it is alone for too long. This is one of the reasons why it's not the best dog to have if you live in a small apartment.
How much Exercise does a German Shorthaired Pointer Need?
Walking your German Shorthaired Pointer
You should take your dog for a walk at least twice a day, preferably in the morning and in the evening, though you should not leave your dog inactive during the rest of the day either. The walks should be pretty long, between 30 and 45 minutes per walk. Start taking your dog for a walk at an early age, so it gets used to it. Take a look at our article on when to start walking a puppy for more information.
If you love going or hikes or trekking, your German Shorthaired Pointer will highly enjoy coming with you.
Extra exercise
You should know that taking your dog for a walk twice a day is not enough, even though you take long walks. In order for your dog to get rid of all the energy it has, it's highly important you take your time to play with it when it's outdoors, get a suitable toy for it and play catch.
Make sure you find a space where your dog can run freely, take it to the beach if you have one near, not only because it has miles to run safely, but because German Shorthaired Pointers love swimming, thus, they'll have a change to rejoice and have some fun in the water.
If you do exercise such as running, jogging or cycling, take your dog with you!
Care for your German Shorthaired Pointer
It's not enough just to know how much exercise your dog needs, as there are certain considerations you should take into account so your dog stays healthy while exercising.
This breed is prone to gastric problems such as gastric torsion, this is why you should pay attention to its feeding times in relation to its exercise time. This is why you should feed your dog at least one hour before or after its exercise. Don't feed your dog right after or before its walk or exercise time.
Though your dog gets old (German Shorthaired Pointers can live up to 15 years), it will still want to do as much exercise as it did when it was younger, this is why you should not lower the amount of time you dedicate to excercise, but you should visit the vet to change its diet accordingly so it has all the nutrients it needs.
Many experts highly advise training this breed when they're puppies to teach it to control its energy. Pointers are easily to train and obedient so it won't take long. This will also be a great opportunity to bond with your new member of the family!
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- Make sure you let your dog run in a safe place where it can't get run over or escape.