Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #251459 in Books
• Published on: 1994-04-15
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 176 pages

Synopsis
The German shorthaired pointer is an all-round gundog, the first of the hunting, pointing and retrieving breeds to emigrate from its native Germany. The author covers all aspects of this versatile breed, from the normal affairs of care and management to the more specialized area of gundog training.

From the Inside Flap
The German Shorthaired Pointer is an all-round gundog - hunting, pointing and retrieving, excelling on land and in water. This is the first of the Hunting, Pointing, Retrieving breeds to emigrate from its native home in Germany, and it has been adopted worldwide as a superb shooting companion. Aristocratic in looks, and steady in temperament, the German Shorthaired Pointer also has tremendous powers of stamina and endurance, making it superior to many other gundog breeds. As well as its working ability, the breed is a gentle and affectionate family companion and an impressive show dog. German Shorthaired Pointers Today covers all aspects of this versatile breed. Expert advice is given on choosing a puppy and caring for its needs. There is comprehensive coverage of training and socialisation, and for those interested in working their dogs, there is detailed information on all aspects of gundog training. The German Shorthaired Pointer is becoming increasingly popular in the show ring, and an indepth analysis of the Breed Standard gives guidance on the breed's coat and comformation, its temperament and its movement. For the more experienced owner, there is information on breeding, with advice on breeding programmes, mating, whelping and caring for the litter. Lavishly illustrated with photographs and line-drawings, German Shorthaired Pointers Today is essential reading for all enthusiasts of this delightful breed.

About the Author
David Layton has bred, trained, exhibited, shot over and field-trialled German Shorthaired Pointers under his Midlander prefix for almost 45 years, and his success in the breed is acknowledged worldwide. David is an international Championship Show judge and has judged in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as in his native Britain. David is dedicated to maintaining the GSP as a dual capability breed, and has been involved with the working GSP all his career. He has been a Kennel Club Panel 'A' Field Trial judge, and has judged trials and working tests in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. He has twice judged the Kennel Club's Championship Stake for the Hunting, Pointing, Retrieving (HPR) breeds, and has been a 'gun' at many of the HPR Championship Stakes to date. A former member of the Kennel Club's Field Trials' Committee, David was also instrumental in the formation of the German Shorthaired Pointer Association and the !
Field Trial Association for HPR breeds. David has written a best-selling book, All Purpose Gundog, and lectures regularly to gundog seminars and breed clubs. Due to advancing years, David and his wife have recently retired from participation in competitive gundog activies, but David continues to work and shoot over his dog, and is now patron of the GSP association.

Customer Reviews

A good quality book for novice
I purchased two books as a start to my research into GSPs. The first was very much a pet manual and put the dog on a pedestal that I could not relate to. By contrast, The GSP Today was a brilliant oversight of all aspects of owning a dog with, what i consider to be, a healthy spattering of the author's opinions on various parts of the subject. I have to disagree with the reviewer who talks about not understanding the thrill of shooting living creatures. I myself am a keen hunter but only in the pursuit of food for the table, I do not get a thrill from killing something for the sake of killing it: I wonder if they themselves eat meat, or indeed have any sort of conscience regarding the origins of the food they feed their dog? I value the fact that there are breeds of dog like the GSP, bred for hunting and, for me, the corollary of their breeding is that the breed should continue to display those abilities which in part relate to size etc. If a person does not mind what sort of dog they have, simply content to have a pet then why own such a specialist breed?

Essential reading for a Western viewpoint
I am a UK resident and have owned, shown and field trialled GSP's for some 18 years. Although this book is not of sufficient detail to be used as the one source of information regarding the rearing and training of your shorthair, it covers a broad spectrum of topics with some super photos. I always recommend this book as an essential buy to all my future puppy buyers, and advise them to read it cover to cover. If they find any of the topics of particular interest, they can then buy a book that specialises in this field alone. I see David's book as a little like the All Purpose Gundog he is writing about, perhaps not the best in every field but well worthy of ownership.

Excellent - the definitive work on GSP's.
A high quality well written book with a wealth of photographs. The author clearly knows his subject inside out and any GSP owner (new or old) will learn something from this. Whether your interest is in shooting, falconry, field trials, showing or simply having a GSP as a pet the book will prove to be very useful to you.