German Shorthaired Pointer Best in Show


Talk about an obedient, fast, agile, and intelligent dog; you have the German Shorthaired Pointer! GSPs are known for their hunting abilities and make great companions when out in the wild. 

The dog’s sleek and slender body type, with a pointed tail, makes the breed interesting! In fact, GSPs have increasingly entered various dog shows, and many have won titles too! Their friendly and calm nature makes them very receptive to obedience training!

If you’d like to know more about the German Shorthaired Pointer’s best in show and more about the breed, then this article is for you! 

German Shorthaired Pointer That Won Westminster

Everybody knows the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is like the Super Bowl of dog Show! And interestingly, the 140th WKC Dog Show held in 2016 was won by none other than a German Shorthaired Pointer named CJ! With this title, CJ became the third German Shorthaired Pointer to have won the championship!

CJ was only 3-year old when he took the title home with a blue ribbon and a fancy new water bottle! CJ was from Temecula, California, and was raised by Nunes-Atkinson. Atkinson was CJ’s owner, breeder, and handler when he won the championship. 

CJ’s nickname was “Prince,” and his favorite snack was chicken and carrots. Before winning the coveted title, CJ participated in various shows and won 18 best-in-show titles in only six months! 

Also, here’s a fun fact: CJ had the habit of always stretching and bowing before he showed. He also would always sneeze before he started to move for the movement shot! Sadly, CJ passed away in 2020, but his legacy remains! 

CJ’s handler, Atkinson, describes that CJ is an “old soul” and calls him her “heart dog.” CJ had a strong personality and was a quick learner too! He was goofy, naughty, energetic, and dirty like any other dog. 

About 2,700 dogs participated in 2016’s WKC Dog Show, of which there were seven finalists for the title. CJ impressed the judges with his poses as he was light on his feet. 

Do you know that CJ’s grandmother also won the WKC Best in Show title in 2005? Yes! It runs in the family! Carlee was owned and raised by Atkinson, who won the title when she was 5-years old. 

How many times has a German Shorthaired Pointer won the Westminster Dog show?

To date, the German Shorthaired Pointer breed has won three Westminster Do Shows! The first one to win the title was Ch. Gretchenhof Columbia River, who was almost 5 years old when he won the title. He was also called by the name Traveler. 

It was a breakthrough moment in history for the liver-and-white-ticked dog since Traveler was the first one to exhibit the qualities of a show dog in the breed! 

The next one to win the title was Ch. Kan-Point’s VJK Autumn Roses, who was called by the name Carlee at home. Carlee was 5 years old when she won the title in 2005. Carlee’s grandson CJ was the third German Shorthaired Pointer to take the title home in 2016! 

CJ’s parents came from the Champions bloodline and were raised by the same owner and handler as his grandmother. 

German Shorthaired Pointers are making their way into championships since they are very intelligent dogs, so it’s easy to train them! They are known to be pointers, so a true GSP must be taught how to “point“! 

What does it take to become a show dog?

Show dogs are nothing like their counterparts in the dog world. They stand out in structure, behavior, and many other things! Taking dogs to win championships is a way for breeders to have their breeding stock judged! 

Listed below are a few things you must keep in mind if you plan to breed a show dog! 

Standard physical structure

The first thing to look into a GSP is to make sure that the GSP is true to the official standard size. The AKC has mentioned the original breed standard, so the dog must match these metrics. In short, the dog must be a correct representation of the breed.

Great showmanship

A German Shorthaired Pointer must display great showmanship on the field. The dog must love and display the job with much grace and ease. Such an ability will only come if the GSP is enjoying the job. 

Make sure your GSP loves the task and does it with much dedication. This is possible if you use a lot of positive reinforcement techniques. 

Relationship with the handler

The dog’s relationship with the handler can make or break this journey to the championship. The handler has to make the dog feel comfortable and at peace in front of him/her. 

The handler doesn’t necessarily have to be the owner, but the handler should work on building a bond of trust and friendship with the dog. 

The dog should feel relaxed and comfortable in the ring when the handler is around. It will enable the dog to perform tasks with a relaxed mind and enjoy the performance. 

Positive reinforcement training is needed to build such a relationship. You must never punish or use any negative technique to train the dog. 

Use positive reinforcement training

Using positive reinforcement techniques teaches the dog how to learn, obey and enjoy the training process. Such a method will not only teach the dog how to perform but also excel at the task. 

Clicker training is a common positive training method that most owners swear by. While giving treats is a good option, too, you may end up overfeeding the dog during the process. 

Clickers have a LED light that you use to click and then let the dog know that you are impressed. GSPs are intelligent dogs, so if you introduce this training method then, they’ll quickly learn. 

 Stacked, Gait, and be examined

The three important dog behaviors that show dogs must excel to gait, stack, and be examined. Gaiting is when the dog is walking at a certain speed by not pulling the leash. It helps the judges to evaluate the movements of the dog. 

The dog can stack on the table if it’s a small dog. Stacking is when the dog can stand still on the ground. This is one way of examining the dog to evaluate its structure and appearance when standing. 

This is important for GSPs since they are slim and slender in structure and look remarkable when they stack! 

The last behavior is for the dog to allow to be examined. The dog must stand still and allow the judges to come near, touch, and evaluate the body. You must teach the dog how to remain calm and composed when people touch them. You must start this practice soon and make your dog comfortable with strangers. 

What makes a German Shorthaired Pointer good for shows?

For many reasons, German Shorthaired pointers are great for training and have a high potential to win best-in-show titles. Let us look at some of them! 

Intelligent and smart

It is without a doubt that GSPs are one of the most intelligent dog breeds out there! Their high intelligence makes them pair well with the owners or trainers. They are quick learners and are very receptive to obedience training. 

Sociable and friendly 

GSPs love being around humans, and they love them a lot. In fact, GSPs are one of the few dog breeds you can leave alone for a long. They crave attention always and are always in need of attachment. 

This is one reason why they are easy to train. They will do anything to impress their masters and hence will perform all tasks and obey commands just for a hug from their owners! 

Their friendly nature makes them calm and relaxed when they go to dog shows and meet many other dog breeds. As mentioned above, show dogs must allow judges to examine them. In the case of a GSP, they are very comfortable around strangers too. Hence, you don’t need to worry about teaching your GSP that! 

Easy to groom

GSPs are low-maintenance dogs and are easy to groom. It won’t be tough for you to take care of a GSP’s coat since they are shorthaired and grooming once a week is good enough! 

They are not demanding dogs and are generally healthy too! However, getting insurance for your dog is always advisable since health checkups can be quite expensive sometimes. 

Conclusion

German Shorthaired Pointers have made their mark in the show dog world, with three dogs winning the titles. GSPs are a friendly and sociable dog breed, and you’d enjoy spending time with one! The breed is known for its gait and calm behavior when they are in the ring.

meastt09

An Owner and a huge fan of GSP's! I have owned my GSP for 7 years now and learned so many things along the way to share with you all about German Shorthaired Pointers!

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