Are German shorthaired pointers intelligent? (2023) Comprehensive Guide To GSP Intelligence!

Overview of German shorthaired pointers

The German shorthaired pointer is a versatile gundog bred to hunt and point game. Shorthaired pointers are intelligent, high energy dogs with a strong desire to work.

They make great family dogs when they have a job to do and plenty of exercise. They love being part of the family but can be destructive if ignored or left alone too much.

Known for their bold and energetic personalities, they are often described as “happy dogs” and make great pets. The breed has a reputation for being loyal, obedient, and highly intelligent.

Shorthaired pointer German is typically characterized as having a sleek coat, pointy ears, and a slightly narrow face.

Their coats are usually brown, white, or black, although they can be a mixture of any of these colors. They also tend to have a lot of energy and are very active dogs. They are also very easy to train.

They are excellent at herding, search and rescue, guarding, guide work, agility, tracking, and sniffing explosives or drugs.

These dogs thrive on physical exercise and mental stimulation. The German pointer is so intelligent that it has been used as a service dog in many capabilities, including police work.

This breed is also known for its loyalty to its owner. According to the American Kennel Club, the German shorthaired pointer is America’s most popular dog breed. 

So, are German shorthaired pointers intelligent? Here are some reasons why GSPs are intelligent dogs.

Measuring GSP’s Obedience and Working Intelligence

Obedience is measured by a dog’s ability to respond quickly to commands. Working intelligence is measured by a dog’s ability to climb over and under obstacles.

To determine whether your German shorthaired pointer will obey your commands with good working intelligence, you’ll need to test his ability to learn and follow instructions.

A full-blown IQ test is the best and most complete way to measure a dog’s intelligence. However, this type of test is very time-consuming and should be done only by those with animal psychology training.  

Stanley Coren, PhD, wrote The Intelligence of Dogs in 1994, updated and re-released in 2006. The book is based on a survey of more than 200 dog obedience judges.

The judges were asked to rank the breeds according to their intelligence. In “The Intelligence of Dogs,” Coren found that the German shorthaired pointer ranked 17th out of 79 species in obedience and working intelligence. In other words, the breed’s intelligence makes them easier to train than other dogs.

Coren’s Intelligence Criteria 

Stanley Coren is a professor, research scientist, and author. He published “The Intelligence of Dogs,” which analyzed over 200 breeds. Coren’s criteria for judging a breed’s intelligence is based on three criteria:

• The time it takes for the dog to learn a new command
• The success rate at which the dog obeys that command on the first attempt
• How many repetitions does it take for the dog to obey that command

How the German Pointers Performed 

The average German Shepherd Pointer possesses highly above-average working intelligence. German Pointer ranked as the most intelligent dog breed.

The dog’s keen, discerning mind is a hallmark of its species and a formidable tool in the hands of its owner.

According to Coren’s Intelligence Criteria, the German Pointer is among the most intelligent dog breed in the world.

It means that a well-trained pointer will be able to learn a new command in five to 15 attempts. In terms of obedience and working intelligence, the breed ranked number 17th.

Despite their intelligence, German Shepherd Pointers can be stubborn during training, and though they enjoy the process for a short time, they soon grow bored and may lose interest in learning new things.

When training a German shorthaired pointer, one must often vary training methods and exercise routines to hold the dog’s attention.

Because of their keen intellect, German shorthaired Pointers are also very capable of devising new ways to get what they want; they should never be allowed to manipulate their owners into giving them things without permission.

How Pointers Compare to Less Intelligent Dogs

The ranking of dog intelligence by Stanley Coren was determined by the number of repetitions needed for a dog to learn a new command.

The dogs obeyed that command the first time, along with the success rate. The average dog can learn a new command within five repetitions and will abide by the first command given 70 percent of the time or better.

The German shorthaired pointer learns at an average rate and obeys commands between 40 and 50 percent.

The Pointers Intelligence is standard. Pointers are considered less intelligent than Border Collies and German Shepherds and about as intelligent as Bulldogs and Beagles.

Coren’s study also ranked breeds by instinctive intelligence, adaptive intelligence, and working/obedience intelligence.

The Pointers Obedience Intelligence 

In general, the German shorthaired pointer is an easy-to-train dog that learns new commands more quickly than most other breeds.

Its natural intelligence allows it to learn from its mistakes and adapt well to further training. This breed is friendly, eager to please, and thrives on human company and attention, which are all factors that contribute to its success in obedience exercises.

The German shorthaired pointer is one of the brightest dogs and can learn new commands in just five to fifteen repetitions. It also excels at problem-solving and adapts well to change.

The obedience intelligence of dogs is not a measure of how smart the dog is. It is more related to the ability of a dog to understand what humans want it to do.

Dogs with high obedience intelligence are easy to train for this reason. They have a good understanding of the human language, which makes them learn new words easily.

Many breeds have been bred to work with humans, so some species are naturally easier to train than others. For example, both herding and hunting dogs are usually very trainable because they were bred to work closely with humans.

The Pointers were bred for hunting and will probably be easy to train in areas that relate to hunting, such as retrieving, pointing, and tracking.

The Pointers Adaptive Intelligence 

Adaptive intelligence refers to “the ability to solve problems independently.” The adaptive intelligence of any dog breed measures the animal’s ability to apply its intelligence in new situations.

Some dogs may be able to perform tricks and complex commands but have little ability to solve real-life problems. So it’s important to measure adaptive intelligence as well.

The adaptive intelligence of the GSPs is the ability to solve problems. The issues will be solved using experience. The dogs will use what they have learned from previous experiences to solve new problems.

With this, you can train your dog with ease. A shorthaired pointer dog will follow simple commands such as sit and stay. You can also teach them to fetch objects of interest such as balls and sticks.

The GSPs are highly adaptive dog breeds. They are among the highly intelligent breeds you can find. They are normally ranked in number top 20 in the list of the smartest dog breeds.

Pointers have hunting roots

One of the most important characteristics of the breed as a hunting dog is its intelligence. It’s not just a matter of being able to learn basic commands, although it can do that easily enough.

It’s more about adapting to different situations and environments and understanding what the hunter needs and wants.

German shorthaired pointers are famous for their keen senses, and they can be trained to respond appropriately to the various smells and sounds they encounter while out in the field.

The pointers are gun dogs. They can sniff out prey from a distance and then use their superior senses of sight and hearing to track it down.

Once found, it will point at the animal with its head and tail until the hunter arrives with his shotgun or rifle.

German shorthaired is a high activity level hunting dog because it allows the hunter to get closer without scaring away his prey.

If you’ve ever tried hunting rabbits with your bare hands, you know how quickly they hop away at any sign of danger!

German shorthaired pointer labs are mixed breed dogs. They are the offspring of a Purebred German Shorthaired Pointer and a Purebred Labrador Retriever.

It is a new breed of dog that combines the intelligence of German Shepherds and the loyalty of Labradors.

He’s got the best of both breeds in one, so he’ll be a great hunting companion for anyone who wants to take him along.

Pointer’s Instinctive Intelligence 

The German short-haired Pointer is born with the ability to recognize and perform certain tasks innately. For example, if you point at a bird flying overhead, this dog knows what you want it to do. 

Bird dog pointer breeds will track, find and retrieve the bird for you without any training or conditioning.

That’s how smart they are! The German short-haired Pointer’s instinctive intelligence means that they can be trained as easily as they were born to perform certain tasks.

You’ll have no problem getting great results from your smart dogs when you teach them new things. They’ll pick up on your commands and latest tricks in no time!

Just find a quality dog trainer who can help you give your German short-haired Pointer the best life possible.

The American Kennel Club describes the German short-haired pointer as “an aristocrat of the canine world.”

The AKC national field trial explains that dogs have bred over time to perform certain tasks; this inherent nature can be seen in their behavior and physical attributes.

What to do with Intelligent Pointer

The GSP’s high intelligence level can work against you as a trainer if you’re not careful.

If you’re not experienced with training dogs, this breed will quickly outsmart you and may resort to mischievous behaviors such as stealing food from the kitchen counter or digging holes in your yard.

That’s why it’s important to be consistent with your training when your dog arrives at your home.

Spaying or neutering your GSP will calm them down considerably, giving them more control over their actions and emotions.

It will also help reduce unwanted behaviors like chewing, running away, and digging holes. If your GSP seems particularly destructive or overly curious about where they can go, make sure your yard is enclosed by a fence (at least 4 feet high) so they don’t run off when you’re not looking. And remember: if you don’t want them to chew on it, put it away!

Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise every day. Your GSP needs at least 30 minutes of vigorous activity level per day.

This can include running, playing fetch with a ball or Frisbee (a German shorthaired pointer’s favorite game), swimming, hiking, biking with you, or walking briskly around the block. (This is especially important for puppies). 

This breed is intelligent enough to perform well in obedience trials and agility competitions, plus they are known for their ability to hunt birds and other games.

Your GSP may enjoy learning tricks or participating in activities that allow him to exercise his natural hunting skills, such as tracking and retrieving during a game of fetch or hide-and-seek with his owner.

The American Kennel Club recommends offering puzzle toys to help keep your pup entertained and exercised during the day while away at work.

The Takeaway

There’s no doubt that German shorthaired pointers are very clever dogs. They’re high activity level dog breeds, and they love to please their owners.

They have a strong desire to learn and pick up new things quickly.

GSPs rank in the top 20 for most intelligent dog breeds, so if you’re looking for a smart dog, you can’t go wrong with a GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER!