Kurzhaar: description and character of the dog, photo of the breed

Characteristics

Brief information

Description of the breed kurtshaar

Kurzhaar is a hunting dog distinguished by strength and endurance. We will find out how a dog should look like, which meets the breed requirements of the International Canine Organization.

Head

Dry, well-defined, in volume and size corresponds to the body of the animal and its sex.

Scull

Elongated, wide at the back of the head, tapering towards the nose. The superciliary ridges are noticeably developed, the occipital protuberance is moderately pronounced. The furrow on the forehead is not deep.

Stop

Moderately pronounced.

Jaws and teeth

Jaws are strong, allow the dog to capture game and bring it to the owner. The kurtshaar has 42 teeth, when the jaw closes, the upper incisors are connected to the lower ones.

Nose

Protruding, nostrils wide and mobile. The standard color of the nose is brown, in black dogs the nose is black. Flesh or spotted color acceptable with white base color.

Muzzle

Long, wide, deep and strong. Ensures the correct feeding of the game. There is a small hump on the nose, which is more pronounced in males. A flat transition from the skull to the nose is acceptable, a concave line is considered a serious breed defect.

Lips

Tightly adjacent to the teeth, slightly sagging, but without jowls, there are folds in the corners of the mouth.

Eyes

Medium size, obliquely set, do not sink, but do not roll out. Eyelids close fitting. Dark brown eyes are considered ideal, light brown is a serious breed defect.

Ears

Set high, wide, flat, should not twist, close to the head, rounded at an obtuse angle at the ends. The length of the ears reaches the corners of the lips.

Neck

Muscular, in harmony with the size of the dog, gradually thickening towards the body. The skin on the throat is tight to the body.

Frame

The weight of males varies between 25-33 kg, and for females 20-26 kg. Height at the withers for males 61-67 cm, and for females 57-64 cm.

Topline

Straight and slightly sloping towards the tail.

Withers

Well defined, slightly raised on the back.

Rib cage

Deep, lowered to the elbow joints.

Back

Muscular, muscles should cover the spine.

Small of the back

Broad, short, muscular, straight or slightly arched. The transition from the waist to the back is strong, forms a single line.

Croup

Wide and quite long. Slightly leans towards the tail, but not sharply.

Breast

More developed in length than in width. The front end is well developed. The sternum is long, is on the same level with the elbow joint. Ribs arched but not barrel-shaped.

Underline and belly

gently curved. Belly moderately tucked up.

Tail

The tail is thick at the base, slightly tapering towards the end. According to the standard, it is docked in half. When at rest, the tail hangs down; when moving, it is carried not too high above the line of the back.

limbs

Forelimbs

When viewed from the front, the legs are straight and parallel, when viewed from the side, they are placed under the body. The shape of the paws can be both round and oval. The toes are close together, the nails are strong, the pads are rough. The feet are set parallel and do not turn out when moving.

shoulder blades

Tightly pressed to the chest, placed at an angle. Shoulder blade and shoulder form a pronounced angle of 100°.

Shoulders

Maximum length, muscular and lean.

Elbows

Well pressed to the body, straight, not twisted. Deeply located under the body.

forearms

Sturdy enough but not rough.

pasterns

Not vertical, slightly tilted forward.

Hind limbs

Seen from behind straight and parallel. Well defined joint angle. The shape of the paws can be both round and oval. The toes are close together, the nails are strong, the pads are rough. The feet are set parallel and do not turn out when moving.

Hips

Long, straight, muscular.

knee joints

Strong, have a well-defined angle.

shins

muscular, long. With well-marked tendons.

Metatarsus

strong, vertical.

Gait

When moving, the dog pushes off powerfully with its hind legs, moderately throwing out its front legs. Movements are straight and parallel. When walking and running, a proud posture is maintained.

Wool

Short, harsh, dense, shiny, straight coat on the body, 1.5 2 cm long. The head and ears are covered with softer hair, up to 1 cm long.

colors

There are several types of coat color:

The color on the tip of the tail and the inside of the hind legs is often lighter. Dogs with an even, intense mixture of white and brown coats are valuable for hunting. This color makes them invisible. Sand-colored markings are also acceptable in the color.

The character of the shorthaired pointer

The shorthaired pointer stands out from other hunting dogs. The thing is that kurtshaars can do everything: ideally hold a stance, follow the trail and bring prey, besides, they are excellent guards. It would be hard to find a more hardworking and patient companion.

In ordinary life, these dogs are excellent athletes. They are very energetic and cannot sit idle. If you do not give an outlet to their energy and do not direct it in a peaceful direction, the dog may begin to look for activities on its own. It is possible that she will decide that the idea of ​​methodically chewing furniture is not so bad.

The kurtshaar has a strong character. This dog is prone to dominance and will fight for its place in the family hierarchy. It is important that the owner be ready to give a timely rebuff and be able to show who is in charge in the house. Otherwise, the dog will take the lead, and then it will be very difficult to make him obey.

Dogs of this breed only recognize one owner. With him, they are ready to go for a morning run, and hunting, and to the ends of the world. For them, emotional contact and communication with a person is very important. These dogs should not be left alone for a long time they are very difficult to tolerate.

But at the same time, this breed is not suitable for families with small children the kurtshaar finds contact with adults much easier and faster than with babies. However, this does not mean that the dog can show aggression, not at all: rather, it can show excessive activity that will scare children.

Dogs of this breed get along well with other animals, especially if they grew up together. But do not forget about the hunting instincts. In this breed, they are very strong, and small pets automatically turn into a potential object for hunting for the kurtshaar.

When it comes to communication, the kurtshaar is one of the loudest dog breeds. Kurzhaars bark a lot and with pleasure. On business and just like that. Therefore, the primary task of the owner is to start raising the animal as early as possible. With the right approach, these dogs clearly understand the rules of behavior for themselves, and then a significant reduction in the level of noise produced can be achieved from them.

This breed of dog is extremely intelligent. They are easy to train and seem to enjoy their activities. It is rare to hear that a shorthaired pointer is impatient or stubbornly refuses to perform some task of the owner.

Education and training

Don’t start training a shorthaired pointer at an early age. Let him get used to things and surroundings. Introduce your puppy to other animals in the house and people. He will establish emotional contact with them in order to become a balanced dog in the future. But you need to teach your puppy to sleep and eat at a certain time from a very young age. At first, take the puppy outside immediately after feeding and sleeping. If this is not possible, then put on a diaper. How do you train your dog to go to the toilet outside?.

At 2.5 months, start accustoming your pet to training. Start training with simple commands and gradually move on to more complex ones. Representatives of this breed have a specific feature: they can forget what they have studied before. Therefore, combine the repetition of previously covered and new material.

The strong character of kurtshaars is also manifested during training. Show leadership qualities in time, otherwise the pet will not execute commands. Severely stop attempts to attack other animals, even in the game. Shorthaired Pointers are curious and tend to get distracted from the learning process. Make sure that there are no bright smells and toys nearby.

Diversify your training, monotonous teams dilute with logical games. Add something new every day, do not adhere to one training plan. To develop hunting smell, dig pieces of meat in the ground and invite the dog to look for them.

Bitches amenable to training better, male is more wayward and require a strong hand. Do not let the children go for a walk with a dog. She can feel a weak hand and then it will be hard to train again.

The puppy can be accustomed to hunting from 6 months and start walking in the forest. By this time, the dog should be well socialized: it is good to understand the owner; know the street and other animals; Do not be afraid of loud and unexpected sounds, cars and people. It is best to develop hunting skills in the morning, at this time the dog is most manifested at hunting instincts. Start with brisk walking. Your pet should get used to following you and keeping up. Hide the bird carcass in advance to teach the dog to follow the trail. Keep a few feathers for yourself, let the dog smell it and send it to look for prey. After the pet learns to find game, teach him the “fetch” command. Always praise your dog for success. The first hunt should take place at about 9 months. 

If you do not plan to go hunting with a dog, then it will need an additional load. Train your pet on obstacle courses and play frisbee with him. Reward your pet only if he correctly executed the command, otherwise you risk spoiling the dog.

Briefly formulate the basic rules of training:

Maintenance and care

Kurzhaar’s wool has waterrepellent properties and does not stick to furniture and clothes. But at the same time, the kurzhaars are very intensively muffled, so they should be combed regularly, but to bathe only as necessary. The coat of the shorthaired pointer is short, so you don’t need to take the dog to the groomer, home care will be enough. For combing, use a stiff natural bristle brush or a special mitten.

Special attention should be paid to the ears: they should be regularly cleaned and ensured that they are dry. To keep your dog free of infectious diseases, wipe your ears with cotton pads every day. If necessary, use cotton sticks and a solution for cleaning the ears from the pet store.

It is enough to wipe the dog’s eyes with a cotton pad dipped in strong tea leaves. If your pet’s eyes begin to water or ooze pus, contact your veterinarian.

With sufficient activity, the dog will not need additional care for claws. She will grind them down naturally. But if your nails get long, trim them. Treat the claws with an additional file if you use a mechanical clawer. Wipe the paws of paws with vegetable oil.

To keep your pet’s teeth healthy for as long as possible, carry out hygienic cleaning twice a week. For dog teeth there are brushes and pastes.

With a kurtshaar, you need to walk a lot and in a variety of ways. Dogs of this breed will be happy to run, swim, play in a word, they will support any activity that the owner comes up with. Lack of physical activity can cause excess weight and, importantly, provoke aggressive behavior of the animal.

At home for the dog, you should organize your own warm corner without drafts and with a lot of toys. This breed is not suitable for keeping outdoors in cold regions. The kurtshaar has a short coat and no thick undercoat. Dogs of this breed can live outdoors at temperatures down to7 ° C. But at the same time, they still need an insulated enclosure without drafts.

Food

Dogs should always have access to clean drinking water. Up to six months, puppies are fed 5 times a day in small portions. After six months, you can switch to two meals a day.

We recommend feeding the kurtshaar only industrial feed. It does not contain flavor enhancers, preservatives and other additives harmful to the dog that can be in human food. Combine wet and dry food. Wet food contains the water the dog needs, while dry food takes care of the digestive system. The diet of an adult kurtshaar should contain protein in large quantities, choose premium feed. Food must nourish the dog, allow him to remain strong and hardy, so cheap food will not work. Calorie content depends on the age of the dog. For young kurtshaars, choose diets with a higher calorie content, for older dogs less nutritious. If your pet has health problems, then the food should be selected by a veterinarian. There is a special treatment for this.

What to look for when choosing food:

The volume of a daily serving of kurtshaar is calculated as 3% of the dog’s weight. That is, a dog weighing 25 kg should eat 750 grams of food per day. However, do not forget to make allowances for the appearance of the dog. If the kurtshaar loses weight, increase the portion and reduce it if you get.

Health

Shorthaired Pointers are in good health and are considered a problem-free dog. The most hardy breeds were selected for its breeding. However, they can distinguish some diseases:

The kurtshaar needs a lot of exercise to stay healthy. If you have a tight schedule and there is no time for long walks, then this breed will not work for you.

The first estrus in bitches occurs in the period of 5 12 months, regularity 2 times a year. The dog’s behavior changes, it may start marking territory. During this period, walk the dog exclusively on a strong leash. Refrain from walking in cold weather.

Observe your pet vaccination calendar. This is especially important if you go hunting with your dog. She contacts wild animals that can be infected with rabies. Regularly carry out processing from fleas, worms and ticks.

Kurzhaars are considered longlivers and maintain activity until old age. On average, they live 12-14 years, and with good care they can live up to 16 years.

Who is this breed for?

Famous owners

Actor Bradley Cooper took from the shelter Kurzhaar Samson. In less than a week, the dog would have been euthanized, but the actor changed his fate. Samson and Bradley spent 13 happy years together.

The producer of Yana Rudkovskaya live two Kurzhaara Old and Queen.

Tokio Hotel guitarist Tom Kaulitz owns a pointer named Scotty. Scotty once became a gossip column when he was in a frame with model Heidi Klum.

History of the Kurzhaar breed

Kurzhaar an artificially bred breed. In German, the name means “short wool”: “kurz” short and “haar” wool. In the USA, this breed is called the German Shorthaired Pointer, in Europe the German marriage, in Russia the German Shorthaired Hound. The appearance of modern dogs has been formed in several centuries. Researchers of the breed failed to establish the exact time of the appearance of kurtshaars. It is believed that the ancestors of the modern pointer were used hundreds of years ago for net hunting and falconry in the Mediterranean countries. The ability of dogs of this breed to sneak up to game and make a rack was especially appreciated.

Through Italy, Spain and Flanders, this breed fell into German estates. Since the XVII century, the breed has been considered as a German. In Germany, the ancestors of the Kurtshaara were often crossed from Hanover’s hound. But Perdigero Burgos, one of the breeds of Spanish marriages, had the greatest impact on the modern type of dogs.

In 1872, in Germany, they created a tribal book of Kurzhaarov. The first dog that got into it was called Hector. He had ears and head more than modern dogs. And in general was more massive.

In 1890, breeding work began to be carried out to facilitate the appearance of the dog. The ancestor of the modern Kurtshaara was crossed with Pointer and in 1912 the International Poganology Federation adopted the breed standard.

In America, the new breed quickly turned out to be popular. By 1957, about 15 thousand dogs were registered in the American club of Kurzhaar lovers. In Russia, before the Second World War, this breed was not very popular. Then the number of dogs increased, but there was no consensus on how to hunt with kurtshaars. And only in the 1970s dog handlers formed the general principles of hunting with this breed.

How to choose a puppy

First, decide for what purposes you need a kurtshaar. For hunting, take a puppy from hunter parents who work well on the trail.

To participate in exhibitions and breeding, take a puppy from kennels. Be sure to ask your parents to show you. See if they have breed defects. Study the pedigree documents of puppies, analyze the pedigrees of the parents. It is advisable to study documents for several puppies at once. If you are not familiar with the breed, contact an independent canine expert. A good breeder is interested in getting his puppies into good hands and will be happy to provide additional information. If problems arise at this stage, then this is a reason to doubt the integrity of the breeder.

See all puppies from the litter. If fed correctly, they will be the same size. A puppy weighs approximately 3 3.5 kg per month. Puppy should not have watery eyes. The hind legs should not have dewclaws rudimentary big toes located just above the foot. Check the bite it must be correct. This is an important quality for a hunting dog. A dog with a bite according to the standard catches and holds game well. Experienced dog breeders consider folds on the head to be a plus. This means that there is enough room for the skull to grow. Solid brown head color preferred.

Choose an active kid, but not the main bully. If a puppy strives to dominate everyone from the very first days, then he will show this quality all his life. This means that it will be difficult to train him. For hunting, this is also a bad quality; when working collectively, the dog will clash with other relatives.

Hunters offer a test to choose a puppy with the best sense of smell. Place a bowl of freshly cooked meat near sleeping puppies. The puppy with the best sense of smell will be the first to show interest and reach for the bowl.

It is also important to choose a puppy with a stable psyche for hunting. The dog must react calmly to the sight of game, long hours and difficult hunting conditions. Hunters offer us a test again. When the puppies are awake and minding their own business, drop the keychain on the floor. Take a puppy who will show interest and go to investigate what happened. This means that the dog will not be afraid of shots and will show skills to search for game.

Find out if the puppy’s parents have been tested for genetic diseases. Remember that you are choosing a companion for the next 12-15 years. Take the time to inspect the puppy. An interested look, brilliant wool, playfulness guarantee you that the dog will not become a client of a veterinary clinic in the near future.

Pointer price

This is a rather expensive breed, however, on the sites selling services and goods, you can find ads in which dogs are given away for free or for a nominal fee. A thoroughbred dog without documents is also offered there at a price of 5,000 rubles 10,000 rubles. Private breeders sell dogs with documents at a price of 15,000 rubles 25,000 rubles. Prices in nurseries start from 30 000 rubles. Puppies with a good pedigree from show winners start from 60,000 rubles and have no upper limit.

We advise you not to save on buying a puppy and trust only trusted kennels or hunters that you know personally.