If, like me, you’re wondering why people are so keen to have small GSPs, then it’s a pretty simple explanation.

GSPs have high-set ears that are broad and lie flat. They have dark brown, almond-shaped eyes that aren’t closely set. If you could see in the infrared and stood on the moon underneath the military laser’s beam, it would appear roughly 30 times brighter than the full Earth. That’s quite bright, but not blindingly so. It’s still only one-thousandth the brightness of the midday sun on Earth. One of the most notable traits of the German Shorthaired Pointer is its high energy levels and need to be around its owners. Not being able to give a GSP enough exercise and social and mental stimulation can lead the dog to destructive behaviors. Speed and range alone do not a good bird dog make, but from the Montana prairies to the mountainous Oregon desert, where the limit to what you can hunt is often how far you can see, speed and range are a good start. Granted, at that age Nellie still had to learn to hunt, not just run, and figuring out where the birds were was something she was just learning. But she's come around quite nicely since then and more than lived up to her initial promise. She seems to have settled on a closer range than my wide-ranging setters, but for every guy like me who enjoys hunting over big-going dogs, there are 10 that like moderate to close workers.Ever see a German Shorthaired Pointer and think “Man, I’d love to have one but they are so big”. Maybe the idea of a Miniature German Shorthaired Pointer sounds perfect! trieve is a happy aberration. Fancy was no exception. She made it clear that retrieving was something she'd do if I asked her, but not something she loved. Yet ask her I did, and she usually acquitted herself reasonably well. Perhaps her most noteworthy retrieve happened while my friend Bill and I were pushing up a narrow coulee, and Fancy had just stopped to point. Intelligence, in fact, seems characteristic of the breed. You can, with perhaps marginal justification, level the claim that Brits haven't got superb noses, great range or intensity on point, but nobody who owns one has ever accused them of being stupid. Suppose you wanted to get a small German Shorthaired Pointer but couldn’t find one. You may consider other smaller dog breeds similar to GSPs. There is no dog breed recognized by the American Kennel Club as a Miniature GSP, only the traditional German Shorthaired Pointer is an actual recognized dog breed by the AKC.

Keep reading as I discuss the common traits of GSPs and how to get a “miniature” GSP. I’ll also discuss other smaller dog breeds similar to GSPs, whether in personality or other characteristics. There’s No Such Thing as Miniature German Shorthaired Pointers But you don’t need to take our word for it. The math needed to calculate the answer is surprisingly simple.Weapons-grade lasers also tend to have a much larger opening, or aperture, which counterintuitively causes the laser beam to spread out less, thus enhancing the beam’s ability to maintain its intensity over longer distances. Beyond the most common reasons to want a Miniature GSP, it’s worth noting that a smaller German Shorthaired Pointer is actually a great hunter as well with improved versatility above a traditional sized GSP. Officially recognized dog breeds will always “breed true.” It means breeding two purebred dogs of the same breed will always produce offspring following “breed standards” like physical traits and temperament. So now you’re wondering why some GSPs are smaller than others, right? It’s simple really; it all comes down to genetics. It’s the same reason some humans are tall and others are short.

If a GSPs parents are small, then it’s likely that they will be too, and so breeders can be pretty certain that they’re selling small GSPs to new owners. Why do some people seek out small GSPs? A digression: I say, "stopped to point" rather than "slamming into" a point for a reason, because that's what many Brittanys do. One of my friends, a setter man to the bone, complains that he can never tell when my Brittany is pointing or simply pausing to take in the view. That hurts, but it's a valid criticism.Fancy was also a good swimmer, and several times over the course of her 11-year career she was called upon to do water retrieves. Brittanys, unlike most of their spaniel brethren, don't take to water naturally and ideally should be taught at a young age. To that end, I spent most of my first summer letting Fancy romp along behind me on fishing trips. By the time she was six months old, she'd swim in my wake while I waded upstream casting flies. Hank is tame around little kids, but I can understand why some people are a little put off by the high energy of a larger dog like him. If you take your GSP outdoors, keep it leashed if you’re not in a securely fenced-in area. GSPs have a strong prey drive that can urge them to chase small furry animals. Smaller Dog Breeds Similar to GSPs These breeds were included for being very similar to GSPs in personality, intelligence, affection towards their family, ease of trainability, and energy levels. They are also arranged according to height, from taller to shorter dogs, and all smaller than the standard GSP: And even I can admit that it would be a little easier if he wasn’t so big, but I wouldn’t have him any other way. For me, a GSP is supposed to be big, but I don’t look down on those who prefer their GSPs a little smaller.

I've had several Brittanys over the years, and my last dog, Fancy, was probably the best retriever of the bunch. Although I keep hearing about Brittanys that are "natural" retrievers, in my experience a strong drive to re Another aspect to consider is the color of the laser. Many people assume that laser pointers emit only red light, but that’s not the case. You can actually find laser pointers in different colors as well, such as blue, green and purple. The color of the laser is related to the wavelength it emits. Different GSPs have been bred over generations, causing some genetic diversity, but all of them are fundamentally GSPs at heart, regardless of their size.All in all, those who want GSPs are looking for an energetic outdoor activity companion. This dog is also intelligent and affectionate with its family. GSPs are Perfect for Outdoorsy Families