Bird dog, hawking dog, water dog and scent hound: the FCI standard names four ancestors for the German Longhaired Pointer (Deutsch Langhaar), deriving the breed’s versatility from their mixture. The requirement is a dog for field, water and forest, useful before and after the shot, with a calm, restrained temperament.
| FCI | Group 7 (Pointing Dogs), Section 1.2 Continental Pointing Dogs, Spaniel type, Standard No. 117, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Height at the withers | Males 60 to 70 cm (ideal 63 to 66 cm), females 58 to 66 cm (ideal 60 to 63 cm) |
| Weight | Around 30 kg |
| Life expectancy | No separate study figure found (N/A); McMillan et al. 2024 group the breed with German Wirehaired and German Roughhaired Pointers (pooled median 13,0 years) |
| Coat | 3 to 5 cm on the body, plain, firm, smooth or slightly wavy and close-fitting, dense undercoat; wavy ears, plumed tail, feathered legs, much shorter on head |
| Colours according to the standard | Solid brown; brown with white or roan markings; dark, light and trout roan; brown and white; occasional yellow tan as an old scent-hound inheritance |
Pure breeding since 1879
Pure breeding of the longhaired German pointing dog began in 1879, fixing its characteristics; in 1897, Freiherr von Schorlemer drew up the first breed points. The family of longhaired German pointers also includes the Large Munsterlander (Großer Münsterländer) and the Small Munsterlander (Kleiner Münsterländer). The standard requires longer head hair than in the German Shorthaired Pointer (Deutsch Kurzhaar).
Composed, good-natured and biddable
Balanced, calm, restrained in temperament, good-natured and easily handled: the standard’s concise description. Do not underestimate the dog, though. Behind the calm lies a working gundog bred and tested for every task before and after the shot.
Field, water, forest or a genuine substitute
A working hunting home is best. Without hunting ground, offer tasks reproducing all three areas: laid trails and tracking for the nose, water retrieves and woodland searches. Add several hours of daily exercise.
Long hair in the right measure
The standard puts great weight on correct coat: neither excessive nor too short, with heavy feathering undesirable. Brush the plain coat and dense undercoat once or twice weekly, removing burrs from ears, feathering and breeches after woodland outings.
What studies show
No separate life-expectancy figure exists: McMillan and colleagues’ British analysis combines this breed with Wirehaired and Roughhaired Pointers, giving all three a median of 13,0 years (McMillan et al. 2024). Familial thyroid cancer is well documented in the Dutch population: 54 cases were histologically confirmed, 45 tracing to two closely related ancestors, and 76 per cent diagnosed before ten years (Yu et al. 2022). Two TPO variants substantially increase risk, and a genetic test was developed (Yu et al. 2021). Whether the same applies outside the Netherlands is unknown. Have neck swellings checked early.
A good match for
Hunters seeking a calm, versatile working gundog, and experienced owners able to provide permanent substitutes for field, water and forest work.
A poor match for
People without time for daily outdoor work, city flats without exercise opportunities and anyone expecting a large, calm dog without hunting instincts.
Before a working gundog joins you, try the breed quiz as an honest comparison; our book explores the subject further: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For the first weeks, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. Your Longhaired Pointer with flowing tail as a picture: dog portraits from a photo or a magazine cover on canvas.
Further reading
- Weimaraner: the handsome hunting dog who never clocks off
- Older dog, new rules: giving your senior their best years
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and what is not
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 117 Deutsch Langhaar (fci.be, German version dated 17.09.2014, valid standard published 10.11.2011); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Yu Y et al., Familial follicular cell thyroid carcinomas in a large number of Dutch German longhaired pointers, Veterinary and Comparative Oncology 2022; Yu Y et al., Deleterious Mutations in the TPO Gene Associated with Familial Thyroid Follicular Cell Carcinoma in Dutch German Longhaired Pointers, Genes 2021.
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