Australian Shepherd
Other names: Vorstehhund, Kurzhaar

The German Shorthaired Pointer is a breed that was first seen to accompany the German aristocrats of the 1800s on their hunting forays. It was originally (and in some parts of the world still is) an all-purpose gun dog capable of catching game as well as retrieving it. This breed of Pointer has webbed feet as a result of generations of selective breeding: a trait which was useful to the dog when recovering wild fowl from lakes and marshland.
Key facts about the Australian Shepherd
Origins and history
The descendant of the German Shorthaired Pointer is believed to be a German Bird Dog, itself descended from dogs of Spanish origin and brought to Germany in the 1600s. Other hounds and pointers are thought to have then been bred with the Bird Dog to bring about the German Shorthaired Pointer that we know today. The breed is unchanged since the 1800s and still retains the characteristic of an agile and versatile hunter.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 7 - Pointing Dogs
Section
Section 1 : Continental Pointing Dogs
Physical characteristics of the Australian Shepherd
Adult size
Female : Between 23 and 25 in
Male : Between 24 and 26 in
Weight
Female : Between 62 and 71 lb
Male : Between 62 and 71 lb
Coat colour
The most obvious physical attribute of the German Shorthaired Pointer is its coat. The coat can be solid liver colour or liver and white, and is often speckled through with small patches of black hairs or a mixture of colours including white.
Type of coat
The hair is short.
Short and dense and rough to touch; the coat is thinnest across the head and ears.
Eye colour
Dark brown.
Description
This dog is bred to move effortlessly and as such it has a streamlined body. From the withers at the top of the shoulders to the croup above the tail the back falls gently in an almost straight line. Its long ears are floppy and set high on its head. The dog’s muzzle has a Romanesque length to it and its jaw is broad and strong.
Good to know
The German Shorthaired Pointer is the archetypal outdoor adventurer. It can swim well, does not tire easily, can fight off attacks from other animals and is exceptionally obedient. Training and socialisation are essential components of the early years’ development of this dog.