Holly: Understanding the Activity Level of A Young German Shorthaired Pointer

The term "active" can feel like a gentle breeze to one person and a full-blown gale to another. To understand the activity level of a breed like the German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP), you need more than a quick look in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. We discovered many things about Holly, a young female GSP at California GSP Rescue. Interacting with breed-specific rescues can give one valuable insights.

Holly's story is familiar: a caring family hoped for easy walks around the block. Instead, they found her lively spirit needed a much more active routine. Holly has nothing "wrong" with her. She perfectly reflects the lively exuberance of a 2-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer. Her previous owners were responsible and caring. They noticed they were not equipped to manage an active breed and looked for help. Sadly, rescues encounter these situations all too often. This highlights why working with a rescue organization dedicated to a specific breed is beneficial. Rescues know how to educate potential adopters about what a breed needs. This includes energy levels, training requirements, and traits specific to each breed. This helps match dogs and humans better.

Playing fetch can be a fantastic way to focus a GSP's energy and prey drive. Holly certainly demonstrates a love for the chase! However, these intelligent and athletic dogs thrive on consistent exercise. Ideally, twice daily, 30 to 45 minutes of vigorous activity like fetching, running, hiking, or biking. Remember, a tired dog is often a more receptive student; training sessions are most effective after their physical needs have been met. Holly is great with other dogs. She’ll enjoy ongoing training to build her confidence. Although she has been shy with new faces, she warms up quickly.

Holly's journey highlights an important point: watch her video and do your research and set realistic expectations when bringing a dog into your life. Working with dedicated rescues like California GSP Rescue helps potential adopters. They gain valuable insights that can prevent great dogs, like Holly, from needing new homes through no fault of their own.

If you are active and understand what Holly needs, please submit an application. If you aren't as active a person as Holly needs, you can still help her by sharing her post and video. If you would like to do more to help, please consider becoming a Rescue Hero.