Country/Date of Origin: Germany/1800s
German sportsmen do not favor a specialist hunter. They want a dog that can do it all. The German Shorthair can. With great skill it does the work of a pointer, a retriever and a spaniel. It tracks, points, and retrieves on land and water. In a land where hunting for the table was important, it was bred not for speed or drive, but rather for thoroughness.
In the 1870s the German parent club established physical standards and required that the dogs also be able to demonstrate hunting ability and intelligence. Dr. Charles Thornton imported some dogs to the US in 1925. The German Shorthair's prowess was so evident that it was able to gain entry into the American Kennel Club by 1930.