Appearance
The German Shorthaired Pointer is streamlined yet powerful with strong hindquarters that make it able to move rapidly and turn quickly. It has moderately long floppy ears set high on the head. Its muzzle is long, broad, and strong, allowing it to retrieve even heavy game. The dog's profile should be straight or strongly Roman nosed. The eyes are generally brown, with darker eyes being desirable. Yellow or "bird of prey" eyes are a fault.
The tail is commonly docked, although this is now prohibited in some countries. The correct location for docking a German Shorthaired is after the caudal vertebrae start to curl, leaving enough tail to allow the dog to communicate through tail wagging and movement. The docked tail should not be too long or too short but should balance the appearance of the head and body.
The German Shorthaired Pointer's tail is carried at a jaunty angle, not curled under. When they are in classic point stance, the tail should be held straight out from the body forming a line with the pointing head and body. Like all German pointers, the Shorthaired should have webbed feet.
Size
Various breed standards set its height at the withers anywhere between 21 and 25 inches, making this a medium breed. Adults typically weigh from 55 to 70 pounds, with the female being usually slightly shorter and lighter than the male.
Coat and Color
The German Shorthaired Pointer's coat is short and flat, with a dense undercoat protected by stiff guard hairs making the coat water resistant and allowing the dog to stay warm in cold weather. The color can be a dark brown, black (although any area of black is cause for disqualification in American Kennel Club sanctioned shows), or either color with white.
Commonly the head is a solid or nearly solid color and the body is speckled or "ticked" with liver and white, sometimes with large patches of solid color called "saddles". Roan coats are also common, with or without patching.