How to Rehome Your German Shorthaired Pointer Responsibly in the United States

Pet for Rehoming6 min read

An owner hugging an adult German Shorthaired Pointer at home

To rehome your German Shorthaired Pointer responsibly in the United States, first contact the breeder, who may be bound to take the dog back, and the regional GSP rescue for your state, then write an honest listing, screen applicants for exercise, fencing and other pets, and hand over in person with records and a signed agreement. A modest rehoming fee is normal; Adopt a Pet suggests a reasonable dog rehoming fee is often around $50 to $150.

If your GSP's energy has outgrown your time, a new job, a baby or a move, there is no shame in finding a better fit. How you do it decides where the dog ends up.

Key points

Check your contract: the breed club's guidelines ask breeders to accept back any dog they bred.
Disclose escapes, cat chasing, separation stress and any bite in writing.
Charge a modest fee, take it only at the handover, and give a receipt.
Meet applicants, see their fence, sign an agreement and transfer the microchip on the day.

What are your options before you rehome your GSP?

Ways to rehome a German Shorthaired Pointer in the US
Option	How it works	Best when
Your breeder	Takes the dog back or helps place it	You bought from a breeder; the contract may require it
Regional GSP rescue	Volunteers foster, assess and match; some list dogs for owners	You want breed experience behind the match; intake depends on space
Rehome by Adopt a Pet	Online listing with applications and a small listing fee	The dog can stay with you while you search
Your own listing	You write the ad, screen and choose	The dog is safe with people and you have a few weeks
Shelter	Surrender	Last resort; the club's rescue notes say GSPs in shelters often mourn and can suffer kennel shock

NorCal GSP Rescue suggests going back to the breeder, shelter or rescue the dog came from first, then family and friends, then online rehoming. The German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America lists regional groups by state, from Southeast GSP Rescue to Wisconsin GSP Rescue; its list is dated March 2023, so confirm contacts first.

How do you write an honest GSP rehoming listing?

Name, age, sex, weight, color, spay or neuter status and microchip.
Why you are rehoming, in one honest sentence.
Daily exercise now, and what happens without it. PetMD says an under-exercised GSP becomes troublesome and often destructive; people who know the breed will respect the honesty.
Training: house-training, crate, leash manners, recall and any field experience.
Who the dog lives well with, and who it does not.
Clear photos, including one side-on and one of the dog running.

You can post your GSP for rehoming for free. Keep your phone number out of the ad text and use messages until you trust an applicant. Adopters searching German Shorthaired Pointers for rehoming can save the search and get an alert when your ad appears.

What must you disclose about your GSP's health and behavior?

NorCal GSP Rescue's owner questionnaire makes a good checklist: vet records, vaccinations, current or chronic medical problems, heartworm prevention and microchip; house-training and crate-training; escape tendencies; reactions to other dogs, cats, children and strangers and to being left alone; and any bite history. Put the answers in writing and keep a copy.

Share health tests too. If your dog or its parents have OFA hip, elbow, heart, eye or cone degeneration results, give the registered name so adopters can check them.

How much should you charge to rehome your German Shorthaired Pointer?

Adopt a Pet suggests a reasonable dog rehoming fee is often around $50 to $150, more for some purebred adults, and notes that a fee well above about $300 is closer to a sale. For comparison, NorCal GSP Rescue asks adoption donations of $425 for a dog aged one to five and $250 for a senior, with vetting included. It also recommends that owners charge a fee, because it discourages people looking for free dogs for fighting or medical research.

Take the fee only at the handover, in person, and give a receipt. If you have a litter rather than one adult, see how to sell German Shorthaired Pointer puppies.

How do you screen people who want your GSP?

Ask who will exercise the dog every day, how and for how long.
Ask about fencing and where the dog will sleep.
Ask about cats, birds and other small pets.
Ask about hunting plans; the breed club's rescue notes say GSPs from sheltered pet homes generally do not do well with avid hunters.
Ask how long the dog will be alone on workdays.
Ask for their vet's name and call the clinic.
Meet the whole family and, as NorCal GSP Rescue advises, visit the home before you place the dog.

The checklist in how to take in a rehomed German Shorthaired Pointer shows what a careful adopter will ask you. If you plan to list the dog free, read how to give away a German Shorthaired Pointer without risk.

How do you hand over your GSP safely?

An owner handing a German Shorthaired Pointer's leash and things to its new owner

Hand over in person, ideally at the new home; never ship the dog to someone you have not met.
Bring vet records, food, leash, crate and a favorite toy, plus the signed agreement.
Transfer the microchip registration, and the AKC registration if any, together on the day.
Tell the new owner exactly how your dog has escaped before; in a new place it does not know its way home.
Agree on check-ins after a week and a month, and a promise to return the dog to you rather than pass it on.

Once the dog has gone, mark your listing as no longer available. If anyone pressures you or asks you for money, stop replying and use the Report Scam button.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my breeder take back my German Shorthaired Pointer?

Breeders who follow the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America's guidelines agree to accept the return of any dog they bred or help place it. Read your contract and call the breeder before you list the dog anywhere.

Is there a German Shorthaired Pointer rescue near me?

The breed club lists regional groups covering most states, such as GSP Rescue of New England, Mid-Atlantic GSP Rescue, Ohio Shorthair Rescue, Texas GSP Rescue and All Points West GSP Rescue. If no group is listed for your state, ask the nearest one; the list is dated March 2023, so confirm contacts first.

How much should I charge to rehome a GSP?

Adopt a Pet suggests around $50 to $150 for a dog in most cases, more for some purebred adults. A fee well above about $300 starts to look like a sale. You can donate part of it to a GSP rescue.

Should I tell adopters my GSP escapes?

Yes, in writing. Escape history decides what fence, leash and recall training the next home needs, and hiding it risks the dog getting lost in its first week. A good adopter will be grateful for the warning.

What if my German Shorthaired Pointer has bitten someone?

Disclose it in writing and talk to your vet or a regional GSP rescue before listing. They can assess the dog and look for an experienced home. A general listing is not the right place for a dog with a serious bite history.