What to Do When Your German Shorthaired Pointer Is Lost in the United States

Why do German Shorthaired Pointers get lost?

• Self-hunting. The breed club's rescue notes say GSPs like to self-hunt; a dog that picks up bird or animal scent can go far from home.
• Lost during a hunt. Working ahead in cover, wind or unfamiliar country, a GSP can lose contact with you.
• Escapes. PetMD advises a fenced yard or a leash so a GSP does not wander off and become lost, and says an under-exercised GSP becomes troublesome.
• Panic. Fireworks or thunder can make any dog bolt; Merck Animal Health says a panicked dog may run for miles.
• Theft. Trained hunting dogs are sometimes stolen and sold.

What should you do in the first hours after your GSP is lost?

If your GSP was lost during a hunt or hike

1. Check your GPS handheld or phone app for the dog's last position and go there on foot.
2. Call and use the whistle or sound the dog knows, then wait quietly for a while before moving on.
3. Leave a worn jacket, your vest or the dog's bed with a bowl of water at the last-seen spot or by your parked vehicle, in case the dog comes back.
4. Tell landowners, other hunters in the area and the county sheriff's office or local animal control.
5. Put flyers at hunter parking areas, gas stations, feed stores and mailboxes nearby.

If your GSP escaped from home

• Check your property, then head toward the fields, woods or water your dog likes, since a GSP following scent may make for open ground.
• Ask neighbors to check barns, sheds and outbuildings and to look at trail-camera and doorbell footage.
• Leave a familiar item outside your door in case the dog finds its way back.

Who should you contact when your German Shorthaired Pointer is lost?

The German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America lists regional rescues by state. Its rescue notes say lost or strayed GSPs in shelters tend to mourn and sometimes suffer kennel shock and ask shelters to call rescue straight away, which makes the rescue a useful extra pair of eyes.

How do a microchip, nameplate and GPS collar help find a lost GSP?

Microchip. It only helps if the registry has your current number. If you are not sure which registry holds your dog's chip, enter the number in the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup.

Nameplate. A plate on the collar with your mobile number gets a dog home fastest, because anyone can read it without a scanner. Ducks Unlimited calls a nameplate and a microchip mandatory for hunting dogs.

GPS collar. It shows where the dog is in real time. Ducks Unlimited notes that phone-based trackers cost less but need cell coverage and a monthly fee, while dedicated collar-and-handheld systems work without cell service and start at about $430. Charge the collar and handheld before every outing.

How do you make a lost GSP flyer and post a lost ad?

• Use a recent side-on photo that shows the color pattern: liver or black, the white ticking, patches or roan, and any blaze.
• Give sex, weight, whether the tail is docked, collar color and whether a tracker was on.
• Say where and when the dog was lost, that it may be far away, and that people should call, not chase.
• Leave one marking off the flyer so you can check callers, as the BBB suggests.

You can post a free lost GSP ad with photos and the area where your dog went missing; keep your phone number out of the ad text and let people message you. Check lost and found German Shorthaired Pointer listings every day, and widen the area as time passes.

How do you guard against theft and scams?

Trained hunting dogs are sometimes stolen and resold. In 2019, for example, sheriff's detectives in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, got a tip that one of two stolen hunting dogs had been sold to a person nearby; both dogs went home and a man was arrested.

• If you think your GSP was taken, report it to the police or sheriff with the microchip number and photos.
• Watch free, rehoming and for-sale GSP ads in your region.
• The BBB warns that fake finders contact owners and ask for money before returning a dog. Ask for a current photo and the marking you left off the flyer.
• Pay any reward only when your dog is back, never by wire or gift card.

Our guides on getting a free German Shorthaired Pointer safely and taking in a rehomed German Shorthaired Pointer tell people to check ownership before they take a dog. Friends who want to help can read how to help find a lost German Shorthaired Pointer.

How do you keep a GSP from getting lost again?

• Give the one to two hours of hard exercise a day PetMD recommends; an under-exercised GSP is a restless one.
• Keep fences secure and gates shut; the breed club's rescue notes call a fenced yard ideal.
• Train a reliable recall before any off-leash work, and keep the dog leashed near roads.
• In the field, use a GPS collar, a nameplate with your mobile number and a bright collar or vest that is easy to see.
• Update the microchip registration after every move or new phone number.