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Breeders of fine German Shorthaired Pointers, located in Rockwell NC, about 45 minutes north of Charlotte. Member:

Philosophy

We love the German Shorthaired Pointer breed and we love our dogs.

Our GSPs bring a tremendous amount of richness and fullness to our lives–they are truly, our extended family. It’s our goal to create companions who fill the same niche for other families, whether they’re working hard pointing game, prancing around the show ring, hogging space on the couch, or knocking furniture over with the kids during the ten o’clock zoomies.

You may find we do things a bit different here at Big Cedar…

First and foremost, we breed for healthy dogs.

Next we breed for disposition–attentive dogs, eager to please their humans.

Next we breed for conformation, recognizing breed standards and striving for a sleek, attractive dog. The truth is, hunting is in their blood. Nearly all GSPs can do “it,” but our dogs make “it” look good 🙂

From this point on, because the German Shorthaired Pointer is so versatile, our focus shifts from trying to control the vast set of variables in dog breeding, to identifying these variables. We don’t set out to only capture a single quality, but rather celebrate all the qualities that make a GSP such an outstanding companion–whether a pup has an exceptional nose, prey drive, biddability, affinity for water, etc.

With this approach in mind, we’re able to accommodate the right dogs for the right homes, whether you’re an avid hunter looking for a pup who will go all day long in the woods, or a homebody, searching for the perfect family dog.

About

A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.

–Jack London

Big Cedar Pointers:

We’re a small family breeder based in the farm country just north of Charlotte, NC. Our dogs are whelped, raised, and live with us in our home, situated on 12 wooded acres.

We believe in a natural approach to life, keeping things simple and in harmony with nature as much as possible.

We’re dog people. Well, technically, we’re animal people… but dogs are a BIG part of our lives. Engaging with our pups every day is our passion.

There’s a handful of breeds we truly admire, but we breed GSPs because we absolutely adore every facet about them (and there are many). Our goal is to produce excellent dogs–to pass along the friendship and life-changing experience of having a dedicated, enthusiastic, hard-working GSP as part of the family.

The Breed:

The German Shorthaired Pointer breed traces its lineage back centuries through Central Europe, France, Italy, Spain, and ultimately Germany where it developed into the quintessential Gun Dog we recognize today.

A versatile dog, the German Shorthaired Pointer or GSP, hunts, points & retrieves. Its determination to work any terrain, water and weather is matched only by their loyalty and dedication to please their owners.

A fast, lean medium size dog, you can’t fully appreciate a GSP until you see it charge through a wooded area with the grace of a gazelle and the resolve of a rhino, or point a bird in the high brush, like a living statue.

Breed Specifications:

Height: Male / 23-25 inches – Female / 21-23 inches

Weight: Male / 55-70 pounds – Female / 45-60 pounds

Coat: Short, low maintenance.

Tail: Docked to 40-50%

Colors: Learn all about GSP colors and patterns on our color explanation page. Liver, Liver Roan, Liver & White, Black, Black Roan, Black and White.

Nose Color: Black or Liver

Eye color: AKC preference Dark Brown.

Markings: Solid, Patched, Ticked, Patched & Ticked.

Life Expectancy: 10-12 years (though up to 15 is not uncommon)

AKC Disqualifications for Show:

China or wall eyes (clear blue eyes flecked with a white or lighter blue).
Flesh colored nose.
Extreme overshot or undershot (jaw alignment).
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid.
Functional abnormality of eyelids or eyelashes.
A dog with any area of black, red, orange, lemon, or tan, or a dog solid white.

Is a GSP the right breed for you?

Well, clearly, if you’re a hunter, yes.

For the non-hunters considering a GSP companion, here’s some of the basics:

GSPs are high energy dogs that require significant activity and exercise. There are moments when they like to curl up on the couch and hog the covers on the bed, but the general word of the day for GSP is, “Go” or more accurately, “Go, Go, Go!” If you work them outside, they will be content to rest inside, with only a few outbursts of zoomies. On bad weather days when you’re too lazy to take them out, anchor down the furniture–the GSP storm is coming through.
Intelligent and eager to please.
They are good-natured and friendly.
Commonly referred to as Velcro dogs. They like to be with their owners most of the time. You in the kitchen cooking dinner? Your GSP is there to help you with the recipe. You grab your keys to run an errand? Your GSP is already at the door waiting to go. You trying to put that piece of ikea furniture together? Your GSP is sitting right next to you with a tilted head, wondering why you’re so mad.
Because of the strong bond with their owners GSPs can suffer from separation anxiety. This anxiety can lead to destructive behavior, excessive barking, eliminating etc. If you’re a one person home, where the dog needs to be kenneled for a full work-day, a GSP is probably not for you. And yes, if you have an outside kennel, they dig and fly.
GSPs typically get along well with other dogs. And even other animals if you socialize them early. They do have a strong prey drive for the smaller critters, but are generally pretty good at understanding, they shouldn’t eat the cats and chickens.
GSPs are also generally good with kids.
They have webbed feet and are solid swimmers. Ours love trips to the ocean.
When the dogs charge toward the front window barking, we know our Amazon delivery has arrived. While good watch dogs, GSPs are not aggressive with strangers, unless you count jumping on visitors and knocking them on their ass, or smashing them in the face with an unexpected kiss. UPS delivery men beware.
On this last point, GSPs are a lot of dog. Even with obedience training, GSPs are like those super bouncy rubber balls–always in motion, always an explosion of energy waiting to go off.
As the name suggests, GSPs have short coats. They do shed, but their fur is much smaller and finer than other breeds. Though difficult to pick off furniture and clothes, you can’t just grab it like a ball of long-haired fur, GSP shedding is generally less noticeable.
While GSPs love their human owners, work to please them, and follow command well, there’s an old adage when it comes to hunting dogs… “Nose on, Ears off.” If a GSP catches a scent or spots a critter shooting into the night, they can take off on you. Despite you calling them back in your “serious” voice. For this reason, at least for the early years of their lives, they can’t be left alone off leash for any significant amount of time.

Health Concerns:

GSPs are generally strong, resilient, healthy dogs. However, like any pure breed, there are a few health concerns that may appear in the breed.

Hip and elbow dysplasia. (abnormal formations of the joint sockets.)
Eye conditions such as progressive retinal atrophy/cone degeneration. (progressive disease of the retina resulting in loss of vision in day light–“day blindness”)
Certain heart diseases.
Von Willebrand disease (blood disorder).
Degenerative myelopathy(a late onset, progressive neurological disease similar Lou Gehrig’s disease in people.)
Lupoid Dermatosis. ( a progressive skin condition that may advance to affect the spleen, lymph nodes, and kidneys.)

Puppies

2025 Litters

At this time, we are planning for 2 breedings in 2025.

If you’re interested in a puppy, please fill out the application in the middle of this page.

*** Follow us on Facebook. ***

On every litter we;
* Take 5 Holding Fees (at any time).
* Put 3 people on priority standby. This means you absolutely want a pup, but are not paying a holding fee. These folks are contacted first if the litter is bigger than 5 pups. Priority standby does not guarantee a pup. (Please contact us immediately if you change your mind and don’t want a pup.)
* If a litter is larger than 8 pups, pups 9 and above are open to first come, first served. And often go to folks who follow us on FB.

If you really want a pup from us, we recommend you fill out the app and let us know what year and season you’re looking for a pup (we generally have a spring litter and fall litter).

Even if our waiting list is full, you’d be surprised how often folks’ plans change and spots open up.

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Pricing:

All pups are $1450. (including the initial holding fee)
If you’re reserving a pup a year or more out, expect up to a 10% price increase. We make an effort to keep the price of our pups accessible… but with the price of everything skyrocketing, we have no choice but to adjust accordingly.

Holding Fee:

A $300.00 non refundable holding fee reserves you a pup.

If you’re looking for something specific and it doesn’t appear in the litter, you can transfer your holding fee to a future litter or another party (if someone else you know is interested in a pup and they pass our application process).

If you change your mind before you get a pup, you do not get your holding fee back. The primary time for selling puppies is 8 weeks of age. If we reserve a puppy for you and you back out, you’ve used up key opportunity to place that pup in another home. This creates extra work and expenses for us.

Picks:

Picks are issued in the order the holding fees are received.

We urge folks not to choose a pup primarily by color. It’s much more important to get the right dog in the “wrong” color, than the wrong dog in the right color.

Picks are opened after we do our prey drive tests at the beginning of week 7.

When it’s your turn, picks must be selected within 24 hours.

Don’t disappear on us. Don’t plan your vacation during the 7th week. We’re not going anywhere, we’re with the puppies, but if we can’t get in touch with you, you risk getting your pick pushed to the end of the line.

We’ll take pictures and videos as the pups grow.

Visitation opens at week 6, however due to size of litters and the pandemic, we may not be able to accommodate everyone who wants to come out before take-home day.

Once you’ve picked, you’ve picked. All picks are final. If you’re having trouble picking, we’ll help you–that’s why we don’t let folks pick early. The longer we hold the pups, the more insight we gain into each pup, helping us match pup to family.

Please keep in mind, PICKS ARE NOT SET IN STONE.

We do our best to lock picks in when holding fees are paid.

90% of the time, if there’s a move in the pick order, it is an improvement in your pick position (someone drops off and everyone moves up.)

But there are possibilities and instances; if a family that already has a Big Cedar pup, or someone in the litter ahead of you, has a problem, where you can be bumped back in order.
The good news is, in the chance you are bumped back, rest assured you’re going to get a great pup. Some of our “pick of the litter” pups have gone near last and some pups we’ve recommended to new families have gone last.

Different folks want different things out of their pups.

Socialization:

Proper socialization is key to having a biddable, competent dog.

Our pups are born in our home and handled by us from birth. We begin socialization with neurological stimulation on day 3.

As the pups grow we stress them, putting them through a series of tests and activities such as; playing fetch, introduction to a wing, introduction to a live quail, and shortly before they’re ready to leave, shooting over them with a blank pistol.

This socialization encourages proper physical and mental development and allows us accurate insight into their unique natures. In turn, allowing us to recommend pups to new homes for looking for specific characteristics and abilities.

Vaccines:

Our personal belief is that the best chance a pup has to establish his immune system, is to let it alone for the first 8-12 weeks of life. Healthy mom, healthy environment, healthy diet = healthy dog.

Since pups leave our home by 8 weeks, before the window of vaccination we use on our own dogs, we do not vaccinate pups.

We urge everyone to research the pros and cons of vaccines and discuss what vaccine schedule is appropriate for your situation, with your personal vet.

The core vaccines are; Distemper, Parvo, Adenovirus and Rabies.
There are a host of noncore vaccines such as; Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, and Lyme Disease.

Please note, our choice not to vaccinate pups before they leave is in no way to save a buck… in fact, we spend more in organic food, supplements and probiotics to build up the pups immune system naturally, than the cost of vaccines.

* If you require vaccines, administration can be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

Worming:

We worm through diet, herbs and natural supplements. We start the mom during pregnancy and continue with the pups from the day they are weened, until the day they leave.

If we see signs of worms and can’t get rid of them naturally, we administer medicated dewormer.

Dew Claws:

We do not remove dew claws.

The only reason to remove dew claws is for fear of them being damaged. Yes, they can tear in the field (or in a freak indoor accident) requiring surgery.

But, if you hunt or run your dogs regularly, you’re likely to see lots of other injuries requiring medical attention before anything goes bad with a dew claw. We know many more hunters who have never had a problem hunting with dew claws on, than hunters who have had accidents.

Simply put, it’s an uncommon occurrence, and to us, the pros of keeping them, outweigh the fear to remove them.

Tails:

Where dew claw injuries are not frequent, with high-energy GSPs, damaged or broken full-length tails are almost guaranteed and therefore must be docked.

We dock tails to the breed standard of 40-50%. Tail docking is more art than science; we error on the side of a slightly longer, especially to get a white bob or overall better looking tail. Stubby Doberman tails don’t belong on GSPs.

Microchip:

We do not implant microchips.

We tattoo our own adult dogs.

The potential adverse health risks of an implant migrating, causing a tumor at the injection site, or other health complication, combined with the simple fact that they don’t always work, leads us to leave the decision whether or not you microchip to the new owner.

If you decide to chip, we ask that you add us as a secondary contact on the chip.

GUARANTEE:

The full details of out health guarantee can be found in our contract, here’s the abridged version:

We do not breed dogs with any known serious conditions or congenital defects.
We will disclose any known illnesses or health issues prior to the sale. If a pup has to our knowledge, any issues beyond something minor, we will not sell it.
All holding fees are non-refundable. If you change your mind before you pick up the pup, you lose the holding fee. If your puppy gets sick and dies or has a serious defect before you pick it up, your holding fee gets applied to the next available puppy or litter.
We do not issue refunds of any kind, for any reason.
We make no guarantee of performance.
Buyers are required to take their new pup to the vet within 72 hours of receiving the dog. If the dog is sick with a major congenital defect or life-threatening disease/illness, it can be returned to us for a new pup from the next available puppy or litter.
While we only sell healthy pups with strong genetic lines, it is impossible to foresee the future, especially when taking into consideration diet and environment. Even when breeding two OFA certified excellent hip dogs, Mother Nature says it’s still possible to have an offspring that suffers from Hip Dysplasia.

That said, we believe in our breeding program.

If a congenital defect surfaces at anytime within 3 YEARS, it can be returned to us for a new pup from the next available litter.

We do not pay, reimburse, or refund for vet bills.

Limited Registration:

Responsible breeding is a full-time job requiring a significant financial commitment.

Breeding for the breed standard, dedicated to improving the line, all of our dogs are sold with limited registration. Full registration will be granted only on a case-by-case basis, to homes willing to meet health, performance and conformation stipulations.

Pick Up Day and Boarding:

When pups turn 8 weeks (give or take a day or two depending on the dates) we notify families of a 2-day pickup window.

There’s a common misconception that since we breed dogs it’s simple and easy for us to hold on to a pup however long, until their new family is ready to come and get them.

We love all our pups, but the reality is, at 8 weeks, pups need lots of, nearly constant, attention and stimulation.

When a single pup is left behind, it no longer has any brothers and sisters to provide that attention and stimulation–which means it all falls on human shoulders. As you already know, or will soon find out, providing that attention and stimulation is a lot of work!

Remember, all our pups are raised in our home. They aren’t left in an outbuilding kennel and checked on a couple times a day.

Having a single puppy to look after in the house, along with our other five dogs, on our “working farm” (farm used loosely) demands a completely different day-to-day approach for us. It restricts what we can do and where we can go (as long as someone else’s pup is here, we’re obligated to reduce germ introduction as much as we can).

It’s best if you pick up your pup in the 48 hour window.

But we’ll always try to accommodate someone if you need another day or two. Beyond 2 days after the pickup date, we offer two levels of boarding (which despite all the complaining we just did :), we’re more than happy to do);

Basic look after: $25/day

We engage the pup, but our focus is only on keeping him safe and happy, as best we can. This includes kennel and potty training.

Starter Training: $45/day

Training doesn’t mean he’ll fetch your paper and make you scrambled eggs when you pick him up at 9 weeks. But he’ll have started on the basic obedience which will likely make your life easier in continuing your own training.

Gun Dog Training: There’s stuff you can do to promote and prepare for actual gun dog training this early, but unless you’re going to leave your pup with us for an extended stay, you may want to save the money and wait a few days until you can start your own program.

All prices and terms listed on this page are current, but are subject to change without notice.

PUPPY APPLICATION HERE.

previous litters:

(sorry, we’ve been pretty bad about updating the previous litters section, we mostly post pictures to Facebook.)

(Fall 2020 litter) January 6, 2021:
All pups are now at the forever homes! Thank you everyone who contacted us about pups and a warm welcome to our new extended family pup owners.

(Give us Feedback. We’re always happy to hear from folks on ways to improve our site and the information we provide on our dogs.)

Tango getting a nail trim.

Sierra wanting to get down and play!

Echo waving to the camera.

Cash who would later become “Cash Money Bentley.”

India sweet, playful India.

Oscar confident, stylish and charming.

(Fall 2019 litter):

Miss Pink – 7 Weeks (not available)

Muzzle length: 2.125″ Paw width: 1.75″
Gentle giant. Attentive. Smart. Beautiful. Nearly solid liver on top half, strong break of white above rump.
Prey drive: High-Average-Low-Fail.
Shot over @ 8 weeks: Pass-no response.

6 weeks Pink:

5 weeks Pink:

3 weeks Pink:

Miss Yellow – 7 Weeks (not available)

Muzzle length: 1.875″ Paw width: 1.5″
Most affectionate. Sprinter. Long eye contact. Nearly solid liver on top half, two small streaks of white likely to darken with age.
Prey drive: High-Average-Low-Fail.
Shot over @ 8 weeks: Pass-noticed sound, no effect.

5 Weeks Yellow:

3 Weeks Yellow:

Mr. Green – 6 Weeks (not available)

currently @ 8 lbs 8 ounces
Muzzle length: 2.25″ Paw width: 1.75″
Talker. Good nose. Sleeps alone. Explorer. Future lady killer.
Prey drive: High-Average-Low-Fail