Home / Breeds / Compare / Poodle (Standard) vs German Shorthaired Pointer
The Poodle (Standard) is a large breed described as "Intelligent, active, proud and eager", while the German Shorthaired Pointer is a large breed described as "Enthusiastic, smart, friendly and tireless outdoors". On estimated monthly costs the two are close: food plus the midpoint of insurance comes to about $87 a month for the Poodle (Standard) and $84 for the German Shorthaired Pointer, a gap of about $3. For daily exercise, plan around 75 minutes a day at the middle of the Poodle (Standard) range, against 105 minutes a day for the German Shorthaired Pointer.
| Measure | Poodle (Standard) | German Shorthaired Pointer |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Non-Sporting | Sporting |
| Size class | large | large |
| Height | 15 to 22 in | 21 to 25 in |
| Weight | 40 to 70 lb | 45 to 70 lb |
| Lifespan | 10 to 18 years | 10 to 12 years |
| Exercise per day | 60 to 90 minutes | 90 to 120 minutes |
| Good with children | Good with children | Good with children |
| With other dogs | Good with dogs | Good with dogs |
| Apartment life | With enough exercise | Not ideal |
| Energy | 4 of 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Trainability | 5 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Grooming needs | 5 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Shedding | 1 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Barking | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Coat | Dense, curly single coat that grows continuously and sheds very little. | Short, thick, water resistant coat. |
| Food cost per month | $35 | $37 |
| Insurance per month | $38 to $66 | $35 to $60 |
| Estimated total per month | $87 (estimate) | $84 (estimate) |
Estimated totals add the standard tier food estimate for a typical adult to the midpoint of the insurance range in each breed profile. They are planning estimates, not quotes, and the method behind them is on our methodology page.
The biggest gap is lifespan: the middle of the Poodle (Standard) range is 14 years, against 11 years for the German Shorthaired Pointer.
The next biggest gap is grooming needs: the Poodle (Standard) is rated 5 of 5, against 2 of 5 for the German Shorthaired Pointer.
The third gap worth noting is daily exercise: the middle of the Poodle (Standard) plan is about 75 minutes a day, against 105 minutes a day for the German Shorthaired Pointer.
Poodle (Standard): Intelligent, active, proud and eager. The Standard Poodle is an athlete and an intellectual in a sculpted coat: originally a water retriever, now one of the most trainable dogs alive.
German Shorthaired Pointer: Enthusiastic, smart, friendly and tireless outdoors. The Shorthair is the do everything gundog: point, retrieve, swim and then crash happily on the sofa.
Food for a typical adult runs about $35 a month for the Poodle (Standard) (55 lb, roughly 3.3 cups a day at a standard quality tier) and about $37 a month for the German Shorthaired Pointer (58 lb, roughly 3.4 cups a day). Insurance usually falls between $38 and $66 a month for the Poodle (Standard), and between $35 and $60 a month for the German Shorthaired Pointer. Adding food to the midpoint of insurance gives an estimated total of about $87 a month for the Poodle (Standard) and $84 a month for the German Shorthaired Pointer. That difference is driven mainly by insurance, where the midpoint for the Poodle (Standard) sits at $52 a month against $48 for the German Shorthaired Pointer, a gap of about $4, ahead of the food gap of about $1.
Run your own numbers, including year one costs, in the cost of a dog calculator. How every figure on this page is built and checked is set out on our methodology page.
The Poodle (Standard) costs more on these estimates, at about $87 a month against $84 for the German Shorthaired Pointer, a difference of about $3. The total is food at a standard tier plus the midpoint of the insurance range for each breed.
The German Shorthaired Pointer needs more exercise: 90 to 120 minutes a day, against 60 to 90 minutes a day for the Poodle (Standard).
Both profiles carry the same rating, "Good with children", so this pairing does not separate them on children. Size, energy and steady supervision matter more than the label here.
Read the full profiles: Poodle (Standard) and German Shorthaired Pointer. Try any two breeds in the interactive compare tool, browse all popular breed comparisons, or take the breed quiz to score all 469 profiles against your life.
Last updated: November 2026