JUDGING THE POINTER
THE BELOW INSERTS OF HEADS AND TAILS ARE TAKEN FROM THE ILLUSTRATED STANDARD.
Temperament: The Pointer’s even temperament and alert good sense make him a congenial compan- ion both in the field and in the home. He should be dignified and should never show timidity toward man or dog. Head: The skull is of medium width, approxi- mately as wide as the length of the muzzle, resulting in an impression of length rather than width. Slight fur- row between the eyes, cheeks cleanly chiseled. There should be a pronounced stop. From this point forward the muzzle is a good length, with the nasal bone so formed that the nose is slightly higher at the tip than the muzzle at the stop. Parallel planes of the skull and muzzle are equally acceptable. The muzzle should be deep, without pendulous flews. Jaws ending square and level; should bite evenly or as scissors. Nostrils are well- developed and wide open. Shoulders: Long, thin, and sloping. The top of the blades are close together. Front: Elbows are well-let-down, directly under the withers and truly parallel so as to work just clear of the body. Forelegs are straight and with oval bone. Knee joint is never to knuckle over. Pasterns are of moderate length, perceptibly finer in bone than the leg, slightly slanting. Chest is deep rather than wide, must not hinder free action of forelegs. The breastbone is bold, without being unduly prominent. The ribs are well- sprung, descending as low as the elbow-point. Back: Strong and solid with only a slight rise from croup to top of shoulders. Loin is of moderate length, powerful, and slightly arched. Croup falling only slightly to base of tail. Tuck-up should be apparent, but not exaggerated. Tail: Heavier at the root, tapering to a fine point. Length no greater than the hock. A tail longer than this or docked must be penalized. Carried without a curl, and not more than twenty degrees above the line of the back; never carried between the legs. Hindquarters: Muscular and powerful with great propelling leverage. Thighs are long and well-devel- oped. Stifles are well-bent. The hocks are clean; the legs are straight as viewed from behind. Decided angu- lation is the mark of power and endurance. Feet: Oval, with long, closely set, arched toes, well- padded and deep. Catfoot is a fault. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed. Coat: Short, dense, smooth with a sheen. Color: Liver, lemon, black, orange; either in com- bination with white or solid colored. A good Pointer cannot be a bad color. In the darker colors, the nose should be black or brown; in the lighter shades it may be lighter or flesh-colored. Please visit the American Pointer Club website ( www.americanpointerclub.org ) to view the complete Illustrated Standard and the Pointer PowerPoint pre- sentation. Submitted by Susan Bleckley, Judges Educa- tion Chair, 714- 321-1245, susanbleckley@gmail.com .
162 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2022
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