German Shorthaired Pointer Breed Magazine - Showsight

“THE NOSE SHOULD BE LARGE, DARK BROWN AND BROAD, aS iF looKinG at the end oF a double barrel ShotGun.”

dark iris color that will remain as they age into their adult years. Th e nose should be large, dark brown and broad, as if looking at the end of a double barrel shotgun. Th e correct bite is scissor with molars properly intermeshing but teeth aren’t counted. Extreme over or undershot is a DQ and a muzzle that is too short or is lacking depth will a ff ect a dog’s ability to pick up and carry game over distance. Th e neck tapers at the nape and widens slightly as it blends into the shoulder. Th ere should be su ffi cient length of neck for the dog to pick up and retrieve game but not so long it will tire over distance. Does the shoulder blade lay back and on the rib cage blending smoothly? Th e upper arm should

be long, returning back in a compliment angle placing elbows in a support posi- tion along side the rib cage. Th e area just behind the elbow will be slightly smaller in circumference than a hand’s width back allowing the elbow to work and stay under the dog for balance during movement. Th e pro-sternum should have proper fill in older dogs. Note depth of chest, at least to the elbow and adequate length of ribcage with slight spring not width thus allowing adequate heart and lung func- tion. Th e back is short and strong with a perceivable slope from the withers to the base of the tail and a perceivable rise from the bottom of the chest up and into the tuck up. Neither is exaggerated, but some dogs with level top lines or rears higher

than their withers may be stacked with the rear quarter stretched well out behind to give the impression of a sloping top line. Th e Standard allows for square or slightly longer than tall dog, the latter does not mean a long bodied dog with short legs. A slightly longer than tall dog will still be in proportion, whereas the one with a long body with short legs will not. Th e term short back standing over a lot of ground is based on a well laid back shoul- der blade and a complimentary forward tilt of the sacrum (pelvis) with forequar- ter angles matching hindquarter angles. Imagine a trapezoid superimposed on the side of the dog with the sidelines running through the middle of the shoulder blade and pelvis. Th e parallel lines above and

“THE NECK TAPERS AT THE NAPE

and widenS SliGhtly aS it blendS into the Shoulder.”

dual Champion and national Field trial Champion liebmeister roll tide—only the 8th dog in history to have this title. he is also the winner of the american Kennel Club Pointing breed Gun dog Championship (retrieving stake) in april 1998.

204 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , O CTOBER 2014

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