all of the German Shorthaired Pointer pictures on this page are best of Show winners.
A GSP’s feet should be tight with suf- ficient arch in the toes, not flat or splayed, they may be round or spoon shaped and webbed. Th ere should be good depth of pad to cushion and protect while working long hours, over rough terrain or in areas known for sand burrs, thorny brush and rocky soil. Th eir nails are heavy and tough and should not be guillotined back to the end of the toe. Nails should be trimmed to a length that allows the foot traction with- out slipping but not so long as to cause the toes to turn sideways or the feet to spread. Th ere is no preference for a specific coat pattern or head marking, while you may prefer one as opposed to another, please do not let that factor into your decision when evaluating structure and e ffi cient movement. Do keep in mind light comes forward and dark recedes. You may have two dogs and or bitches with the same exact structure that may not appear that way because of their coat pattern or head marking. Th is is why it is important to
put your hands on the dogs. Th e liver color may vary from very dark like bitter- sweet chocolate to lighter shades. Th e liver GSP is genetically “bb.” It is important to understand regardless of darkness of color, the nose pigment will be liver and there are no black hairs intermingled with the liver color to make the ticked and roan areas look darker. Th e white Piebald and extreme white Piebald coat pattern has been in the breed since the very first dog Hecktor I was reg- istered in the German Studbook in 1879. Judges should view dogs with this coat pat- tern no di ff erent than their solid liver, liver patched, roan or ticked counterparts. Judge the total package do not get caught up with a personal color or coat pattern preference. Let movement be the deciding factor if two dogs are very close in positive attributes to the Breed Standard. Always keep in mind this is a hard working gun dog bred for multiple purposes. Type and soundness should always be foremost.
“THERE IS NO PREFERENCE For a SPeCiFiC Coat Pattern or head marKinG...”
210 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , O CTOBER 2014
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