ideal and the back ribs lack length and that will be very difficult to reverse. GS: Not really! This can be an elegant, yet quite durable breed, and when viewed, presents a picture of rugged endurance! I personally prefer them to be groomed and presented well for the show ring, as I do any “show dog”. I do not feel they are being over-groomed, to the contrary, I believe the owners and/or handlers should take the time to hand strip the coats, in keeping with the wirey coat required of this breed! 4. What do you think new judges misunderstand about the breed? JB: New judges must understand the difference between a natural versus a “manufactured” coat, as well as accept- able colors. SH: New judges often misunderstand how important the wire coat is and forgive what should be severely penal- ized. This goes for extreme and excessive grooming, also. The coat does not have to be long to have texture and be protective. The judges should consider controlling the speed at which this breed is moved. It should be evalu- ated at a moderate gait. Care should be taken that a dog is not penalized for being aloof. LM: Aloof doesn’t mean shy. To be correct breed type is a package deal made up of proper coat and conformation. SP: I still think there is a huge issue with front angulation and the actual assessment of it in the ring. Upright shoul- ders and upright short upper arms are wrong, although they do give extra height at the withers giving almost a generic show dog shape—height at the forehand, sloping topline and lots of angles behind. Without the correct length and layback of the upper arm it can also give the impression of having no fore chest or lacking depth of chest whereas if that upper arm was more correct it would place the foreleg in the correct position and more likely fix the fore chest and lack of depth issues. Also, as far as length of body, this is an important feature for the breed so it must be recognized and judges be made aware that the length comes from the ribs and not the loin, which also ties in the general lack of rib length and depth I’ve mentioned above. GS: This is not a German Shorthaired Pointer with wire coat! 5. Is there anything else you’d like to share about the breed? JB: The GWP was developed as a personal hunter, family companion and guardian of the property. They are very intuitive about people and loyal to their family. They are very smart and conniving and can be comical at times. This is not a breed for everyone, as they tend to be strong willed. They enjoy challenges, games and sharing time with their humans. SH: I would like to share that breeders are making an effort to avoid a split between show and field by testing their dogs to maintain versatility. That means judges should keep what they have been taught about the original func- tion of the breed in the forefront of their minds when
judging. Prioritize selections accordingly. Look for an athletic dog. Look for strengths that insure a dog will not break down or tire when working. Assist those exhibitors who strive to maintain versatile dogs. LM: Their intelligence and ability to learn combined with sense of humor really makes the breed. SP: Just be mindful that the breed is fully capable of doing the whole thing, being a hunting gun dog capable of finding game, retrieving tenderly, tracking wounded game and yet that same dog can go into the ring and win at the highest level. Show fashion dictates presentation in the show ring, but as breeders we must keep the dual purpose aspect the breed is well known for and place our puppies into homes that recognize that natural instinct and can actual nurture and cope with the natural working aspect. GS: Again, this is not a GSP! The coat has to be wirey and hand striped—not soft and fuzzy. This breed has no place for neither shyness nor aggression. It should not move choppy or stilted, but rather with good reach and drive, well muscled and never exaggerated. 6. And, for a bit of humor: What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever experienced at a dog show? JB: While I was a still a handler, I along with many of us attended shows in the MA-RI area after the New England Circuit of yesteryear. It was on a Sunday and we were all pretty tired and it was a hot day. Most people had already left the show to go home and those of us remaining for Group judging were looking for a “pick-me-up”. Well I organized a group of about 7 ladies of the “ole-guard” status and sat them at the end of the ring and gave them pieces of paper with large black numbers on them from 1 to 4. As the men in the group ring were doing their down and backs, these ladies held up numbers rating their posteriors. This was absolutely hysterical and everyone enjoyed a good laugh as some of the men were really put- ting on a show. SH: The late George Heitzman could keep one laughing in and out of the ring. One incident that involved me occurred when he asked that I complete a triangle and I, promptly, went down and back to the corner of the ring. When I returned, he asked, “What drafting school did you attend?” LM: I was doing obedience with a GWP that watched me do the entire heeling pattern by myself, much to the spectators’ enjoyment. SP: My funniest moment? That would be trying to show an experienced Champion dog that has gone on point at a bird that was sitting in the tree right next to our ring. GS: Oh, this could take a while! I think it would be when we helped dye a GSP pink for James Moran to exhibit to Emil Klinkhardt in the group ring! Emil, with his typical grace and good humor, simply took the entire group around together, and pointed to James to leave the ring before he examined the first dog. (Ch. Brittania Von Sibelstein... the real GSP in that group, went on to Group 1, that day!)
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