done. Eyebrows should appear natural and are never scissored—GWPs should not be trimmed to look like terriers or Giant Schnauzers. Don’t necessarily penalize a dog for sparse facial furnishings as very often excellently coated dogs do not have abundant furnishings. Remember that the coat on the dog’s skull should be naturally short and close fitting. Th e ears are round- ed at the tips, not too broad and hang close to the head and should be set just above the level of the eye. Th e correct bite is scissors and complete dentition is preferred. When examining a dog’s mouth, there’s no need to count teeth, but large gaps should be noted. Th e jaws are strong and should be su ffi ciently deep to carry game. Th e eyes are brown and slightly oval in shape. A dark eye is very pleasing and adds to the correct expression of the dog. Although we have dogs with lighter eyes in the breed, we are rarely seeing the yellow “bird of prey” eyes that were more com- mon years ago. A young dog may have a lighter eye with a darker ring around the iris. Th ey will darken over time, sometimes taking up to three years to achieve their adult color. Eye rims should be close fitting to keep out irritating seeds, grasses and other irritating debris. Th e nose is brown, never black or flesh colored. Th e neck is slightly arched and should have enough length and strength for the dog to retrieve and easily carry a good- sized pheasant or goose. Proportionately, the body from the sternum to ischium is slightly longer than from withers to ground. Th e forechest is defined, with the brisket extending to the elbow, enabling good heart and lung capacity. Although the chest is developed, it shouldn’t be so wide as to interfere in any way with the action of the forelegs. Th e back is short and strong with a perceptible slope from withers to croup. Perceptible means that you should be able to recognize that there is a slope, it doesn’t mean exaggerated. Ribs are well sprung and the underline extends well back to form a gradual tuck- up, which is apparent. Th e croup is gen- tly rounded, showing no tendency to fall away sharply and the tail is a continuation of the spinal column and should be car- ried at or above the horizontal when the
“THE FEET OF A GWP ARE WEBBED and slightly oval in outline, with toes well arched and close.”
dog is moving and alert. Th e entire out- line of the dog should flow smoothly. Although the standard calls for the tail to be docked to approximately two-fifths of its original length, this is often a per- sonal preference and the docked length is obviously man-made. Th e length of a docked tail is not a reason to ever fault an otherwise good dog. Th e feet of a GWP are webbed and slightly oval in outline, with toes well arched and close. A tight foot with good depth of pad protects the dog from stones, sand spurs, burrs, thorns and other sundry hazards on the ground while hunting. Shoulders should be well laid back with hindquarter angulation balancing that of the front. Good angula- tion facilitates a smooth, ground-covering stride and balance of those angles enable correct foot timing and promotes endur- ance in a dog that is working. Th e gait is harmonious, e ff ortless and purposeful and the topline should remain firm when the dog is moving. Th e standard mentions that the “leg bones are flat, rather than round”, in reality, the bone is oval, not flat. Th e natural functional double coat is the hallmark of the breed. Th e standard states that “a dog must have correct coat to be of correct type”. Th e coat is weather
resistant and to some extent, water-repel- lent. Th e outer coat is straight, harsh, wiry and flat lying. It is long enough to protect the dog against the punishment of rough cover, but not so long as to hide the out- line of the dog. Th e coat on the skull and ears is naturally short and close fitting, however the ears may have wisps of longer hair or a “fringe”. Th e undercoat is softer and shorter and may be dense enough in winter to insulate against the cold but may be quite thin in summer—but, undercoat should always be present to some degree.
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