Pheasant Ridge Ranch

Most solids are hybrid solids, meaning that they carry the recessive for particolor. When bred to a particolor, roughly 50 percent of the offspring will be solid- colored, of course carrying the recessive for particolor. Obviously the particolored offspring, as recessives, will not produce solid nor carry for it. One can obtain a “pure for solid” individual by the mating of two hybrid solids. Roughly 75 percent of the offspring will be solid-colored, with approximately 25 percent being “pure for solid.” The only way to make a determination of that purity is through test breeding.

White markings of varying degree are found on solid-colored Pointers. The usual locations are the chin, throat, and chest, and there is sometimes a face blaze. White markings on the stomach, paws, or even the legs and tail-tip are not unusual. There are no faults as to coloration or markings in this breed. Consequently evaluating the quality of a Pointer based on its coloration and markings shows a lack of knowledge of the breed standard.

This is a very rudimentary treatise of color genetics. It is an attempt to inform while keeping the subject matter extremely simple so that someone not specifically interested in genetics can still grasp the fundamentals of color breeding in Pointers. Concise information on color breeding is covered in The Inheritance of Coat Color in Dogs, which can be ordered from booksellers.

In summary, solid-colored Pointers are beautiful and have been the subject of artists for centuries. They deserve recognition as an original coloration of the breed and equal consideration and appreciation, both in the show ring and in the field. We have an obligation to the breed to participate in the preservation of solid-colored Pointers. –S.T.

Thank you, Susan, for this informative column. Please visit the APC website at www.americanpointer- club.com for more information on our wonderful breed. —Helyne E. Medeiros, Marstons Mills, Mass.; seasy-dehm@aol.com.

Breed Versatility

Often one hears comments about the versatility of the GSP in relationship to its performance in agility rally and obedience events. Other areas of the breed’s versatility include achievement of hunt-test, field-trial, and conformation titles and service in SAR, drug-search, and assistance and therapy work, as well as companions.

To the developers of the breed, versatile meant the dog would hunt fur and feather and large and small game, and that he could both blood-trail and cold-track. He would stand his ground in I the face of a predator animal and dispatch it upon command or hold larger game at bay until the hunter arrived. He would work in open fields and heavily wooded areas, on uneven terrain and in water. He could not only locate and point but retrieve as well.

The following is found in the standard, under “General Appearance”:

The German Shorthaired Pointer is a versatile hunter an all-purpose gun dog capable of high performance in field and water. The judgment of Shorthairs in the show ring reflects this basic characteristic.

So how does a judge determine if the Shorthair in the conformation ring is a “versatile hunter”? The answer can be found in assessing the various parts that make up the whole dog. The breed’s developers carefully considered each part of the dog’s ideal con- formation with the above requirements in mind. The nose is large, with well- opened nostrils designed to air-scent as well as to track or trail. The shape of the dog’s head and its parts, such as the eyes, were carefully considered for an animal who would be working in heavy brush, tall grass, or water or navigating through marsh reeds.

The dog must have jaw construction and bite allowing it to seize and carry game weighing up to IO pounds, such as geese, over long distances. The powerful jaw, sufficient length and depth of muzzle, and proper bite were essential to seize and hold game or dispatch a predator.

The coat must be able to shed ice, I dried mud, or burrs and not get hung up in the underbrush or pick up seed-awns. It must not be thin, soft, or porous but have enough thickness to protect against cold, dampness, and sharp underbrush, and it must resist water absorption. One German breeder compared the breed’s coat to that of the seal or polar bear, with enough hair of proper length and texture to protect against cold water but also to shed ice formation.

A tail set too low or curved toward the head would not be efficient as a rudder in the water, nor would it provide balance when quartering the fields.

Thin, fine bones would not serve well a dog required to work long hours over all types of terrain. For the versatile hunter to do his job, he had to be a medium-sized dog with proper bone in proportion to his body. He had to have enough size to be able to stand his ground yet not be so ponderous as to tire easily.

Without the proper “wheels,” a vehicle won’t go anywhere for long, and the same can be said of the Shorthair’s feet when it comes to versatility in hunting. Flat, splayed feet or those with thin pads and nails would not serve any breed well, much less one who is to work for long periods of time over all types of terrain and in the water.

The GSP is more than an athlete; he is a breed developed for versatile hunting, and his standard reflects this in several places. -Patte Titus, San Antonio, Texas.

German Wirehaired Pointers

Why Do I Do This?

I love dogs. I love my dogs. I’ve always loved dogs, and when I discovered dog shows, I was hooked! I love conformation dog shows. I enjoy preparing my dogs for shows. I enjoy dog shows, seeing the dogs, and visiting with friends about dogs. I look forward to my next show and dream of my next “great one.”

I diligently plan my next litter, and the next, and the next. I hope my dogs have improved over the years; I like to think they have. I’m proud of my dogs and their successes.

So why do I have thoughts of quitting the whole “dog show thing”? It seems that the past couple of years haven’t been as fun. I’m an experienced amateur-handler, yet judges bark orders at me in the ring as if they’re my drill sergeant and I’ve failed to shine my shoes. I’ve even seen judges excuse exhibitors because of a puppy’s misbehavior. Then they sit and chat amicably with professional handlers they know.

I don’t begrudge the judge his friendships, but the contrast between how amateurs versus professional handlers are treated is disheartening. Nobody enjoys being yelled at, especially when this is supposed to be fun, I can only imagine how someone new to dog shows must feel when treated this way. Frankly, as much I’ve always loved dog shows, I’m questioning whether this is really fun.

Then there are the exhibitors. I’ve always valued my friendships with “doggy” friends-not just GWP people, but friends who have other breeds. I love seeing old friends whom I only get to see at dog shows! We hang out at our grooming set-up, and we go out for dinner and talk dogs. We make plans to see each other at the next show.

But then you find out that some things aren’t as they seem. People start talking bad about each other. When you show a friend your new puppy she grudgingly gives a non-compliment and makes backhanded compliments when the dog does well. Is someone like this really a friend?

My husband stopped going to dog shows with me a few years back. For him, “dog show people” is a derogatory term. It is embarrassing how badly some show people behave sometimes, yelling at parking attendants, fighting over grooming spaces, blaming others for their own dog’s bad behavior, or not picking up after their dogs. Dog show people. I love dog shows, however, so I continue to show my dogs while my husband stays home.

Can going to a dog show be fun when you’re getting yelled at by judges, and people whom you thought were your friends have turned out to be something else? How much can someone tolerate before deciding, “This isn’t fun anymore”? Could this be why the average person stays involved in dog shows for less than 10 years?

I’ve always tried to help newcomers to our breed, and I’m not alone. Having a less-popular breed, we’re all happy to see someone new. We call newcomers “new blood.” We shouldn’t be turning them into human sacrifices, however. Once they’re involved, we can’t turn on them. After all, they can leave at any time, so maybe we should all try to be a little nicer to each other.

Let’s all try a little patience and a kind word for “dog show people.”-Jodi Quesnell, Sheridan, Wyo.; idawiregwps@isp.com