AKC
Breed Standards
The German Shorthaired
Pointer
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.
The overall picture which is created in the observer's eye is that
of an aristocratic, well balanced, symmetrical animal with conformation
indicating power, endurance and agility and a look of intelligence
and animation. The dog is neither unduly small nor conspicuously
large. It gives the impression of medium size, but is like the proper
hunter, "with a short back, but standing over plenty of ground."
Symmetry and field quality are most essential. A dog in hard and
lean field condition is not to be penalized; however, overly fat
or poorly muscled dogs are to be penalized. A dog well balanced
in all points is preferable to one with outstanding good qualities
and defects. Grace of outline, clean-cut head, sloping shoulders,
deep chest, powerful back, strong quarters, good bone composition,
adequate muscle, well carried tail and taut coat produce a look
of nobility and indicate a heritage of purposefully conducted breeding.
Further evidence of this heritage is movement which is balanced,
alertly coordinated and without wasted motion.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Size--height of dogs, measured at the withers, 23 to 25 inches.
Height of bitches, measured at the withers, 21 to 23 inches. Deviations
of one inch above or below the described heights are to be severely
penalized. Weight of dogs 55 to 70 pounds. Weight of bitches 45
to 60 pounds. Proportion--measuring from the forechest to the rearmost
projection of the rump and from the withers to the ground, the Shorthair
is permissibly either square or slightly longer than he is tall.
Substance--thin and fine bones are by no means desirable in a dog
which must possess strength and be able to work over any type of
terrain. The main importance is not laid so much on the size of
bone, but rather on the bone being in proper proportion to the body.
Bone structure too heavy or too light is a fault. Tall and leggy
dogs, dogs which are ponderous because of excess substance, doggy
bitches, and bitchy dogs are to be faulted.
Head
The head is clean-cut, is neither too light nor too heavy, and is
in proper proportion to the body. The eyes are of medium size, full
of intelligence and expression, good-humored and yet radiating energy,
neither protruding nor sunken. The eye is almond shaped, not circular.
The preferred color is dark brown. Light yellow eyes are not desirable
and are a fault. Closely set eyes are to be faulted. China or wall
eyes are to be disqualified. The ears are broad and set fairly high,
lie flat and never hang away from the head. Their placement is just
above eye level. The ears when laid in front without being pulled,
should extend to the corner of the mouth. In the case of heavier
dogs, the ears are correspondingly longer. Ears too long or fleshy
are to be faulted. The skull is reasonably broad, arched on the
side and slightly round on top. Unlike the Pointer, the median line
between the eyes at the forehead is not too deep and the occipital
bone is not very conspicuous. The foreface rises gradually from
nose to forehead. The rise is more strongly pronounced in the dog
than in the bitch. The jaw is powerful and the muscles well developed.
The line to the forehead rises gradually and never has a definite
stop as that of the Pointer, but rather a stop-effect when viewed
from the side, due to the position of the eyebrows. The muzzle is
sufficiently long to enable the dog to seize game properly and be
able to carry it for a long time. A pointed muzzle is not desirable.
The depth is in the right proportion to the length, both in the
muzzle and in the skull proper. The length of the muzzle should
equal the length of skull. A dish-shaped muzzle is a fault. A definite
Pointer stop is a serious fault. Too many wrinkles in the forehead
is a fault. The nose is brown, the larger the better, and with nostrils
well opened and broad. A spotted nose is not desirable. A flesh
colored nose disqualifies. The chops fall away from the somewhat
projecting nose. Lips are full and deep yet are never flewy. The
teeth are strong and healthy. The molars intermesh properly. The
bite is a true scissors bite. A perfect level bite is not desirable
and must be penalized. Extreme overshot or undershot disqualifies.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is of proper length to permit the jaws reaching game to
be retrieved, sloping downwards on beautifully curving lines. The
nape is rather muscular, becoming gradually larger toward the shoulders.
Moderate throatiness is permitted. The skin is close and tight.
The chest in general gives the impression of depth rather than breadth;
for all that, it is in correct proportion to the other parts of
the body. The chest reaches down to the elbows, the ribs forming
the thorax show a rib spring and are not flat or slabsided; they
are not perfectly round or barrel-shaped. The back ribs reach well
down. The circumference of the thorax immediately behind the elbows
is smaller than that of the thorax about a hand's breadth behind
elbows, so that the upper arm has room for movement. Tuck-up is
apparent. The back is short, strong, and straight with a slight
rise from the root of the tail to the withers. The loin is strong,
is of moderate length, and is slightly arched. An excessively long,
roached or swayed back must be penalized. The hips are broad with
hip sockets wide apart and fall slightly toward the tail in a graceful
curve. A steep croup is a fault. The tail is set high and firm,
and must be docked, leaving approximately 40% of its length. The
tail hangs down when the dog is quiet and is held horizontally when
he is walking. The tail must never be curved over the back toward
the head when the dog is moving. A tail curved or bent toward the
head is to be severely penalized.
Forequarters
The shoulders are sloping, movable, and well covered with muscle.
The shoulder blades lie flat and are well laid back nearing a 45
degree angle. The upper arm (the bones between the shoulder and
elbow joint) is as long as possible, standing away somewhat from
the trunk so that the straight and closely muscled legs, when viewed
from the front, appear to be parallel. Elbows which stand away from
the body or are too close result in toes turning inwards or outwards
and must be faulted. Pasterns are strong, short and nearly vertical
with a slight spring. Loose, short-bladed or straight shoulders
must be faulted. Knuckling over is to be faulted. Dewclaws on the
forelegs may be removed. The feet are compact, close-knit and round
to spoon-shaped. The toes are sufficiently arched and heavily nailed.
The pads are strong, hard and thick
Hindquarters
Thighs are strong and well muscled. Stifles are well bent. Hock
joints are well angulated and strong with straight bone structure
from hock to pad. Angulation of both stifle and hock joint is such
as to achieve the optimal balance of drive and traction. Hocks turn
neither in nor out. Cowhocked legs are a serious fault.
Coat
The hair is short and thick and feels tough to the hand; it is somewhat
longer on the underside of the tail and the back edges of the haunches.
The hair is softer, thinner and shorter on the ears and the head.
Any dog with long hair in the body coat is to be severely penalized.
Color
The coat may be of solid liver or a combination of liver and white
such as liver and white ticked, liver patched and white ticked,
or liver roan. A dog with any area of black, red, orange, lemon
or tan, or a dog solid white will be disqualified.
Gait
A smooth lithe gait is essential. It is to be noted that as gait
increases from the walk to a faster speed, the legs converge beneath
the body. The tendency to single track is desirable. The forelegs
reach well ahead as if to pull in the ground without giving the
appearance of a hackney gait. The hindquarters drive the back legs
smoothly and with great power.
Temperament
The Shorthair is friendly, intelligent, and willing to please. The
first impression is that of a keen enthusiasm for work without indication
of nervous or flightly character.
Disqualifications
China or wall eyes.
Flesh colored nose.
Extreme overshot or undershot.
A dog with any area of black, red, orange, lemon, or tan, or a dog
solid white.
Approved August 11, 1992
Effective September 30, 1992
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The German Wirehaired
Pointer
General Appearance
The German Wirehaired Pointer is a well muscled, medium sized dog
of distinctive appearance. Balanced in size and sturdily built,
the breed's most distinguishing characteristics are its weather
resistant, wire-like coat and its facial furnishings. Typically
Pointer in character and style, the German Wirehaired Pointer is
an intelligent, energetic and determined hunter.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The height of males should be from 24 to 26 inches at the withers.
Bitches are smaller but not under 22 inches. To insure the working
quality of the breed is maintained, dogs that are either over or
under the specified height must be severely penalized. The body
is a little longer than it is high, as ten is to nine. The German
Wirehaired Pointer is a versatile hunter built for agility and endurance
in the field. Correct size and balance are essential to high performance.
Head
The head is moderately long. Eyes are brown, medium in size, oval
in contour, bright and clear and overhung with medium length eyebrows.
Yellow eyes are not desirable. The ears are rounded but not too
broad and hang close to the head. The skull broad and the occipital
bone not too prominent. The stop is medium. The muzzle is fairly
long with nasal bone straight, broad and parallel to the top of
the skull. The nose is dark brown with nostrils wide open. A spotted
or flesh colored nose is to be penalized. The lips are a trifle
pendulous but close to the jaw and bearded. The jaws are strong
with a full complement of evenly set and properly intermeshing teeth.
The incisors meet in a true scissors bite.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is of medium length, slightly arched and devoid of dewlap.
The entire back line showing a perceptible slope down from withers
to croup. The skin throughout is notably tight to the body. The
chest is deep and capacious with ribs well sprung. The tuck-up apparent.
The back is short, straight and strong. Loins are taut and slender.
Hips are broad with the croup nicely rounded. The tail is set high,
carried at or above the horizontal when the dog is alert. The tail
is docked to approximately two-fifths of its original length.
Forequarters
The shoulders are well laid back. The forelegs are straight with
elbows close. Leg bones are flat rather than round, and strong,
but not so heavy or coarse as to militate against the dog's natural
agility. Dewclaws are generally removed. Round in outline, the feet
are webbed, high arched with toes close, pads thick and hard, and
nails strong and quite heavy.
Hindquarters
The angulation of the hindquarters balances that of the forequarters.
The thighs are strong and muscular. The hind legs are moderately
angulated at the stifle and hock and, as viewed from behind, parallel
to each other. Dewclaws are generally removed. Feet as in front.
Coat
The functional wiry coat is the breed's most distinctive feature.
A dog must have a correct coat to be of correct type. The coat is
weather resistant and, to some extent, water-repellent. The undercoat
is dense enough in winter to insulate against the cold but is so
thin in summer as to be almost invisible. The distinctive outer
coat is straight, harsh, wiry and flat lying, and is from one to
two inches in length. The outer coat is long enough to protect against
the punishment of rough cover, but not so long as to hide the outline
of the dog. On the lower legs the coat is shorter and between the
toes it is of softer texture. On the skull the coat is naturally
short and close fitting. Over the shoulders and around the tail
it is very dense and heavy. The tail is nicely coated, particularly
on the underside, but devoid of feather. Eyebrows are of strong,
straight hair. Beard and whiskers are medium length. The hairs in
the liver patches of a liver and white dog may be shorter than the
white hairs. A short smooth coat, a soft woolly coat, or an excessively
long coat is to be severely penalized. While maintaining a harsh,
wiry texture, the puppy coat may be shorter than that of an adult
coat. Coats may be neatly groomed to present a dog natural in appearance.
Extreme and excessive grooming to present a dog artificial in appearance
should be severely penalized.
Color
The coat is liver and white, usually either liver and white spotted,
liver roan, liver and white spotted with ticking and roaning or
solid liver. The head is liver, sometimes with a white blaze. The
ears are liver. Any black in the coat is to be severely penalized.
Gait
The dog should be evaluated at a moderate gait. The movement is
free and smooth with good reach in the forequarters and good driving
power in the hindquarters. The topline should remain firm.
Temperament
Of sound, reliable temperament, the German Wirehaired Pointer is
at times aloof but not unfriendly toward strangers; a loyal and
affectionate companion who is eager to please and enthusiastic to
learn.
Approved July 9, 1985
Reformatted May 14, 1989
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