German Shorthaired Pointer

(Breed Standard)

Partha Sekhar Chatterjee

International All Breeds Dog Show Judge

The general appearance of German Shorthaired Pointer is noble, steady, showing power, endurance and speed. They give the immediate effect of an alert and energetic dog whose movements are well coordinated. They are medium size, with a short back, standing over plenty of ground. They have a clean cut head, long sloping shoulders, deep chest, short back, powerful hindquarters, good bone composition, adequate muscle, well carried tail and a taut coat. 

They are dual purpose, pointer/ retriever, with a very keen nose, perseverance in searching and initiative in game finding, excellent in the field, a naturally keen worker, equally good on land and water.

They have a gentle and affectionate temperament. They are alert, biddable, and very loyal. 

The head and skull are clean cut, neither too light nor too heavy and well proportioned to the body. The skull is sufficiently broad and slightly round. The nasal bone gradually rises from nose to forehead, never4 possessing a definite stop. When they are viewed from the side a well defined stop effect due to positions of eyebrows. The lips fall away almost vertically from a somewhat protruding nose and continues in a slight curve to the corner of the mouth. They have well developed lips and not over hung. They have powerful jaws and sufficiently long, to enable the dog to pick up and carry game.

The dish-faced and snippy muzzle is undesirable. They have solid brown nose or black depending upon its coat colour. The nostrils are wide, well opened and soft. 

The eyes are medium in size, soft and intelligent, neither protruding nor too deep set. They are of varying shades of brown to tan with coat. They should not have undesirable light eyes and eyelids should close properly.  

The ears are broad and set high. They are neither too fleshy nor to thin, with a short, soft coat, hung close to the head, no pronounced fold, rounded at tip and reaching almost to the corner of the mouth when brought forward. 

They have sound and strong teeth. The jaws are strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite.

The neck is moderately long, muscular, slightly arched and thickening towards the shoulders. 

The forequarters are sloping and very muscular, top of the shoulder blades are close. The elbows are well laid back, neither pointing outwards nor inwards. The forelegs are straight, lean with sufficient muscles and strong. 

The Chest is deep, rather than wide but in proportion to the rest of the body. The ribs are deep and well sprung the back ribs reach well down. They have firm, short back which is not arched. They have wide loins and a slightly arched croup which is wide and sufficiently long, neither too heavy nor too sloping, starting on a level with the back and sloping gradually towards the tail. The bones are solid and strong.  

The hindquarters are broad and wide, falling slightly towards the tail. The thighs are strong and well muscled. Stifles are well bent. The hocks are square with the body and slightly bent, turning neither in nor out and the pasterns nearly upright.

They have compact feet, close knit, round to spoon shaped, well padded, turning neither in nor out. The toes are well arched with strong nails. 

The tail is high and thick growing gradually thinner, customarily docked to medium length. When quiet, the tail is carried down, when moving held horizontally, never held high over back or bent. 

The movement is a smooth gait. As gait increases from walk to a faster speed, legs coverage beneath body (single tracking). Forelegs reach well ahead, effortlessly covering plenty of ground with each stride and followed by hindlegs, which give forceful propulsion. 

The coat in the body is short, flat, coarse to touch and slightly longer under the tail. 

The colour should be solid liver, liver/white spotted and ticked, solid black/black and white same variation (not tri-colour). 

The height is minimum 58 cms. to maximum upto 64 cms.

Bitches: 53-59 cms. 

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. 

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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