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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:
Height of males should be from 24-26 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 is 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 and 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 is
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 from the hind
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 of 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 wooly 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 towards strangers; a loyal and
affectionate companion who is eager to please and enthusiastic to
learn.
Approved July 9, 1985 Reformatted May 14, 1989
Board of Directors American Kennel Club
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