German Longhaired Pointer Club

Characteristics || General Appearance || Breed Standard

Characteristics

Throughout Western Europe the German Longhaired Pointer is regarded as an exceptional hunting, pointing and retrieving gundog. The breed combines power with grace, pace with style and displays a quiet and equable disposition. A more loyal companion would be hard to find.

Having been bred to work for the roving hunter they are the ideal rough shooting dog, working the season through on all types of quarry. They are the most determined of hunters and game finders, quartering the ground, pointing, holding the game until told to flush and retrieving gently to hand - they are equally good on land and in water. Longhairs are much happier doing what they have been designed for, rather that acting as a pure retriever sitting at a peg on a driven shoot. Nor are they suitable for people that are away from home for long periods in the day or for those that live in cities or where they cannot be run freely.

It is a noble, quiet breed that loves people, children and the company of others. At least one to two hours' exercise a day is required, rain or shine. It is expected for them to work all day and their energy is inexhaustible. They are very intelligent and therefore easily trained but it should be noted that it is not a hardheaded breed and would be sensitive to harsh training.
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General Appearance

It is a medium to large dog with a noble, aristocratic appearance. Movement is long striding, stylish and graceful. Coats can be solid brown, brown with white markings especially on chest and feet, white with brown markings or roan (white with numerous flecks and small and large brown patches.)

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Interim Breed Standard

General Appearance
Medium sized, noble and elegant, powerfully built with overall impression of an energetic, well balanced dog.

Characteristics
Dual purpose Pointer/Retriever, very keen nose, determined hunter and game-finder; equally good on land and in water.

Temperament
Calm, even tempered. Alert, biddable and very loyal.

Head and Skull
Aristocratic appearance, muzzle and skull of equal length. Top of head slightly rounded; medium width nasal bone, showing slight arch in profile and rising gently to forehead with no pronounced stop. The foreface should be of proportionate length to the skull, fairly broad and deep without being coarse, well chiselled below the eyes. Flews fairly deep, but not pendulous or exaggerated. Jaws strong. Nose brown, but slightly flecked markings permissible. Head hair considerably shorter than body.

Eyes
Brown. As dark as possible, of medium size slightly oval shaped, neither deep set nor protruding. Tight eyelids, no visible haw.

Ears
Broad and set close to and quite high on head. Turning slightly forward and leathers reaching to a point half way between corner of mouth and nose. Turning out on the bottom edge; well feathered on the outside with longer hair. Slightly wavy feathering should reach beyond tip of nose. Lower half of inside of leathers covered in hair. Ear leathers twice as long as broad.

Mouth
Jaws strong, with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Full, strong dentition desirable.

Neck
Moderate length, muscular and slightly arched, without dewlap; joining the shoulders and chest smoothly.

Body
Well developed sternum, visible when viewed from the side. Broad, deep ribcage, reaching at least to the elbows. Back straight, firm and moderate in length. Very muscular around loins.

Forequarters
Shoulders sloping and muscular with top of shoulder blades close; upper arm long. Elbows set close to body, turning neither outwards nor inwards. Forelegs straight and well feathered, sufficiently muscular and strong but not coarse boned. Pasterns slightly sloping.

Hindquarters
Long croup, slightly sloping. Stifles well bent. Hind legs straight when viewed from rear. Pasterns nearly upright.

Feet
Well arched, compact, close knit, round to oval shaped with strong nails and pads; turning neither in nor out. Tufts of dense short hair between toes.

Tail
Well feathered, slightly scimitar shaped, moderately long, not reaching below hocks. Strong at root, becoming gradually thinner. Carried horizontally or just below line of back. Docking of tip of tail optional.

Gait/Movement
Free, long-striding, stylish and graceful, with good forward reach and powerful drive from hindquarters.

Coat
Correct coat very important. On back and sides of body, about 3-5cms long (1-2 inches), close fitting and with good undercoat. On throat, chest and stomach, coat may be longer. Body hair sleek and close lying, smooth or slightly wavy. Back of front legs and hind legs to hock joint, well feathered; below hocks significantly shorter.

Colour
Solid Brown: White markings permissible especially on chest and feet. Dark brown roan: with varying sized brown patches, brown head with blaze or star. White, ticked: with varying sized brown patches, brown head with blaze or star. Trout-coloured roan: numerous small brown patches on white ground, brown head with blaze or star.
Brown and White: either clear, or with large brown patches (e.g. saddle) and very few small patches; brown head with blaze or star. The colour black is not permissible

Size Height
Dogs - Minimum height at withers 60 cms (24 ins), maximum 70 cms (28 ins). (Ideal height 63-66 cms (25-26 ins)).

Bitches - Minimum height at withers 58 cms (23 ins), maximum 66 cms (26 ins). (Ideal height 60-62 cms (24-241/2 ins). Weight: Approx. 30kgs (66lbs).

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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