Tag Archives: judging

Breed Standard, Breeding, Care, Dog Shows, Field Events, Performance Events, Training, Whelping

NEWS FLASH – Gordon Setter Students & Mentors

September 10, 2015 Sally Gift 2 Comments

I started a new discussion group that you may find totally useful if you’re seriously into breeding and/or competing with your Gordon Setter. Now, I realize that many of you are not on Facebook and may well have sworn never to go there BUT you don’t have to turn into a Facebook junkie, nor do you need to accumulate a slathering of friends, but you will need to set up a Facebook account in order to view and post to the group. There are already fabulous discussions starting, questions being posed, and pictures being shared of dogs from way back, all things educational can be shared here.

Here is the link Gordon Setter Students & Mentors click here if you’d care to check it out or join the group.

Gordon Setter Students & Mentors

Description

Welcome Gordon Setter students and mentors! This group is meant to serve as a resource and learning tool for Gordon Setter fanciers who are serious students or experienced breeder/exhibitors willing to join forces where everyone can learn about and mentor the art of breeding better Gordon Setters. A place also to fine tune our skill and expertise when competing in conformation, performance or field events. Topics might include such things as genetics, structure, pedigrees, ancestors, health, and proper care, grooming, as well as training tips pertaining to competition in conformation, performance and field events. To make the most of this forum you are encouraged to submit questions, content and photos to provide examples as well as actively participate in discussions with helpful answers and guiding principles.

Things to keep in mind:

No personal attacks, ridicule, or harassment on or about another member’s post. You will be removed from the group and blocked. We don’t always need to agree and various opinions on a topic are encouraged to promote a learning environment, however remember when you are expressing an opinion to please do so in a tactful and polite manner.

Since this group is meant to serve educational purposes only, please do not submit your win photos and brags, we do love to see those and are very happy for you, but let’s post them on other forums to maintain focus here. The same would be true of those happy Gordon photos we post just for fun.

Please focus on the positive traits of any dog pictured. If you have constructive criticism always be considerate and tactful in your comments to ensure you are providing encouragement as well as an educational experience for the student. Please do share educational articles and links to other sites that will educate and promote better breeding and competition practices.

No SPAM or ads to promote the sale of merchandise or dogs. Spammers will be removed.

No personal attacks on other members! We are here to help each other learn and we will respect everyone and treat each other with dignity because of our differences, a different view could be where a new learning begins.

Enjoy!

Sally Gift, Mesa AZ

Photo by Bob Segal – 2015 GSCA National Specialty

Breed Standard, Dog Shows

Judging the Gordon Setter – Gary Andersen

January 30, 2015 Sally Gift Leave a comment

Thank you to our Guest Blogger – Gary L. Andersen for sharing this article with us regarding judging of the Gordon Setter in conformation.

About Gary L. Andersen – Scottsdale, AZ

I have been involved with Gordon Setters since 1972 along with my wife Beverly. We have owned and shown all four Setters, English Cockers and Smooth Fox Terriers. I have been judging Gordon Setters since 1993. I am now AKC licensed to judge BIS, Sporting and Non-Sporting groups, two hounds and three working breeds. I serve as the Judge’s Education Chairman for the Gordon Setter Club of America and was instrumental in starting the Sporting Dog Association of Arizona for whom I now serve as President. I am the past president of Scottsdale Dog Fanciers and currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Gordon Setter Club of America and the Sun County Terrier Club.

JUDGING THE GORDON SETTER

When judging the Gordon Setter remember it is the heaviest of the four setters, having more bone and body. They are a sturdy built well muscled, with plenty of bone and substance. Gordon Setters are a single person hunting dog. They have a unique front movement. The other three setters are used more for open field work, the Gordon work heavier brush and because of this, the front legs lift up and then fold back at the pasterns so the feet do not get caught in the brush.

Look for a black and tan dog with plenty of substance and is good-sized. Active, upstanding and stylish, capable of doing a full day’s work in the field their appearance suggesting strength and stamina rather than speed. Gordon Setters are equally at home as companions dogs, obedience, agility, field competitors and show dogs. The head is fairly heavy and finely chiseled. His bearing is intelligent, noble and dignified, showing no signs of shyness or aggressiveness. Clear colors and either a wavy or straight coat are acceptable. A dog of well balance in all points is preferred to one with outstanding good qualities and defects. A smooth, free movement with high head carriage is typical. Many of the words used in this description are taken from the official AKC standard.

The suggested height is 24 to 27 inches for a male and 23 to 26 inches for a female. This is a wide scale. You can have females and males of the same size in the ring, a 24 inch male with the substance of the Gordon is as good as a 27 inch dog. You may see dogs over 27 inches and our standard says that as long as the proportions are correct, it is ok. To me, going below our standard is more of a fault than going over. A 22 inch female is getting into the Spaniel size. Dogs should weigh 55 to 80 pounds and bitches 45 to 70 pounds. Again showing the substance of our breed. We want our breed shown in field condition, hard muscles not overly fat or under weight as this hinders the working ability. Again, the weight to height ratio makes him heavier than the other setters. The proportion of the Gordon should be square when measured from the fore-chest to the back of the thigh verses withers to the ground. The English and Irish Setters are slightly longer than tall.

The head should be deep rather than broad, we do not want an elegant head. The eyes are dark brown, the darker the better, good-sized, oval rather than round and not deep-set, nor bulging. The eye rims should be tight and pigmented. The ears are set low on the head, preferably on the line of the eye, they are fairly thin and large, well folded and carried close to the head. The skull is widest between the ears, nicely rounded and good-sized. There should be a clearly indicated stop. The muzzle is fairly long, not pointed either as seen from above or to the side. The muzzle should be fifty percent of the length of the head and should be parallel to the line of the skull. The flew should not be pendulous. The nose should be broad with open nostrils and black in color. Snow nose is very common and should not be penalized. The lip line from the nose to the flew shows a sharp, well-defined square contour. A strong under-jaw also helps fill out the muzzle so as to avoid a snippy muzzle. A scissor bite is preferred, but a level bite is not a fault.

The neck should be long, arched and lean flowing into the shoulders. The throat should be as dry as possible. The neck must be long enough to pick up the downed game and bring it back to the shooter. The topline should straight with a moderate slope to it. The body should be short from shoulders to hips. The Chest is deep reaching to the elbows, but not too broad to hinder the front leg movement. The ribs should be well sprung and long to allow room for heart and lungs. There should be a pronounced fore-chest. The loin is short, strong and broad with no arch. The croup is nearly flat with a slight slope to the tail-set. The tail is thick at the root finishing in a fine point and should reach to the hock. The placement of the tail is important for correct carriage. The placement is judged in relationship to the structure of the croup. The tail is also a barometer to temperament.

The shoulders should lay well back. The tops of the shoulders should be close together. When viewed from the behind the neck should flow into the shoulders in smooth line and gradually widen from neck to shoulder. The angle of the shoulder-blade and upper arm should be 90 degrees. The front legs should be straight and well boned, not bowed, with the elbows not turning in or out. The pasterns are short, strong nearly straight with a slight spring. Dewclaws may be removed. Catlike feet with well arched toes with plenty of hair between them and full toe pads. The feet do not turn in or out.

The hind legs are long from hip to hock, flat and muscular. The hock is short and strong when standing they should be perpendicular. The stifle and hock joints should be well bent and not turned in or out. The feet are the same as the front.

The coat should be long and straight, a wave is permissible, but not curls. The hair will be the longest on the ears, under stomach and on the chest. The tail feathering is long at the root and tapers to the tip forming a triangular appearance.

Considering color when judging, the Gordon is primarily a black dog with tan markings, which can be a rich chestnut or mahogany shade. This color can go from a very light chestnut to a very dark mahogany. Black penciling on the toes is allowed. The borderline between the colors should be clearly defined. There should not be tan hairs in the black. The tan markings are as follows: 1. Two clear spots above the eyes, not over ¾ of an inch in diameter. 2. On the sides of the muzzle, which should not reach the top of the muzzle from one side to the other. 3. On the throat. 4. Two large clear sports on the chest, (looks like a bow-tie). However on a darker dog these spots may appear to be a darker brown, this is acceptable. 5. On the inside of the hind legs showing down the front of the stifle and broadening out to the outside of the hind legs from the hocks to the toes. It should not completely eliminate the black on the back side of the hind legs. 6. On the forelegs from the corpus or a little above downward to the toes. 7. Around the vent. 8. A white spot on the chest is allowed, the smaller the better. This is the only disqualification for the Gordon; Predominantly tan, red or buff dogs.

A bold strong driving free-swinging gait is desired. The head is carried up and the tail is constantly flagging while the dog is in motion, as mentioned earlier, this is a barometer to temperament as well as his “rudder”. He should be straight coming and going with reach and drive on the side gait. The overall appearance of the moving dog is one smooth-flowing, well-balanced rhythm, in which the action is pleasing to the eye, effortless, economical, harmonious and powerful.

The Gordon Setter is alert, gay, interested and confident. He is fearless and willing, intelligent and capable. He is loyal and affectionate, yet is strong-minded enough to stand the rigors of training. They are slow maturing, so sometimes this doesn’t show up early in life. The field trainer that we used always left our Gordon Setters in the puppy class until they were over two years of age.

In 2002 the Gordon Setter Club of America put the 100 point scale back into our standard. It is as follows:

Head and neck, eyes/ears 10

Body 15

Shoulders, forelegs/feet 10

Hind legs/feet 10

Tail 5

Coat 8

Color/markings 10

Temperament 10

Size/general appearance 15

Gait 12

Some points to remember when judging the Gordon Setter:

Inch per pound the Gordon is the biggest Setter.
Should have a deep head with a squared off muzzle.
Muzzle perpendicular to back skull.
Topline is a smooth line from the back of the skull to the tail set.
No sharp angles.
Square dog.
The dog is to be shown in field weight and muscular.
Must be black and tan.
Large boned.
Smooth and powerful moving.
Style plus soundness equals TYPE.
It takes the sum of the whole dog or the complete standard to make the ideal Gordon Setter.

Gary L. Andersen

Breed Standard, Breeding, Dog Shows

That Elusive Front

January 26, 2015 Sally Gift 3 Comments

Let’s get right to the tough stuff today. One of the hardest things for a breeder to accomplish is to consistently breed and retain excellent front end assemblies generation after generation. There are just so very many moving parts to the front. In my mind, as Gordon Setter breeders we will never be able to take our eye off the mark if we are going to continue to produce sound Gordon Setters who are capable of performing in the field as intended.

We’ll do our best on this blog to present as much resource material for your learning experience as we can, obviously it will take time to accumulate that material. Today I’m starting a discussion on fronts with two well written articles by Patricia V. Trotter, a longtime breeder of Norwegian Elkhounds who is approved to judge more than 20 breeds. She is the author of Born to Win.

In the first article titled Putting Up a Good Front Patricia makes a point that rang true for me “Among the experts whom you should treasure and whose opinions you should utilize are those who truly understand front-end assembly and who reward it in the ring whenever possible.”

Patricia went on to say “a correctly made animal with functional and efficient side gait has much more opportunity for error when viewed coming toward you than a straighter-angled dog has.” Let’s not make the mistake in our Gordon Setters of assuming every clean moving front coming toward us is properly angled with appropriate reach off the side.

I agree with Patricia when she says “as guardians of our breeds, we must explore what we can do as fanciers to protect well-made fronts“.

The second article by Patricia It’s Whats Up Front That Counts she continues to provide us with sound advice on the importance of the properly constructed front and makes a very valid point in reference to Setters. “For example, consider the three setter breeds, which were bred to crouch near the birds while the hunter quietly approached with nets to throw over the dogs and the birds. These flexible sporting dogs further utilized their correct angles to lower themselves and crawl out from under the nets in that pre-gun era, leaving the captured birds for the huntsman. Now flash forward to a lineup of setters standing tall and proud in the modern show ring. Chances are that only a precious few have correct shoulder angulation, while there are others that stand out because they are jacked up on incorrect, upright shoulders that contribute to the facade of the show dog.”

I’ll let you go now so you can read Patricia’s words of wisdom. I hope we’ve provided some food for thought here today, and that you’ll share your own comments, opinions, or questions in our comment section below to keep the dialog going!

Sally Gift

To go directly to the AKC website where these articles are located move your cursor to the title of the article and click on the underlined title.

Breed Standard, Breeding, Dog Shows

Success in Show Dogs: Breed Type Is Flexible, Not Liquid

January 15, 2015 Sally Gift Leave a comment

Thank you to our Guest Blogger – Barbara Manson for sharing this excellent article for breeder/exhibitor regarding the oft debated issue of type.

From Dog Channel we bring you Success in Show Dogs: Breed Type Is Flexible, Not Liquid.

Share this site with your friends…email…word of mouth…we’re all serious Gordon Setter lovers here, sharing information!

Photo by Silvia Timmerman

(This article contains photos that are not intended nor do they relate to the content of the article.)

Breeding, Dog Shows, Performance Events

It’s the learning that’s important! The 2015 GSCA National Specialty

January 10, 2015 Sally Gift 1 Comment

JUST SAYIN – you don’t want to miss the excitement and the learning opportunities at the most anticipated event in our breed, the GSCA 2015 National Specialty. With this year’s convenient location in the heart of America the geographic location for the 2015 National allows folks from both coasts a more equal opportunity to make the trek. I’m expecting to see the very best in competition at this event with fabulous dogs from all corners of the U.S.

” All aspects of the 2015 GSCA National Specialty will be held at Purina Farms’ state-of-the-art Event Center. Purina Farms is a short, 40 minute drive from downtown St. Louis, MO.”

You’ll never find an opportunity to see as many fabulous Gordon Setters if you limit yourself to attending only local All Breed Shows and Specialties. In my opinion, you cannot fully develop successful breeding programs if you don’t know the competition’s best attributes. What better place to learn those attributes than by seeing them in the flesh at the National? (Notice I’m not mentioning finding their faults? That’s because I believe relying primarily on fault judging of your competitors dogs will be the fastest method you can employ to failure.) Yes, we must know the faults but breeding decisions should be based on strengths. You’ll never find a better place to view the strengths of so many other Gordon Setters if you don’t take the time to actually see them at their very best, in competition, in the ring, in the flesh.

If you are a serious exhibitor/breeder attending the National Specialty is the most versatile learning opportunity you can give to yourself. It is here that you’ll broaden your view of Gordon Setter type, style and structure. Your knowledge of the breed will broaden merely by sitting ringside to watch the judging. Ringside is where it’s at people, as this is there where you’re certain to see every example of Gordon Setter, and often multiple generations of Gordon Setters from breeding kennels all over the US, Canada and sometimes beyond. Seeing is learning, nothing can replace that for the serious breeder.

Are performance events like Obedience, Agility and Rally your thing? Well then why would you miss this chance to meet others who face the same challenges and successes that you’ve encounter with your Gordon Setter? The people you’ll meet at the National competing in performance events are your best source of training methods that work the well with our breed. Why would you deny yourself the chance to meet others like yourself involved in your breed, the Gordon Setter, to share knowledge and training methods? Ask any good trainer how they “got their dog to do that” and they’ll be sure to share.

If you’re serious, really serious, about breeding or training Gordon Setters you’ll not find a better opportunity to sharpen your skills and learn, learn, learn.