‘The Standard’ of Performance of Pointing Breeds
FROM THE NATIONAL FIELD TRIAL ASSOCIATION‘S GENERAL REGULATIONS – RULES & GUIDES FOR THE JUDGING OF FIELD TRIALS
The performance is one where the very action of the dog denotes an interest in his work.
His work must be full of animation and at all times the dog must be hunting for game in an independent and intelligent manner by using the wind or lack thereof correctly and productively.
His performance must reflect a credit to his breed, and the dog should move with the least obvious exertion for the greatest effect.
The dog must have the desire to hunt and point game with the fire and intensity that makes his work spectacular or, at least, pleasing.
The dog must be adaptable and self-adapting, controllable and self-controlled.
The dog serves best when saving the hunters legs, and covering the most ground in the least time and he must use the different types of cover and conditions as he comes to them and negotiate each productively, going wide, far, fast, slow, close and/or narrow as the conditions dictate. The dog must do this of his own accord, naturally through training and experience.
The dog’s performance must be complete in every respect and must consist of a positive display of manners, game finding, controlling, pointing and holding abilities, staunchness and steadiness to shot and flush. He must also display a willingness and ability to acknowledge the flush of game and the finds and points of the other dogs by “backing” spontaneously and holding the “back” for as long as it is necessary without interference to the staunchly pointing dog or the game being pointed.
The dog must hunt and handle all the accepted species of indigenous game birds … and ABOVE ALL he must be in total harmony with his handler, for no other purpose than to give him the opportunity to shoot the pointed game in a manner befitting sportsmen – as there can only be one measure for a good dog and that is how well he serves the gun.