What are all the coat patterns called? Is it liver roan you mostly see at dog shows? What is the color that has white with liver patches and small liver spots in the white called? If possible, could you guys post pictures of the different coat patterns?

This is Molly as a puppy.  Her AKC description is Liver and white patched and ticked.  The ticking gets heavier as they age.

Another liver and white ticked/patched crew checking in here. You'll see the 'white dogs' more often in field lines these days.

Some have claimed that this is due to illegal cross breeding of 'english' pointer into GSP field dogs- and lots of knowledgable folks agree this illegal breeding has happened in some corners so no arguement on that note- but our breeder also showed us a picture of one of the very first GSPs ever registered, who was clearly a liver and white dog. It's a perfectly legitimate GSP color regardless of what some might say about it.

In our area a white dog stands out more in the field than a darker dog, but ANY GSP can get a nice orange vest slapped on and solve that issue immediately. I don't think anyone in their right mind would refuse to hunt behind a good dog because of it's color!!!

Liver and white patched and ticked is my favorite color I like the solid liver 2nd best. But I think all the colors/patterns are beautiful, I just dont know what they are called.

Wow! What sport is that? That is really cool, and looks like a lot of fun!

I use X-back harnesses from Alpine Outfitters. They do custom harnesses with full padding, which works out really nice for GSPs and other 'oddball' breeds. Becky and Joe are good friends of ours but they do a HUGE business, shipping mushing gear literally all over the globe (Australian/NZ mushing season is just picking up as we're shutting down after all).

The cart is by my uncle. I made his web site but I don't make any money from it.

More information on recreational mushing here.

I saw roan in my breed encyclopedia book. I just checked the AKC standard and this is what it says: "Color The coat may be of solid liver or a combination of liver and white such as liver and white ticked, liver patched and white ticked, or liver roan. A dog with any area of black, red, orange, lemon or tan, or a dog solid white will be disqualified."

I know what roan looks like in a dog, but I dont really know how to describe it except in a picture. This is what I mean by roan:

http://www.awesomegsps.com/germanshorthairedpointer.jpg

Yeah, bikejoring with a GSP can get 'interesting' in a hurry. I prefer using a scooter since they're much easier to bail off of and don't have expensive pedals and derallers to bounce on as the dogs are running off with the vehicle dragging behind. But even at that I scooter with a set of insulated carhartts, helmet, leather boots, leather gloves, etc.

Some GSPs can be total maniacs in harness. Mushers have commented that they thought if they aimed a GSP at a brick wall they'd run right into it over and over and over.... my girls have a little more sense than that, but my boy sure would!

Oooo, scootering, I think (since I will only have one) I might have to get into that.

Jackson is considered solid liver... even though he has some white on one paw and on his chest...

Old pic... him at 6 months...but shows his coloring well..

Well now I'm questioning the color of Kaiser. I just pulled out his AKC papers and they say "liver & white, patched & ticked". But from what everyone else is showing w/ this discription, theirs have a lot more white...is his right??

here he is...

We have Gunner who is AKC Black & White /patched & ticked

Ruger, Liver/White, patched & ticked

& Tucker our rescue, he is mostly liver & I don't know if the white on him is original color or gray hair, he was 10 when we got him

You can have Black & White AKC GSP's, but as of now you can't show them in the show ring. You can do field trials, agility or any thing else, just not the show ring.

Crud, I've totally hijacked this thread, lol.....

Almost any reasonably eager dog over about 30 pounds can give some iteration of mushing a whirl, although some breeds are definately more prone to doing well than others. My uncle ran Bouviers with his siberians back in the 80s and they definately put their share on the tow line (but egads the HAIR!). Border collies, austrailian shepherds, setters, and coon hounds have run and in some cases were mixed into the amalgamation known as Alaskan Husky. Greyhounds and salukis are fast but don't often want to run in harness in their purebred form... however, they have been liberally mixed into the AHs as well to give a turn of speed. Many AHs have narrow heads, looooong skinny tails, etc that gives away a sighthound ancestor somewhere back there. Or floppy ears and a LOUD bawl that gives a hint at a coonhound, lol!

Pointers, particularly GSPs, have been a traditional skijoring breed in scandenavia for at least 70 years, but they really caught the eye of north american mushers once Egil Ellis came over with his 'eurohounds' (european EP/GSP crossed with AH) and started spanking everyone in the big Alaskan sprint races.

Our US all-age type field GSPs are very reasonable candidates though. Hard charging, athletic, and a lot of heat tolerance.... I've asked field trailers if they've ever had a problem getting one of their dogs in training to run in harness (aka 'roading' in hunting circles) and I usually get a ".......???" response. Apparently that's a non-issue. Stories about trying to STOP them are usually what crop up, lol.

UKC now accepts black as an acceptable color in GSP's and you can show them!