knight - Not sure which dog shows you go to, but you are not seeing black dogs in the AKC arena (maybe very dark liver) because black is a DQ in the AKC. UKC still accepts them, but they are still pretty sparse in the US. Other countries black is ok (Canada has a severe penalty). In performance events, blacks are fine, just not the show ring. Also there is a person on this forum who has an almost solid white shorthair with a mostly liver head that she runs in FT and is showing, and that dog is now pointed in the show ring and has points in the field as well. Where I live there are quite a few shorthairs that are both in the field and in the show ring as well. I agree that shorthairs in general are pretty consistent between show and field although I think there is a tendency to see shorthairs kept a little heavier for show. Not everyone does that, but some do.

Good luck in your search and would love to see your puppy pictures when you find your puppy.

I think the OP will make a sensible decision.  Its like buying a house.  You have a great location but you hate the kitchen.  You love the back yard but its on a busy street.  It has a great view but no "double sinks" in the master bath.  You just take your time or decide which factors to overlook.

I have a white factor and I hated her looks when I first saw her--I too wanted a patched & roan liver!  Now I have both. . .in the future I'll be careful what I wish for!   

I have 4 shorthairs and I think shorthairs love a pack which really means more than 1. I saw a difference when I added Halo and I had two. I then added Ringo, my boy, and not too long ago my baby, Fauna. They all have different things they like to do with each other and it seems more noticeable with my baby. Fauna and her mother love to hunt together. She likes to lay in the sun with her aunt and her uncle is most definitely her best bud and playmate. When Halo had the puppies the first night she would not settle down in the whelping box with the puppies until Belle (my oldest female and Halo's best friend) was sleeping on the sofa in the same room as the whelping box. Then later Halo loved it when Ringo (my male) would come in and get in the whelping box and babysit for a while. I was surprised that she was so tolerant of the other dogs around the pups, but then thought about it and realized that is normal behavior in any dog pack including wolf packs. Every member has a job. So yes, I do believe shorthairs are happiest in a pack of at least 2 dogs.