There are a few judges that could use some education on GSP genetic counseling.  Had a judge in Pittsburgh who DQ's my bitch for being black ticked.  Now that would be ok if she had not admitted that the dog had a liver head and brown nose which would have made her tri colored.

Just don't get it.... Wasted entry fee

What type of event? Confirmation?

Yes us was a AB show for confirmation.  Black is accepted in all other venues except confirmation. 

I didn't realize that was you at the WPKA show on Saturday?!  I was there and saw it all and your gal is definitely liver and white.  One would think that judge education on the controversial issue of coat colors would be really impressed upon them.  Did the show superintendent not intervene?

Deb Orpen

I agree the nose knows. The judge commented that her head was liver and the nose was brown, but insisted that her ticking was black.  She even had me go half way around so she could look at her from across the ring.  Ran her fingers through her coat numerous times and told me she was sorry, but I had a black dog and was DQ'd.

AKC rep told me all I could do was file a complaint but that was all I had available to me. 

Oh well, onto the next show and will avoid her in the future.  I know she is not the only one out there who has done this before.

Have you thought about using a black show leash, then if there is a question, place that black leash next to her brown ticking and I bet the judge can see the difference.  Brown never looks black when it is next to something black. 

I know that is aggravating and as lauralee said it has happened before and the nose is supposed to be the determining factor.  I also know that that is a part of the education when there are seminars that the GSPCA does for judges, but not all judges remember (I suppose).  There have also been numerous articles on this as well.  Oh well, you at least now know not to show under this judge.

I always have worried about Halo because her ticking is very dark on her back.  I think the thing that saves her is she has a large patch on her butt and her shoulder and both although dark are obviously brown.  The ticking however has been mistaken by some as black, just not in the show ring.

By the way, I think I would file that complaint just so it is on the record.  1) It might help judges to be better educated, and 2) you are on record in case you get two more DQs for the same reason.  The rules say if you receive 3 DQs for the same reason you can no longer show your dog in AKC conformation events.  You can however ask to have the dog reinstated and having your protest(s) on file may help. 

lauralee -  I have to take exception with the dark brown being preferred.  Here is what the standard says about color, and it does not indicate one shade of brown is preferred over the other.

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.

It does say that the "preferred" color for the eyes is dark brown.  Some believe that the dark brown pigment in the coat gives darker brown eyes, and I think that may be why you see allot of the really dark brown in the shorthairs in the ring today.

In the shows I have been in over the last year, judges have put up everything from the more milk chocolate brown to the very dark brown, so I can't even see a tendency with judges to put up the darker brown, at least in my neck of the woods.

there's only one judge you can trust, and it's made by Taurus.

Luckily we've never been DQ'd but have come very close.  We were at an outdoor show and it was raining and when the dark liver gets wet it does look black.  After a short discussion regarding color I pointed out to the judge, "brown nose, brown dog". 

The one I got most agravated with was a show we didn't do well at so I talked to the judge after the class to get an idea if we were wasting our time showing.  I was told my girl was very nice and moved beautifully but she's the "old style" GSP.  Don't know when the standard changed but I think it's been the same for a while.  I thought judging was based on the best dog that fit the standard not by "style", guess I was wrong.  We've since finished our international championship and got very high marks and complements.