Ok so I am wondering is there a color preferance for showing GSP's? I have mainly seen the heavy ticked liver headed and ticked body GSP's in the ring. Can a solid liver dog be finished if its a good dog or is it a lot tougher? I know some judges have major bias but as a general rule is it easier to finish a liver headed ticked dog verses a liver dog with all things being equal about the two dogs?

Thanks,
Jana

Hi Jana,

Solid Liver GSH Pointers can definitely be finished in the show ring. I currently have four solid livers that I have finished in the show ring. I have also finished several other solid livers for other people. I have found with solid liver that it is essential to know which judges will use them- the list is growing believe it or not. Also I think a solid liver has to be REALLY good (well put together, well conditioned, and have a great coat) as there is no way to hide anything on a solid liver. But when you have a good one... they really get noticed. There is a Yahoo list for solid GSP's also that has a list for judges who like solid liver.

Hope that helps,

Tina

Mi Karma GSH Pointers

www.mikarmagsp.com

craig@mikarmagsp.com

Tina,

Wow thanks for the information its great to know they can be put up. The litter I am on a list for (will be bred in febuary) is two very nice liver dogs but both dogs are solid liver so I am asumming that the pups will just be solid liver which if thats the case I can get a pup out of a differant litter later in the year which I have no problem waiting at all but was just wondering if solids can be shown owner handled and win. I also want to do hunt tests and real life hunting as well as obedience with my pup so color to me doesnt matter but wanted to see if there was a huge bias against the solids in the ring. I will go check out the soilds message board about the judges.

Thanks again I really love how nice everyone has been to me on this board its just been wonderful.

Jana

Jana -  Until just recently we didn't see too many solid livers in Texas, but in the last year there have been several in the ring and I have seen judges put them up.  As Tina says though, the solid livers need to be in good condition, with a nice coat and put together well as that solid coat really shows them up both the good and the bad.  Good luck with your future pup.

By the way I just finished my first shorthair all owner handled.  She is a not a solid liver, but I was told by several folks that I would never be able to finish her unless I used a pro.  Perserverence and hard work proved those folks wrong. 

For two Solid Livers being bred, it depends on what each parent's "solid/ticking" gene mix are -- it is possible to have ticked GSPs come out of a breeding of two solid GSPs -- it will depend on whether both parents are heterozygous or whether one (or both) are homozygous with the solid/ticked gene?  If one or both are homozygous with two solid alleles, then you're going to see 100% solid livers in that litter.

If both parents were Solid heterozygous, then 25% of the litter will (statistically) be ticked and (stastically) 75% would be solid.  Of course, any individual litter could vary (heck, theoretically you could hit a statistical anamoly and with two heterozygous parents you could have a litter that was 100% ticked with no solids -- it is possible, but not probable -- ALL puppies would have to inheret the both parent's ticked gene for this to happen -- I personally have never heard of that happening with two solid liver parents, but it is theoretically possible).

Hope that helps.  For a REALLY detailed discussion take a look at:

http://www.dogstuff.info/mating_outcomes_gsp_byrne.html

Dave

Gail -- if I have this right, that means that solid sire was heterozygous since it had a ticked offspring.  This means statistically your breeding of a ticked bitch to a solid heterozygous male should (statistically only) have produced 50% ticked and 50% solid

Dave

Dave thanks for the info I love genetics so will definatly check out that discussion.

Jana

That was my boy Adhemar.  He is 6 1/2 now, and that was his last WKC (I think).  This is the first time he didn't make the cut, but both of his kids were in to the end.