or maybe you are,

there are 2 dogs that you are considering in front of you,

one has a better gait

and one shows better type

which do you choose and why?

Well, let's see - I would throw a quail down in front of each one and see who points first and best!

 This is of course the field trial and hunt test judge opinion, but I don't think that's what you were looking for...

Jean

Agreed, but I haven't seen lots of bushes in show rings to put birds in

My answer was tongue in cheek, mostly. I wil never pretend to be an expert on showing, just isn't my passion. But I do worry that there are dogs in the ring that have forgotten (genetically) what they were meant to do.

Sorry, Francine, I truly didn't mean to hi-jack the thread.

Jean

form and function...

I agree with show, field, versatile, but in a different order!

First would be versatility and field. It would be hard to make one of these A and the other B. This is a breed that was bred for both!

Show comes after talent, to me. I have seen many beautiful horses in another world, and have been in the show world, and I have seen what extreme type can do to ability to be what the animal was in their more natural environment. I fear this happening to the beautiful GSP. Would I like to show them?  Absolutely!! BUT, I would not keep a dog that couldn't handle some "roughing it" out in the field.

First they are hunting dogs extraordinaire. Then they are show dogs.

Just my opinion

Julia

over angulated and to long..ugh I hate that...thats the fancy not the hunter

Pixie -  I am not sure what you are referring to when you say a "man made" gait.  The breed standards (taken from the GSPCA website and Georgina Byrne's book) describe the gait as:

US: A smooth lithe gait is essential. It is to be noted that as gait increases from the walk to a faster speed, the legs converge beneath the body. The tendency to single track is desirable. The forelegs reach well ahead as if to pull in the ground without giving the appearance of a hackney gait. The hindquarters drive the back legs smoothly and with great power.

German: Toes not too narrow or too wide apart when moving.

British: Smooth lithe gait essential.  As gait increases from a walk to a faster speed, legs converge beneath the body (single tracking).  Forelegs reach well ahead, effortlessly covering plenty of ground with each stride and followed by hind legs, which give forceful propulsion.

Georgina Byrne's also writes:

"The above descriptions (referring to the breed standards for gait) provide an admirable word picture of GSP movement. Some German breeders assess GSP movement at the canter or gallop. Since such assessment is not possible in the show ring, most GSPs will have their movement assessed at the trot. Many conformation faults will be revealed by this particular gait particularly if the movement is slow enough for the judge to see the dog clearly. Unfortunately, many handlers race around a show ring at high speed, which looks spectacular, but makes the judge's task in focusing on faults very difficult.

Since the GSP performs many of its working tasks at the gallop, its structure and movement should reflect those requirements. Overangulation is probably more of a fault in the breed than underangulation, provided the dog is balanced. An extreme length of trotting stride, like that of the show ring German Sheppard Dog, for example, is, whilst spectacular, not appropriate for the GSP."

Here are some pictures from the same book.  In the first, views a and b (the first two profiles) are correct.  In the second the correct views are g and l (the first profile in each line).

I am not sure how you can make a "man made" gait. However, you can use speed as is suggested above to disguise or cover faults which may be what you have observed. A shorthair though with the appropriate gait moved at a nice trot is a beauty to behold and there are plenty of shorthairs in the show ring that do have nice gaits. Also, any shorthair that moves as described and pictured at a trot will also move nicely at faster speeds and will hold up well during a hard day of hunting.