The over all picture which is created in the observer's eye should be that of an aristocratic, well balanced, symmetrical animal with conformation indicating power, endurance, and agility and a look of intelligence and animation. The dog should be neither unduly small nor conspicuously large. It should rather give the impression of medium size, but be like the proper hunter, "with a short back, but standing over plenty of ground." Tall, leggy individuals seldom possess endurance or sound movement. Dogs which are ponderous or unbalanced because of excess substance should be definitely rejected. The first impression should be that of keenness which denotes full enthusiasm for work without indication of nervous or flighty character. Movement should be alertly coordinated without waste of motion. Grace of outline, clean cut head, sloping shoulders, deep breast, powerful back, strong quarters, good bone composition, adequate muscle, well carried tail and taut coat, all of which should combine to produce a look of nobility and an indication of anatomical structure essential to correct gait which must indicate a heritage of purposefully conducted breeding.

HEAD

Clean cut, neither too light nor too heavy, in proper proportion to the body. Skull should be reasonably broad, arched on side and slightly round on top. Scissura (median line between the eyes at the forehead) not too deep, occipital bone not as conspicuous as in the case of the Pointer. The fore face should rise gradually from nose to forehead, not resembling the Roman nose. This is more strongly pronounced in the dog than in the female, as befitting his gender. The chops should fall away from the somewhat projecting nose. Lips should be full and deep, never flewy. The chops should not fall over too much, but form a proper fold in the angle. The jaw should be powerful and the muscles well developed. The line to the forehead should rise gradually and should never possess a definite stop as in the case of the Pointer, but rather a stop effect when viewed from the side, due to the position of the eyebrows. The muzzle should be sufficiently long to enable the dog to seize properly and to facilitate his carrying game a long time. A pointed muzzle is not desirable. The entire head should never give the impression of tapering to a point. The depth should be in the right proportion to the length, both in the muzzle and in the skull proper.

EARS

Ears should be broad and set fairly high, lie flat and never hang away from the head. Placement should be above eye level. The ears, when laid in front without being pulled, should about meet the lip angle. In the case of heavier dogs they should be correspondingly longer.

EYES

The eyes should be of medium size, full of intelligence and expression, good humored and yet radiating energy, neither protruding nor sunk. The eyelids should close well. The best color is a dark shade of brown. Light yellow, china or wall (bird of prey) eyes are not desirable.

NOSE

The nose is brown in color and the larger the better; nostrils well opened and broad. Flesh colored and spotted noses are not desirable.

TEETH

The teeth should be strong and healthy. The molars should intermesh properly. Incisors should fit close in a true scissors bite. Jaws should be neither overshot nor undershot.

NECK

Of adequate length to permit the jaws reaching game to be retrieved, sloping downwards on beautifully curving lines. The nape should be rather muscular, becoming gradually larger towards the shoulders. Moderate hound like throatiness is permitted.

CHEST AND THORAX

The chest in general should give the impression of depth rather than breadth; for all that it should be in correct proportion to the other parts of the body with a fair depth of chest. The chest in general should give the impression of depth rather than breadth; for all that it should be in correct proportion to the other parts of the body with a fair depth of chest. The ribs forming the thorax should be well curved and not flat; they should not be absolutely round or barrel shaped. Ribs that are entirely round prevent the necessary expansion of the chest when taking breath. The back ribs should reach well down. The circumference of the chest immediately behind the elbows should be smaller than that of the chest about a hands breadth behind elbows, so that the upper arm has room for movement.

BACK AND LOINS

Back should be short, strong and straight with slight rise from root of tail to withers. Excessively long or hog backed should be penalized. Loins strong, of moderate length and slightly arched. Tuck up should be apparent.

ASSEMBLY OF BACK MEMBERS

The hips should be broad with the hip sockets wide apart and fall slightly towards the tail in a graceful curve. Thighs strong and well muscled. Stifles well bent. Hock joints should be well angulated with strong, straight bone structure from hock to pad. Angulation of both stifle and hocks should be such as to combine maximum combination of both drive and traction. Hocks should turn neither in nor out. The hips should be broad with the hip sockets wide apart and fall slightly towards the tail in a graceful curve. Thighs strong and well muscled. Stifles well bent. Hock joints should be well angulated with strong, straight bone structure from hock to pad. Angulation of both stifle and hocks should be such as to combine maximum combination of both drive and traction. Hocks should turn neither in nor out.

ASSEMBLY OF FRONT MEMBERS

The shoulders should be sloping, movable, well covered with muscle. The shoulder blades should lie flat. The upper arm (also called the cross bar, i.e. the bones between the shoulder and elbow joints) should be as long as possible, standing away somewhat from the trunk so that the straight and closely muscled legs, when viewed from in front, should appear to be parallel. Elbows which stand away from the body or are pressed right into same indicate toes turning inwards or outwards, which should be regarded as faults. Pasterns should be strong, short and nearly vertical.

FEET

Should be compact, close knit and round to spoon shaped. The toes sufficiently arched and heavily nailed. The pad should be strong and hard.

COAT AND SKIN

The skin should look close and tight. The hair should be short and thick and feel tough and hard to the hand; it is somewhat longer on the underside of the tail and the back edge of the haunches. It is softer, thinner and shorter on ears and head.

TAIL

Is set high and firm, and must be docked, leaving approximately two-fifths of length. The tail hangs down when the dog is quiet, is held horizontally when he is walking, never turned over the back or considerably bent but violently wagged when he is on the search.

BONES

Thin and fine bones are by no means desirable in a dog which should be able to work over any and every country and should possess strength. The main importance accordingly is laid not so much on the size as being in proper proportion to the body. Dogs with coarse bones are handicapped in agility of movement and speed.

WEIGHT AND HEIGHT

Weight:

Dogs - 24.947 to 31.751 kg. (55 to 70 lbs).
Females - 20.412 to 27.215 kg. (45 to 60 lbs).

Height (at the shoulders):

Dogs - 58.42 to 63.50 cm (23 to 25 in.).
Females - 53.34 to 58.42 cm (21 to 23 in.)

COLOR

Solid Liver, liver and white spotted, liver and white spotted and ticked, liver and white ticked, liver roan, Any colors other than liver and white (gray white) are not permitted. "Symmetry and field quality are most essential." "A dog well balance in all points is preferable to one with outstanding good qualities and defects. A smooth, lithe gait is most desirable."

FAULTS

Bone structure too clumsy or too light, head too large, too many wrinkles in forehead, dish-faced, snipey muzzle, ears too long, pointy or fleshy, flesh-colored nose, eyes too light, too round or too closely set together, excessive throatiness, cowhocks, feet or elbows turned inward or outward, down on pasterns, loose shoulders, sway back, black coat or tri-colored, any colors except liver or some combination of liver and white.