The SMP has been bred and developed into an ideal hunting companion for the foot hunter.  The SMP is well suited for hunting in moderate to heavy cover where the dog doesn’t need to show extreme range.  The SMP is a hard hunter who when properly conditioned can hunt for many hours in cool weather.  The SMP has also been used by falconers.

When correctly bred the SMP is a very capable hunter and will naturally point, track and retrieve game. SMPs make very good family and companion dogs.  The SMP is generally a very clean dog that is well suited to life indoors with his human companions.  Although the SMP is a very good house dog they still require daily outdoor exercise and periodic grooming. Most properly bred SMPs will exhibit a warm personality and a strong desire to hunt.  The SMP is an intense water dog and usually shows an excellent nose.  Most SMPs also show a strong desire to retrieve.

ADDITIONAL BREED & STRUCTURE INFORMATION

I have borrowed liberally from my notes at the seminar with Fred Lanting, and use other sources where I think it will help make my point.  Don't ever limit your knowledge to one man's (or woman's) opinion; constantly seek to learn more.  I can tell you that in the years I've trained dogs, those techniques have changed radically but there are still folks out there doing the same thing they did twenty years ago. If you never stop learning and asking questions,  you and your dogs will benefit.

I had written several articles regarding form vs function for the SMCNA newsletter, which generated some anger from a reader who had shown dogs in conformation and felt I was insulting his years of hard work.  This was not my intention.  What I do feel is imperative, however, is that neither "end" is neglected as we work toward that Golden Middle.  A dog who is beautiful but has lost the desire to find birds, is worthless to our program. Likewise, the hard working hunter who struggles due to structural faults must also be penalized. This is my opinion.

SKULL

You can get problems when the direction of a breed program calls for smaller, more refined heads, such as in the American-bred German shepherd dog which almost has a collie-type head now.  Since you aren't breeding for smaller teeth, that same amount of teeth are now squeezed into a smaller head.

The lower jaw does have a little lag time in development and it is possible to end up with a proper scissors bite when the growth stops, even if the dog shows a bit of an overbite early on.

SHOULDER

The old 45% layback that was called for in shoulder angulation was done before we had Xrays to actually see what was happening.  The real angle is actually 30%.  Draw your lines  first by tracking the spine of the scapula to the indentation in the front and  then to the point of the elbow.

Why is this important to know?  Because an upright dog does not have forward and back reach.  There is a shorter stride and lack of efficiency in covering the ground.

Breeds that are not built for endurance trotting but are built for running, like the greyhound, have a steep shoulder and a long, flexible back with a steep croup so that the dog can collapse the structure and then stretch out to cover ground.  Your dog's movement should be evaluated at the speed they move according to type (trot). You wouldn't evaluate an SMP at a gallop.   Evaluate according to type, not movement.  However, evaluation at a walk is critical, as movement can sometimes mask faults.

As the dog moves toward you, you can visualize a V, with the top of the V being the bottom of the chest, and the two sides as the dog's legs.  Look for the V in the rear movement, as well.

CROUP

Because the tail relates to the croup, this is a perfect place to mention tail-set.  Historically, the SMP has been bred for a level tail.  Now that they are running in trials with English pointers and the like, more people are calling for the same 12 o'clock tail, without understanding that breeding for that tail is really breeding for a specific structure, which can alter the whole picture.

You will note that in the AKC breed standard for the English Pointer it calls for the tail to be carried at no greater than 20 degrees above the line of the back.  This clearly is not a 12 o'clock tail.  Such a tail is a physical impossibility given the structure of the English pointer of the conformation ring.

Robert G. Wehle, in his book, "Snakefoot: The Making of a Champion" (which I highly recommend) writes, "While on the subject of conformation, let's briefly discuss the problem of tail posture when a dog is pointing.  Like range and pace-- why do these things have to go to such extremes?  It was not enough that our dogs point with a ten o'clock tail, then an eleven o'clock tail, but, then came the twelve o'clock tail.  Because of some physical structure of the tail, when it reaches the twelve o'clock position, it tends to loop forward very easily.  Now, we have tails of all degrees of curliness that are unpleasant to look at.  Is it not time that some of these extremely unattractive dogs be denied the winning circle?"

 In the ideal male, the pelvic bones lie at about a 30-35 degree angle from the horizontal.  Measure by feeling the top (feel the hip bones, or iliac crests) and the back (to the back end of the pelvis which are the bony points on either side of the anus and on which the dog sits) and then estimate what angle an imaginary line between them would make.   "This angle seems to facilitate fluid movement with adequate thrust to the rear as well as a good reach under the body.  With a steep croup a dog typically does not reach both far and low under his torso and has less than ideal tranmission.  The tail emerges from the caudal end of the sacrum and extends from between the halves of the pelvic bones.  The impression of a tail being set high can be given by a flat croup or by the angle at which the tail leaves the sacrum.   (From Fred Lanting's book, "The Total German Shepherd Dog")

Therefore, be aware that when you select for a single characteristic, others are inevitably compromised and you need to be aware of what the consequences can be in any long-term program.

MID-PIECE

REAR-PIECE

ELBOWS

UPPER ARM

With a short upper arm, you will see a point where the movement of the dog shows that while 3 of the feet are touching the ground and have finished their transmission, one front foot will be nowhere near finished.  This lacks efficiency.

In a dog that demonstrates a short upper arm and bad pasterns, as he comes toward you, both front feet can be seen flying out to the sides.

The front legs should be under the body, not under the ears.

PASTERNS

TOPLINE

REAR ANGULATION

The Shar Pei has straight legs because it was a fighting breeds and needed strong points of contact so they couldn't be knocked over.

In a dog with too much rear angulation, you will see the left rear foot still planted while the others are finished with the stride; that rear foot still has to finish the rear stride and it hasn't even been picket up yet!  It is called "sickle hocks" or "locked hocks".   It is not balanced because that foot should move with the right front.

When the dog moves toward or away from you, imagine a V.  The paw print of the hind feet are almost exactly on the same line.  Follow the line of the hip through the knee to the hock to the pad.

You can also see a breaking at the pasterns as compensation for an angulation problem.  This can occur when there is more angulation in the rear than in front.  It is easier to get good rear angulation because you are aiming for a spectrum not the furthest point on the bulls-eye!  If you need to make a choice for your breeding program, choose a good front over a good rear because it is harder to go back and try to "fix" a front.

ARTICLE ON CONFORMATION

Debra Krsnich

In the last newsletter I wrote of the importance of conformation to our goal of having a hunting companion with the physical ability to do what the SMP was bred to do. The intention of the article was to bring a greater understanding of the why knowledge of structure is imperative in guiding the direction of the breed and its standards. Now, an author understands that there is not always universal agreement over a body of writing but I never imagined the criticism would come from the conformation quarter!

In a letter sent to Secretary Jeff Turner, a writer says," Showing dogs was a very important part of my life for so long that I get upset when I see someone calling it a beauty contest." In fact, nowhere in my article do I refer to a beauty contest; that is the writer’s interpretation. I did clarify that the article was about conformation, i.e.; structure; not the conformation or "breed" ring. You may ask then, with the response clearly in error, why write back?

With education and understanding, perhaps we can avoid the rift between working enthusiasts and breed ring participants that too frequently plague dog organizations. I very clearly touched on a sensitive area for the writer, and he responded emotionally. Folks, we cannot allow this division in our infancy! That is why it is so critical that SMP owners and breeders not denigrate to an Us vs. Them mentality that will not benefit our dogs. To do this we must understand the interdependence of both sides of this coin.

If the first article was in any way unclear, let me restate that form follows function, and function follows form. Breeds developed for specific purposes and their structures differ accordingly, as do their drives and abilities. Is a SMP that has lost the natural ability to hunt but is structurally correct still a SMP? If the form of evaluation we choose is based solely on physical appearance, then sadly, the answer would have to be "yes". Is that our goal as an organization? I can tell you that it is not mine personally.

Do we really want the SMP to go the way of several other breeds that come to mind where you have a three-way division of working lines, American conformation lines and Country of Origin conformation lines? To me, the dog that exhibits a Champion on each end, as they call it (conformation CH and working CH) is the epitome of the "Golden Middle". There is much discussion on the concept of the Golden Middle, alleging that it creates a pretty dog that is weaker in drive than it’s purely working line cousins, but as a goal to strive for, should we not be working toward a structurally correct dog that CAN work? I have shown a German Shepherd Dog in the German conformation ring, in the working class where the dog must have a working title to enter, as this is how he is granted permission to breed. Both his structure and working abilities had to be evaluated to determine breed-worthiness. There are some breed clubs that are, in fact, pursuing just such as course of careful evaluation of both ability and structure that we can perhaps learn from through their experiences.

Can a structurally incorrect dog still work? You bet. My first patrol dog was a structural nightmare! Hare feet, down in the hocks, round eyed and hips just on the far side of passable….but he had the heart of a champion that drove him through an obstacle. But I recognize now how that structure hampered his working ability and made him have to work twice as hard as he should have. Likewise the hunting companion at your feet. If his toes are a little east-west and his tail is set too high or low, will you come back with fewer birds? Probably not. But if you set out to reproduce this dog you should recognize how those characteristics affect the work in the long run and whether it is a serious fault or not.

Before I have rounds fired over my head from another quarter, I do not mean to imply that all working enthusiasts do not care about structure nor that breed ring participants disregard working abilities. Most certainly the two are not mutually exclusive, but are commonly where the lines of disagreement are drawn. I want to point out how dangerous it is to the future of the breed for either to disregard the importance of the other.

Like the author of the letter, I would take offense to our breed being judged by a "beauty contest". A beauty contest can only attest to the outward physical appearance. A beautiful side gait is not guarantee that a dog can pass a hip X-ray, or that his elbows will withstand the rigors of fieldwork. It certainly does not indicate that the dog can hunt. Folks, unless we want to develop separate lines within the breed, we need to look for the Total Dog. We have a physical standard for the breed, so we know what they should look like. Now we need to guarantee that those dogs used for breeding do not have heritable defects and that they can go out and do an honest day’s work in the field in the manner they were created for. Let us be guided by rational thought and not by our emotions, and work together toward this common goal.

ARTICLE ON MOUTH EXAMS

Debra Krsnich

A problem encountered recently with a dog in my training club caused me to consider that this may be something applicable to SMP owners. Anyone who competes in NAVHDA or who has observed their events has seen the examination of the mouth for proper bite. The degree—or lack thereof--- of acceptance of this procedure may also be taken into account, particularly if the dog reacts aggressively to the handling. In the breed ring, the judge will make the examination for correct dentition. If your dog does not participate in either of these venues, you and your veterinarian will still welcome having a dog whose mouth can be easily handled.

Where this problem arose recently was with a young male German Shepherd Dog whose owner was preparing him for the breed ring. He is a somewhat nervy dog, lacking an abundance of confidence to begin with, who had begun to react tentatively to the approach of the judge to examine his mouth. In training we made good progress in desensitizing him and he was eagerly looking forward to the approach of the next person and his treat.

Then it all fell apart. What happened? Well, true to typical human behavior, if a little is good, then a lot must be better! The owner was also attending weekly conformation classes at the local AKC club and they decided to immerse, or "flood", the dog with stimulus by having as many people as they could play judge and handle the dog’s mouth. Rather than becoming de-sensitized, he had become SENSITIZED to the act. All of the activity was simply too much for him to handle mentally, and it caused a sensory overload to the poor guy! You have probably seen this behavior at one time or another in the dog that is a little nervous the first day of a seminar, maybe growling at other dogs or people, but by the second day they are actively striking out, responding to the merest stimulus, if returned to the same situation. Instead of becoming acclimated, those dogs get worse.

When the owner noted his behavior and solicited club members to touch him, I learned what had occurred and put a stop to it. Instead, we had to reshape a new response, using positive motivation. Not every dog will have a problem to this extent, but it is better addressed at the front end of your dog’s career. One of my favorite sayings is, "Foundation is Forever", meaning that the training you put in on the front end by building a firm foundation will be reflected forever. Do you want to take the risk of having the dog’s reaction determined by your luck of the draw?

Teaching a dog to accept mouth handling is an easy thing, so long as you keep the sessions short and make the rules very clear. It is always easier to teach correctly than to modify bad behavior.

I like to use a clicker for teaching this. There are many excellent websites and books on clicker training if you are interested. I won’t detail the entire process here but if there is interest it could be included in a later article. The clicker creates an audible marker that tells the dog "Yes! At this instant you are doing exactly the right thing!" You can use a verbal marker instead, if you are consistent with its meaning. It is exactly for that reason that using a word is not the best choice, as it is often used throughout the day to mean a variety of things, or nothing at all. That can be very confusing to a dog. The clicker is consistent and lacks the judgmental tone of the voice. If you are using it to modify behavior, then the clicker is most definitely the better choice as the dog has already read the context of your voice in regard to this event; sometimes it is even necessary to change the command associated entirely, so negative is the dog’s reaction to it! The clicker ends the behavior and promises reward.

Prior to actually using the clicker in training, you will have demonstrated to the dog that click equals treat, so that he knows a reward will be coming. Initially the treat is there and visible and is on a 1:1 ratio but is quickly phased to an intermittent reward system. People often get stuck in the initial stage and never move beyond luring or baiting, and this results in a dog that only works when the treat is present.

I used the word "treat" here but you can substitute that to mean "life relevant rewards." Food reward is easy to handle in teaching behaviors but suppose your dog is not highly food motivated but loves to retrieve or has a favorite toy? Use whatever motivates the individual and eliminate his free access to it unless you are training. I prefer to use food at this stage and save the big rewards for when we start to add stress to the behavior by changing the environment. Additionally, having to throw something away from you breaks up the learning process and can actually undermine your other training (such as the retrieve itself, if that training is incomplete).

In addition to the marker, you can use a "keep going" signal, such as "good dog/boy/girl" when you begin to extend the behavior in time. The click is NOT an attention getter, nor is it a keep-going signal.

When the bite is displayed, the judge will generally come over the top of the muzzle with one hand and lift the corners using the thumb and middle finger and, using the other hand, grasp just behind the lower canines. For many dogs, cupping your hand over the muzzle can be calming, as it reportedly approximates the actions of a pack leader establishing control. Start with that. Don’t dart your hands in toward the dog’s face and start a wrestling match. As you scratch the side of his head gently cup your hand over the muzzle briefly, then click and treat. Scratch under the chin and place your fingers on either side of the lower jaw. Click and treat. Don’t fall prey to the idea that you must pinch the dog’s lips against his teeth unless you want a relationship based on that force. Do this no more than 5 times per session. Always leave the dog looking forward to more.

When you end the session, the dog gets no more treats. Don’t play with him or offer any other form of reward. Otherwise the dog will learn that he doesn’t have to do X, because he will have other chances and other choices (probably more fun). When you do see the dog begin to make the connection between having his mouth handled and receiving a reward, put a name to the behavior. I use one word, "teeth". A dog does not understand sentences, but later will pick out the word he knows when you say (excitedly) "show me your teeth." Make it sound like something fun and exciting to do together, not a threat.

The next steps are to complete the behavior, by lifting the lips and opening the mouth. Again, keep the sessions short. If the dog attempts to pull away or struggle, say "eh-eh" in a disapproving voice (not yelling, just quietly—remember these are creatures who can hear a cupboard open at 100 paces) and just as soon as he ceases, tell him "good boy" so that the desired behavior is clear. What you want is neither a dog that remains still, neither backing away nor struggling, while his mouth is manipulated. Click signaling the end of the behavior. If you are a person who brushes your dog’s teeth, you have already dealt with the mouth handling but I mention it because brushing the teeth is a good thing to do and the dog may enjoy having his gums and teeth rubbed or find the taste of the toothpaste rewarding. Some dogs enjoy a dab of peanut butter in their mouth. You may find that those are simple introductions to the mouth handling, as well, and can act as a reward.

The last step is to "take it on the road" and test the behavior in new locations. When you do this, make sure the dog is hungry so that the reward is particularly meaningful. Don’t over-do it; leave the dog looking forward to more. Begin by having yourself or a familiar person do the exam in the new location, then add new persons in the new environment. Always start with something familiar when you add a new behavior. Introduce different actions by the judges, including having a group of strangers crowd the dog. If the dog becomes stressed by the crowding, don’t continue to the mouth exam at that point, but instead throw a bumper for him and work solely on having him comfortable in a crowd.

If this all sounds extremely complicated, it is only because the steps are drawn out in detail. The process moves quite quickly with a young dog, who will be soon be coming to you and soliciting you to ask for the behavior in order to earn a treat! Of course, you could simply grab a firm hold of the dog’s muzzle and force him to endure, but why unduly stress him over such a simple thing before he has to perform? Better that the dog approach the event in a relaxed and confident manner, and if you have one less thing to worry about you will find yourself more relaxed as well. Even more importantly, if the dog has learned to trust your examination of his mouth under these circumstances, and the day comes when you need to look at it to examine a cut, or something he has put into his mouth, or even to deal with porcupine quills, it is less likely you will have to do battle with your dog in order to help him. Foundation IS forever.