A Spotty Pointer or a Dalmatian?

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, September 2014 issue.

A Spotty Pointer or a Dalmatian?

One cannot judge or breed intelligently if he does not recognize breed type. Breed type is the written standard based on the function that particular breed had to fulfill. Each standard is describe to create each breed as an individual specimen. These reflect the original purpose of the breeds, the Dalmatian’s ability to cover long miles on the road and Pointer’s ability to quarter the fields to locate and mark the bird. We realize that most breeds of today are not used for their original function. But, does that mean that the breed’s type should be erased and changed? No! The purpose for writing the standards in the creation of a breed is to set the characteristics of type. To understand these characteristics of type you must study the breed’s history.

What was its function? And what different breeds were introduced to create the individual breed? Although an individual breed may have been derived from several other breeds, the standard describes it to distinguish that breed from all others, presenting an individual animal with its own unique breed type. All breeds, large and small, have the same total number of bones that make up their conformation. These bones, long and short, narrow or wide, but arranged differently according to its breed function, help establish that breed’s type. For example, there are the same number of vertebrae in the spinal column of the Greyhound, Pointer and Dalmatian, but each of their standards describes a different type of topline, characteristic of its own breed type. An animal is not typical of the breed if any of its components are exaggerated. The exaggerated animal’s faults and virtues are much more noticeable than the functional and well-balanced dog. The balanced dog is smoother in outline and his parts are proper to him. True type, because it is functional, is always in balance.

The Dalmatian is quite often referred to as a “coach dog” because of his ability to run with his master’s coach for long hours. Tis is his function, which created his breed type. He should be the proper size, appear strong, muscular and active. When in motion, he must have an even gait with reach and drive, showing his great endurance. His side movement should picture him with this head carried up and slightly thrust out, but not high in the air, and carrying the proper topline; neither slanting towards the withers or roached. His tail, which is an extension of the spine, is carried with a slightly curve and never curled and never over the back. Either black and white or live and white, his markings should be definite, round and of proper size, not intermingled. Tis is what makes the Dalmatian a unique specimen of its breed type. The Pointer is primarily bred for sport in the field which is his function, different than that of the Dalmatian. He must move smoothly through the fields, with agility and grace. His head is carried high and proudly, scenting out his game. When it is discovered, he freezes on point. The tail moves side to side rhythmically with the pace. Ideally it is carried level with his back. The Pointer gives the impression of a well-balanced, strongly built hunting dog capable of top speed combined with great stamina. He has a muscular body representing staying power of his point. These are the characteristics of type that have been written into the Pointer standard, presenting an individual breed unlike the Dalmatian. Knowing that the Dalmatian originated from dogs of sporting dog type, such as the “Spanish Pointer”, there are definite Pointer characters of type that we must avoid in judging and breed the definite. The Dalmatian must be of his own breed type.

Some of the early standards describing the Dalmatian actually compare him to the Pointer. Such as, “The head very much resembles that of a Pointer, but is neither quite so deep nor so broad in muzzle,” and another, “The neck should be arched like the Pointer.” In today’s standards of the Dalmatian and Pointer, the difference is described very distinctly to separate both breeds. There is a distinct difference of toplines. The Dalmatian’s back is powerful with a strong, muscular, slightly arched loin. The pointer’s back should also be strong, but with a slight rise to the top of the shoulders and the loin of modern length, powerful and slightly arched, with the group falling slightly to the base of the tail. Comparing these two toplines, they both describe the loin as slightly arched. The Dalmatian should never have a slight rise from the croup to the top of the shoulders. Tis is typical of the Pointer. The Pointer’s croup should fall slightly to the base of the tail. The croup is not mentioned in the Dalmatian standard, but it does state that the tail should not be set too low down. A low tail set on a Dalmatian is a fault. The Dalmatian’s chest should not be too wide, but very deep and capacious, ribs well sprung, but never rounded (indicating want of speed).

The Dalmatian’s function does not require speed, but long, hard hours of endurance. The Point’s chest is deep and must not hinder the strong leg action by being too wide; the breastbone bold, without being unduly prominent; the ribs well-sprung, descending as low as the elbow. The Dalmatian’s and Pointer’s chest does not differ that much, but both breeds state the same faults: narrowchested, shallow and shelly. Too wide a chest is a fault, as this results in being out at the elbows and barreled ribs. The Dalmatian is a squarely built animal without appearing leggy. Both these breeds when too fine boned, with their chests narrow and not reaching to the elbow accompanied with a relatively extreme tuck-up as a Greyhound will give the appearance of being leggy even though they may measure square. These are faults in both breeds. Legs and feet are most important in the Dalmatian as a running dog. The Dalmatian’s forelegs should be straight, strong and heavy in bone, yet not coarse or lumbery. The elbows should be tucked close to the body. Crooked and bow legs, out at the elbows, accompanied with coarse bone, hinders his running ability. Compact feet with well-arched toes and elastic pads, joining the proper foreleg is a great asset to the running Dalmatian. Flat feet are a major fault.

The Dalmatian with thin pads and weak or too-straight pasterns could not function properly over rough terrain and would tire easily. The Pointer’s forelegs are to be straight. He must have oval bone of the proper strength, giving him the ability to work in the field. Coarse, fine or spindly bones do not give him strength. Heavy bone in a Pointer is a fault. But heavy bone which is not coarse or lumbery is desired in a Dalmatian. The Pointer’s elbows are well let down, directly under the withers. Tis description of the elbow placement describes the proper angulation of the front assembly, which would be most important to the well-defined Pointer’s front action and function. The pasterns should be of moderate length, not long and sloping, nor short and straight. They should be perceptibly finer in bone than the leg and slightly slanting, giving him spring and grace. His feet are oval, well-padded and deep to withstand the stubbles and stones in the rough fields. The toes are long, arched and closely set. Cat feet and splay feet, thin pads and soft pads are faults. The properly constructed forelegs of the Pointer give him the free action that is desired to function in the field as a hunting dog. The Dalmatian’s hind legs must be clean with well defined muscles. His hocks are well let down.

Over-developed muscles (muscle bound) do not have the elasticity or freedom of movement. Cow hocks are a major fault. They are weak and have no endurance. Stifles are not mentioned in the Dalmatian standard, but we assume what they should be because of other descriptive parts of the standard. We assume they should be neither straight nor over-angulated because neither construction would contribute to the steady rhythm of “1, 2, 3, 4” with drive that is required. Tis gait is a characteristic of the Dalmatian’s breed type, which points out that his function is to run many miles with a steady, even gait, showing endurance without tiring. The Pointer’s hindquarters are muscular and powerful with great propelling leverage, thighs long and well-developed, remind us that the Pointer must leap, twist and turn while functioning in the field, quite unlike the Dalmatian. The Pointer’s long and well-developed thighs, with a well developed stifles, are a mark of power and endurance. Joined by clean and parallel hocks gives him strength and movability. Pointers are seen in liver, lemon, black and orange; either in combination with white or solid colored. A liver Pointer cannot be a bad color. Tis is quite opposite to the Dalmatian.

The color and markings of the Dalmatian are of great importance, counting for one-quarter of the standard’s scale of 100 points. The ground color in both the black and liver spotted is always pure white. the spots should be round and evenly distributed over the body. The spots on the head, ears, legs and tail are to be smaller than those on the body. Spots that are adjacent to each other and ticking that is smaller than a dime are undesirable. Patches, tricolors and any markings other than black or liver are a disqualification. It is interesting to note that Dalziel’s book on “British Dogs”, 1889, mentions Dalmatian of many colors. He describes the color and markings of the Dalmatian as giving it a distinct character and are properly very highly valued. He says the body must be pure white, single black hairs, running through the ground color giving a grayish hue are considered a very serious fault. The purer and bright the white, the better the black and liver spots look by contrast. The color of the spots should be pure black, blue-black or rich reddish liver. He mentions that the handsomest dogs are the tri-colors, with black spots on the body and bright, back or the rear legs, inside the front of the thighs and sometimes under and on the sides of the jaws. Of course, these tri-colors and blue-blacks are a disqualification under today’s standard. Dalziel mentions that some of the earlier winners had distinctly tanned faces, but those and black patches were even then (1889) objectionable, “although less so than the dark ridge of conglomerated spots that often runs down the back.” The more distinct and clearly defined spots at this time were the best.

The size of the spots desired then was the same as today, and the rounder the better. He mentioned that the larger ones generally ran into each other and when too small they gave a freckled (ticking) appearance. Dalziel, in speaking of colors of the Pointer, says that there is no preference, just whatever is in fashion. “A predominance of white has been thought to be best because it assists the sportsman in detecting the whereabouts of his dog in high cover.” Walsh in 1867 and Dalziel in 1879 have similar descriptions of the Dalmatian. They both mention that the Dalmatian head is similar to the head of the Pointer, but without the Pointer exaggeration. The Dalmatian’s head is of fair length, flat skull, proportionally broad between the eyes and moderately defined at the temples. The markings on the head should be smaller than the body markings. Patches on the head, or anywhere else, are disqualifications. The Pointer skull is of medium width, approximately as wide as the length of the muzzle, giving the impression of length rather than width. The Dalmatian standard mentions nothing about the stop, but states the head should not be a straight line from the occiput to the nose as required in the Bull Terrier.

At one time, it was believed that the Bull Terrier was introduced into the breed of the early Dalmatian. The desired characteristic of type in the Bull Terrier is undesirable in the Dalmatian head, once again placing emphasis on making the Dalmatian an individual breed on its own. The Pointer should have cheeks that are cleanly chiseled and should have a slightly furrow between the eyes with a pronounced stop. From the stop forward, the muzzle should be good length with the nasal bone so formed that the nose is slightly higher than where the muzzle meets the stop. Tis describes a “dish face.” The dish face is desirable in the Pointer, but not in the Dalmatian. Parallel planes of the muzzle and skull are also desirable. In the Pointer, the muzzle should be deep without excessive flews. The Dalmatian’s eyes are set moderately wide apart, round and medium in size. They should be sparkling with an intelligent expression. The color of the eyes depends upon the color of the dog. The black-spotted should be black, brown or blue. The liver-spotted should be golden, light brown or blue. Lack of pigment around the eyes is a major fault. The Pointer’s eyes are of ample size, rounded and intense. Eye color should be dark in contrast with the color or the markings, the dark the better.

The Dalmatian’s ears are set rather high, but not at the top of the head; wide at the base and tapering to a rounded point; carried close to the head, thin and fine in texture. They should not be set low, long or folding. The markings on the ears must be smaller than the body markings. A patch on the ear is a disqualification. Spotted ears are desired, but very difficult to get. They generally go with a lightly marked dog. The desired Pointer ear is set on at eye level. When hanging naturally, the tip should reach just below the lower jaw and close to the head, with little or no folding. They should be pointed at the tip, not rounded, and thin and soft in texture. The Dalmatian’s nose must always be self-colored, never butterfly or flesh-colored, which is a major fault. In the darker-colored Pointers, the nose should be black or brown; in the lighter colors, it may be lighter or flesh colored. So we see that many of the desirable colors and markings in the Dalmatian are permissible in the Pointer, such as lemons, patches of color and tickings. Once again, the Dalmatian is distinct in his markings, which are a very important characteristic of the breed.