General Regulations of the Deutsch Kurzhaar Verband

§1

(1) Only breeding clubs affiliated to the German Shorthair Association are allowed to organize breed tests. Exceptions are allowed for international tests.

(2) The club chairman shall appoint a test director responsible for preparation and execution for each test – unless the chairman himself assumes this responsibility.  The appointed person is also responsible for issuing certificates as well as for timely and correct reporting.

(3) The test director must be a recognized judge (VR) according to the regulations of the Versatile Hunting Dog Association.  He must have successfully handled several German Shorthairs in breed tests of the DKV and must have judged at several tests of the German Shorthair Association (German Shorthair judge) Exceptions are allowed for International Tests.

(4) He may not enter a dog in the test he himself is directing.  The organizing club and the test director are jointly responsible for the orderly execution of the test.

§2

(1) The chairman of the club organizing the test or the appointed director of the test shall select the judges and the senior judge.  They must posses sufficient experience and successful practice in the training and handling of versatile hunting dogs.

(2) The judges should be acknowledged association judges (VR).  They must have successfully handled dogs at several breed tests of the DKV and be familiar with those regulations.

(3) A judge may not judge his own dog or a dog trained or bred by him (this includes first-generation offspring of his stud dog).

II. Admission Qualifications (Zulassungsbedingungen)

§3

(1) Registration has to be made on the application form of the German Shorthair Association (DKV) or on the entry form of the Versatile Hunting Dog Association (JGHV), either typewritten or printed.  Incomplete or illegible forms will be returned by the test director.  A dog may not be handled more than twice in the breed tests Derby and Solms.  The participation in international tests is exempt.  Cancellation of tests due to conditions beyond the handlers control do not fall under this definition.

(2) By submitting their entry, owners and handlers accept these regulations as binding.  The entry of a dog obliges payment of the entry fee, even if the dog does not appear for the test, unless the application is withdrawn by the scheduled closing date.

(3) Prior to the start of the test, the handler must surrender to the test director the pedigree and certificates of vaccination of the dog as prescribed by law.  Rabies vaccinations are mandatory.  Failure to comply with this regulation cancels entry rights and the entry fee is forfeited.

§4

A handler may not handle more than two dogs in breed tests of the DKV.  However, in the Derby, a breed test for the DKV, a handler can maximally handle three dogs.  The handler of a dog must show proof of a valid hunting license.  The test director may allow exemptions in special cases, if they are necessary for breeding or hunting reasons.

III. Execution of the test (Durchführung der Prüfung)

§5

The organizing club determines the date and place of the test.

§6

A brief meeting of the judges should be held prior to each test in order to create the most equitable criteria possible in regards to the performance standards, and therefore to assure fair and uniform judging for all dogs.

§7

In the Solms test, conformation evaluation and eye-color appraisal may be done during the test by a conformation judge or by a panel appointed by the club.  These conformation ratings must be recorded with written justification as a Special Evaluation on the appropriate Conformation Form after the usual entry fee for breed conformation shows has been submitted.  Conformation ratings determined at breed conformation shows must be duplicated.  For a Derby, the evaluation is limited to identification of breeding defects (tooth, eye, and testicle defects), fundamental conformation defects, and determination of eye color.

§8

For each judging group there will be 3 judges, of them one is the senior judge appointed by the club chairman.  Majority rules apply.

§9

(1) The judges are bound by the test regulations.  After each completed phase of the test, a judge from the judges’ group shall give an evaluation of the dog’s work to the handler and the audience (open judging).

(2) For the final judges’ meeting, the judges must have determined the grades for all dogs in their respective groups.  A later change is not permitted except for cases in which the judgment has to be coordinated with the evaluations of other judges’ groups.

IV.  Evaluation Principles (Bewertungsgrundlagen)

§10

(1) The judges shall note their observations on each dog’s performances during various phases of the test, and they must enter a final predicate (in words) in their judge books. Under no circumstances may the best performance which a dog has shown only once be the only judging criterion.

(2) The test director must list the predicates – translated into performance scores – on the certificate chart.  The predicates correspond to the following scores:

very good = 4 (sehr gut)

good = 3 (gut)

satisfactory = 2 (genügend)

poor = 1 (mangelhaft)

insufficient = 0 (ungenügend)

(3) For OUTSTANDING, “VERY GOOD” performance, the predicate “excellent” (4h) may be awarded. This will call special attention to the especially strong performances in various categories and thus shall render these more valuable for breeding selection.  The predicate “excellent”  (Hervorragend) may only be awarded in the categories of the field and water work.  The awarding of a 4h must be briefly explained during the prize distribution and in the judge’s report. (4h can only be awarded to: Derby: Nose, Search, and Pointing: Solms: Nose, Search, and Pointing, and Search behind the duck – and not for retrieving, obedience, etc.!)

(4) IT IS THE JUDGE’S HIGHEST PRIORITY TO ADVANCE THOSE DOGS FOR BREEDING AND UTILITY PURPOSES WHO EXHIBIT FIRST – RATE APTITUDES, STRONG NERVES, MATURITY, DESIRE TO WORK, AND COOPERATION – OVER THOSE DOGS EXHIBITING TENDENCIES TO SHYNESS, UNWILLINGNESS TO WORK, AND UNCOOPERATIVE.

(5) Gun-shy and hand-shy dogs must be suspended from completing the test. They cannot pass the test.

Gun sensitive dogs must be evaluated with special concern.  Unequivocal gun sensitivity has to be noted as it is a defect that prohibits breeding (see Appendix 1).

(6) Additional temperament faults (e.g. shyness, hyperactivity, fear of live game) must be recorded diligently.  If they are determined without doubt, they should be noted as they are defects that prohibit breeding.

(7) The testing of dogs afflicted with behavioral defects as listed in (5) and (6) or with additional defects that prohibit breeding as listed in the breed regulations (i.e. tooth, testicle, and eye defects) should be continued, but these dogs do not receive a prize category.  On their test score sheets and pedigree the remark “qualified for …Prize” should be noted.

(8) Determined defects prohibiting breeding must be recorded on the test score sheet.  The pedigree of such a dog should bear the stamp “ZUCHTUNTAUGLICH” (not qualified for breeding).

Appendix 1 (Anmerkung 1)

Slight gun sensitivity, which has no effect on the dog’s evaluation, is present if the dog reacts slightly fearful to the shot, however, the rhythm of work (continuity of work) is not notably interrupted.

Gun sensitivity, which preclude breeding qualification, is manifested in a fearful reaction of the dog such that the rhythm of work is interrupted, the dog returns to the handler and does not resume its work immediately.

Strong gun sensitivity, dogs which similarly cannot qualify for breeding, react to the shot in such a frightened manner that they interrupt their work, return to the handler and resume work only after some time (up to five minutes).

Gunshyness, which prohibits breeding qualification and passing of the test, is demonstrated when a dog shows clear signs of fear or panic after the shot, seeks protection by the handler or other persons or hides under objects and thus withdraws from further testing.

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V. Prize Assignment (Preiszuteilung)

§11

(1) The judges will distribute the prizes in accordance with the test regulations.

(2) The clubs are entitled to award material, monetary, and honorary trophies.  If not determined otherwise, the trophies are awarded to the handler.  Each dog that received a prize receives a prize certificate and possibly a score sheet.

(3) The test results, including date and place, are entered onto the dog’s pedigree by the test director, with the stamp of the organizing club, and signed.

(4) The prizes are named D I-III for Derby prizes, S I-III for Solms prizes and AZP I-III for Older Dog Breeding Test prizes.  A successfully passed Dr. Kleemann Test is designated as KS, and an International Shorthair Test with IKP.

(5) Dogs who did not receive prizes will receive the remark “Not Passed” along with the reason for failing.  Withdrawal of a dog during the test, except for injury, is not permitted, and will result in a “no pass”.

VI. Reporting (Berichterstattung)

§12

(1) For Derby, Solms, and AZP, reporting by senior judges should be limited to entries on official forms.

(2) For IKP and Kleemann Breed Selection Test, the senior judges are required to submit to the test director a short written report in duplicate within 8 days of the test.  The report should contain the following:

1. Terrain and density of game

2. Names of the judges for the test group.

3. Names of the dogs in the test group.

4. Evaluation of the dogs.

The report must contain a short characteristic of each dog’s manner of work, recognizing his strengths and weaknesses and including the number of times the dog found game.  It especially must contain a list of all observed character and physical faults.  Also included are conformation evaluation, eye color, and prize received.

For dogs who did not pass, the report must detail judges reason for failing and in which categories.

§13

(1) The organizing club and the test director are jointly responsible to submit testing results of Derby, Solms, or AZP to the Studbook Office within three weeks.  Submitted materials include:

1. The official entry form.

2. The duplicate score sheet (Prüfungsbescheinigung).

(2) Test results of IKP and Kleemann Breeding Selection Test shall be submitted to the Chairman of the DKV, the Studbook Office and the Director of Records (Obmann für die Berichterstattung).

(3) Delayed reporting justifies a fine of 200,00 DM to be levied by the DKV.

VII. Regulations (ordnungsvorschriften)

The orders of the test director, judge, and the club representative must be obeyed.

§15

Bitches in heat need specific approval of the test director to be admitted.  The test director and judges are responsible that the performance of the other testing dogs will not suffer due to the presence of a bitch in heat.

§16

All dogs not presently under testing have to be on a leash.  Whining or barking dogs must be led out of earshot of the performing dogs.  The handlers are responsible for appearing when their dogs are called upon.

§17

Causes for exclusion from the test, and forfeit for entry fees, are:

a. Deliberately false statements on entry forms.

b. Letting a dog run loose when not working in test.

c. Not appearing when called upon.

d. Handlers leading bitches in heat, not conforming to the director’s orders.

e. Handlers violating regulations in VII #16 or other directives by test director or judges.

§18

(1) Handlers possessing a hunting license are required to carry a gun, sufficient ammunition, and their hunting license at the tests.

(2) Handlers not possessing a hunting license must submit sufficient liability insurance for their dogs to the test director before the test.

(In North America, state and local regulations established by the perspective Fish & Game authorities prevail).

VIII.  Appeals (Einspruch)

§19

(1) The right to appeal is permitted only to the handler of the contesting dog.

(2) The appeal may be against evident misjudgment by the judges and against not following test regulations.  Objections to the discretionary evaluation/scoring privileges (Ermessensfreiheit) of judges cannot be subject of an appeal.

(3) An appeal must be submitted in writing to the test director and should contain a simple justification.  At the same time, a 100.00 DM fee must be deposited.  This fee will be reimbursed if the appeal is granted. The appeal deadline is one hour after announcement of the test result by the judging group.

(4) The appeal will be decided upon by a commission consisting of three members.  The commission should be comprised of experienced judges who are nominated by:

a) The test director or club chairman at breed tests, Derby, Solms, and AZP.

b) The DK Association at IKP and Kleemann Breed Selection Test.  Members of the appeal commission must be listed in the official program at IKP and Kleemann test.

(5) The appeals commission may:

1. Correct scores if derived under abuse of discretionary privileges.

2. Repeat the testing subject if testing regulations have been violated.

3. Decline the appeal as unjustified. 

The verdict of the appeals commission must be recorded in writing.  The decision of the appeals commission is final.

§20

The German Shorthair Association (DKV) must deny recognition of any test that violated essential parts of the test regulations.

§21

The organizing club is responsible for a timely announcement of planned breed tests.  IKP and Kleemann-Test must be announced in the Association Newsletter (Kurzhaar Blaetter)

These regulations were approved by the Main Convention of the Deutsch-Kurzhaar Association on March 18, 1989.  They became effective on January 1, 1990.

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