Performance based Deutsch Kurzhaar Breeding Philosophy and the Performance Testing System:

Its common in the world of breeding dogs for a breeder to provide prospective puppy buyers a complex explanation of their breeding strategy. Usually such descriptions will include concepts related to line breeding, inbreeding, out breeding, or some variation thereof. Though each has there intrinsic value, the proof is inevitably in the pudding.

Though I would love to lay out a breeding strategy for all to see, and tell all prospective puppy buyers that it’s the plan I will always go by, that’s simply not practical. What I can say for sure is its my intention to assess the possible outcomes of every breeding, prior to deciding to breed. Even with a detailed strategy and assessment, the only true measure of the value of the parents for breeding is evaluation of the offspring they produce.

The one thing I can say for sure is, "I won’t breed Kurzhaars because I happen to hunt with a person that has a nice one", and " I won’t breed Kurzhaars because its geographically convenient. In my mind, that type of breeding is not what a breeding program should be about.

A legitimate performance based breeding program is premised on the concept of making every effort to select breeding partners that exemplify the capabilities of that breed. To me tha means dogs should be bred for versatility, not towards one specific quality. As I mentioned above, its only the measurement of the offspring that can truly bring to light the breeding value of the parents.

Premised on the sound German performance based breeding system, my intention is to always strive to produce Kurzhaars that are capable of performing the very broadest spectrum of hunting  tasks. I am only interested in producing kurzhaars that will perform with spirit, physical prowess, endurance, drive and good temper. The focus of my "breeding stategy" is to produce the most trainable, versatile hunting Deutsch Kurzhaars available, for the exclusive use of real world hunters.

For that reason, its a large part of my personal breeding philosophy to strive to breed only Kurzhaars that I have hunted over, and spent enough time with, to be able to evaluate hunting abilities, conformation, and most importantly, temperament. Since the final outcome can only be seen in the offspring, it is important to begin with a first class recipe for success.

At the end of the day, its hunting performance that drives a good breeding program. Since vom Sturmland only participates in the German performance based breeding system, it follows that only Kurzhaars that have been determined to be fit for breeding, via that testing system, will be selected by vom Sturmland for breeding.

In order to measure the value of any breeding there must be a way of measuring the outcome. To that end the German performance based breeding system was created.
In my opinion, it is the best system in the world for training, testing, and breeding versatile hunting dogs. That is so because the system was developed by real world hunters for other real world hunters.

In the German performance based breeding system, only kurzhaars that have met certain testing criteria, and exemplify ALL of the correct attributes of a versatile hunting Kurzhaar, achieve the right to breed.
Kurzhaars that do not meet those comprehensive test requirements, and/or comformation requirements, are deemed "not fit for breeding" and are excluded from the breeding program.

Its unfortunate that many Kurzhaar owners register there Kurzhaars with non FCI breed clubs in order to hedge failure. It is my opinion that second rate Kurzhaars should not be bred, and will likely produce second rate offspring.

Unrestricted breeding has led to the demise of the Americanized version of the German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP), and is one of the primary reasons that many hunters have turned towards the versatile hunting Deutsch Kurzhaar for relief from a wide variety of deficiencies. Simply put, real world hunters want real world hunting companions, and not the products of unmeasured dogs from unrestricted breedings.

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Purpose of the German Performance based Breeding Program:

While a detailed description of each test is too much to present here, the purpose of each of the performance tests of the DKV is provided in the following paragraphs. Rule books with detailed requirements of each test are available on request to members of the VCDKK and NADKC.

Preface:

Test of the DKV are designed to assess the natural, physical and mental attributes of the versatile hunting Deutsch Kurzhaar at various stages of development in order to determine the outcome of past breeding and the Kurzhaar's potential benefit for future breeding purposes. The exact purpose of each DKV test is described below and each of the descriptions was taken directly from the “General Regulations of the Deutsch Kurzhaar Verband”.
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TESTS:

DERBY (Equivalent JGHV Test: VJP)

SOLMS (Equivalent JGHV Test: HZP)

AZP

VGP (JGHV Utility Test)

IKP/NAKP (INTERNATIONALE KURZHAAR PRUEFUNG)

ZUCHTSCHAU (BREED SHOW)
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DERBY

The Derby Test is a breed test along with a natural ability test. It is used to determine the puppy’s inclination in the most important field categories and to assess the breeding values of the puppy’s parents. This test serves its purpose best when on one hand the training and preparation of the puppy are sufficiently advanced to show his natural abilities, but on the other hand, the handlers influence does not overly cover or mask the puppy’s natural ability. From past experience, testing on the spring field best shows the Kurzhaars natural abilities regarding the acuity of nose, finding ability, a systematic scent-oriented and keen search, as well as pointing and relocation of feathered game.

The Derby training will be most successful when the puppy’s passion for rabbits and their tracks has been sufficiently restrained during winter and early spring so that its attention can be introduced to game birds when they start pairing in spring before nesting. Therefore, Derby does not require work on the rabbits track. However, an occasionally-shown manner of hunting and occasional very good work on rabbit track will be noted. Requirements for a Derby are large fields, containing a sufficient number of game birds. The parents' breeding values are easier to recognize by testing as many littermates as possible. Clubs and judges must be equally concerned with setting high, but reasonable, standards for th puppy’s work – in order to ensure the continued significance of the Derby prizes, ensure the Derby test will remain a valuable breeding instrument.

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SOLMS TEST:
Equivalent JGHV Test: HZP

The Solms Test is a breeding test, an addition to and expansion of the spring Derby test. The purpose of the test, similar to the Derby, is to establish the level of the Kurzhaar’s natural abilities in regards to suitability and future use in versatile hunting and breeding, as well as determination of the parents' breeding value. Particular attention is paid to mental stability. The young Kurzhaar's training for practical use in hunting in field and water must be essentially completed by this time. The judges must be particularly careful to determine natural abilities that often are masked by the completed training.

Required for proper execution of the test are: large fields, containing a sufficient number of game birds and rabbits, and containing sufficiently large water area with ample reed growth. The recognition of the parents breeding value and that of the contesting Kurzhaar is facilitated by testing as man littermates as possible.

Bact to Tests

AZP TEST:
Any Kurzhaar that was prevented from participating in a Solms Test because of sickness, health or other reasons can have an opportunity to be tested in the Older Dog Breeding Test (AZP) to prove their hunting usefulness and suitability for a breeding. Also, the Older Dog Breeding Test (AZP) serves a maturity test for those Kurzhaars that have been presented at previous tests. Especially important is the determination of the Kurzhaar and its parents' breeding value. The test regulations are the same for the Solms. Consideration is given to the Kurzhaar's age, particularly in obedience. The Kurzhaars should not be over 6 years old.

Bact to Tests

VGP Test:
JGHV Utility Test

The Verbands-Gebrauchs-Prüfung (VGP) is the JGHV Utility test. This two-day test is a comprehensive evaluation of the performance and capabilities of a fully trained versatile hunting dog. Rubrics include work in the field, water and woods. In addition obedience and cooperation are of utmost importance. Blood tracking is also an important part of this test. Dogs successfully completing this test are highly revered by hunters that hunt with versatile hunting breeds. VCDKK Kurzhaar Handlers are encouraged to make their dog’s successful completion of the VGP a personal goal. It should be noted that all JGHV judges must have trained and handled a dog thru successful completion of the VGP in order to become a Verbandsrichter (VR) (Association Judge).

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IKP/NAKP:
INTERNATIONALE KURZHAAR PRUEFUNG
(INTERNATIONAL KURZHAAR TEST)

The DEUTSCH KURZHAAR VERBAND (DKV) conducts an annual International Field and Water test for the purpose of giving the domestic and foreign friends of the DEUTSCH KURZHAAR the opportunity to see for themselves the results of the breeding standards and performance based breeding system of the DKV. The test is also meant to encourage breeders to higher breeding performance and initiate and foster an understanding of fine field and water work amongst hunter and handlers. Such tests can only fulfill their task.
If they require a high standard. Therefore only thoroughly trained Kurzhaars that have a history of successfully passing previous tests and have sufficient hunting experience should be entered. As a rule the IKP test are held each year in Germany.
Additional Important Information that you should Know!

It should be noted that some JGHV test though equivalent in purpose, may not require that identical tasks be performed by the Kurzhaar. For example in a Solms Test a Kurzhaar is required to follow a 400 meter rabbit drag and in the equivalent HZP a dog is only required to follow a 300 meter rabbit drag. Those planning to participate in DKV tests or equivalent JGHV tests should take care to consult the proper test rule book for the test for which they plan to participate.
For more specific information regarding the DKV tests described above refer to the “General Regulations of the Deutsch Kurzhaar Verband” located in the Members Section of this website. For more specific information regarding equivalent Jagdgebrauchshundverband e.V. (JGHV) test requirements consult the JGHV Regulations for Association Breed Tests (VZPO). Information regarding the purchase of either manual is available in the Member section.

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Zuchtschau: (Breed Show)

DKV breeding regulations specify that a Zuchtschau (Breed Show) be conducted on a regular basis. The purpose of the Zuchtschau is to evaluate the success of past breeding by assessing the attributes of the offspring produced.
A Zuchtshau is not a competition or contest in which dogs are compared to each other and a winner is selected but rather a survey performed to determine the level of each dog’s conformation. After careful study the Formwertricher (Form Judge) assigns each dog a predicate that corresponds to the Formwertricher’s perception of the dogs attributes. Possible predicates are listed below:

V: Excellent (Vorzueglich)
SG: Very Good (Sehr Gut)
G : Good (Gut)
Gen.: Acceptable (Genuegend)
Unge.: Not Acceptable (Ungenuegend)

Only Kurzhaars that have successfully passed a breed test, i.e. Solms, HZP or AZP and have been assigned a predicate of “Good” or better in a Zuchtshau (Breed Show) are allowed to be used for breeding. Additionally, both male and female Kurzhaars must have been determined to be Hip Dysplasia free (HD free). Only when all of the appropriate requirements are met is a Kurzhaar considered Zuchttauglich (Fit for Breeding).

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