Solivia Pointers

Baby Abbie - Ch. Solivia's Against The Wind JH. Sire: Ch. Solivia's No Rules Just Right. Dam: Ch. Solivia's Indigo Bunting

Some Information about Solid-Colored Pointers

     Solid-colored Pointers have been in existence as a coloration pattern since the beginnings of this breed - in other words, for centuries.  They are very much the norm in Scandinavian countries, and are spread throughout Europe.  There, they are widely accepted and appreciated.  They are much less known in this country, and as such, it is seldom to see one exhibited in the show ring or in field events. 

     Judges should avail themselves of the breed standard if there is any question whatsoever as to their acceptance as an approved coloration variety.  Just as German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, English Cockers and American Cockers have solid-colored and parti-colored specimens, Pointers are similarly colored.  There is no difference whatsoever in skeletal structure/substance, movement, type or temperament between solid and parti Pointers.  Some judges have commented that a solid seemed slighter of bone (substance) than its parti-colored competition.  This is an optical illusion.  Examine the photo below of the littermates, Solivia's Against The Wind and Solivia's Touch The Wind, both now champions.  Their inside front legs are crossing one another, and the bone/substance is obviously identical.  The outer front legs, when distanced from each other, do present the illusion of the parti-colored one having more substance.

     The solid color is genetically a dominant coloration pattern.  As such, a solid-colored parent is required to produce a solid offspring.  Never will a parti-color produce a solid WHEN BRED TO ANOTHER PARTI, regardless of the presence of solids in the pedigree.  

     Just as parti-colored Pointers evince the black, liver and yellow colors in combination with white, solid-colored Pointers come in solid black, solid liver and solid yellow.  The yellows, both the parti-colors and the solids, are referred to as "oranges" if the nose and other pigmentation is black.  They are referred to as "lemons" if the nose and other pigmentation is liver-colored.  The rationale for this is because the pigmentation produces differently when bred to certain colors, and it is useful to have this knowledge when evaluating pedigrees so that one can make an informed prediction as to what colors to anticipate.  For instance, a liver, when bred to a black-nosed yellow (correctly called an orange), can produce black coated dogs (parti-colored, of course, unless one parent is a solid).  However, a liver, when bred to a liver-nosed yellow (correctly called a lemon), will only produce dilute-pigmented dogs in the liver coat colorations and, providing that liver parent carries the recessive for yellow, yellow coated offspring will result as well.  The Mendelian ratios relating to dominants and recessives generally apply in making a prediction of colors to be expected, with black, of course, being dominant to yellow, and liver is essentially considered a "check factor" of black. 

     Most solids are "hybrid solids", meaning that they carry the recessive for parti-color.  When bred to a parti-color, roughly 50% of the offspring will be solid-colored, of course carrying the recessive for parti-color.  Obviously, the parti-colored offspring, as recessives, will not produce solid, nor carry for it.  One can obtain a "pure for solid" by the mating of two hybrid solids.  Roughly75% of the offspring will be solid-colored, with approximately 25% being "pure for solid".  

     This is a VERY rudimentary treatise of color genetics.  It is an attempt to inform while keeping the subject matter extremely simple so that someone not specifically interested in genetics can still grasp the fundamentals of color breeding in Pointers.  Concise information on color breeding is covered in The Inheritance of Coat Color In Dogs, and can be ordered from Howell Book House.

     Solid-colored Pointers of Scandinavian descent were imported to this country in the early 50's by Douglas and Frances Hill, breeding under the Denwood prefix.   They owned, among others, Denwood Ebony.  A solid was obtained from the Hills by Leon Shiver (Shandown's Indian Penny).  Leon produced  several solids of note, including Ch. Shandown's Man O War.  Shandown's Chocolate Sundae, Indian Penny's granddaughter, was sent to Truewithem Kennels, and when bred to the National Specialty winning Ch. Truewithem Abercrombie, she produced Truewithem Fudge Factor.  "Fudge" was bred to another Truewithem champion - Truewithem HH New Wave, and produced Truewithem Fudge Topping.  Toppie was then obtained by Idella Nichols from the estate of Robert Parker, DVM.   We obtained Fudge Topping from Idella Nichols, and when bred to Ch. Orion of Crookrise, she produced the solid liver - Solivia's Rosewood.  Rosewood produced the first solid Solivia champion - Ch. Solivia's Why Be Normal (Corky).  Corky in turn produced many fine champions, both parti-colored and solid.  Of note are Ch. Solivia's You Had Me At Hello, Best of Winners at the 1998 APC National, Ch. Solivia's No Rules Just Right, Ch. Solivia's Dark Moon Risin', Am. Can. Ch. Solivia's You Wish, Ch. Solivia's Constellation and Ch. Solivia's The Snowball Made It (Ducky).  

     Ducky has produced a solid orange (Solivia's Work of Heart), and in her last litter, she has a solid liver female puppy.

     We also have a lovely pair of solid blacks from our litter by Ch. Solivia's No Rules Just Right ex Ch. Solivia's Indigo Bunting.  

     In summary, Solid Colored Pointers are beautiful, have been the subject of artists for centuries, and deserve equal consideration and appreciation both in the show ring and in the field.  We feel a righteous obligation to the breed and to this coloration pattern to participate in the preservation of Solid Colored Pointers. 

~ Susan Thompson - Solivia Pointers - 2005