Deutsch Langhaar
Gruppe Nordamerika
About DL-GNA

The group is affiliated with the Deutsch Langhaar Verband (DLV) and our mission is:
• To embrace all persons and friends of the Deutsch Langhaar, especially the breeder’s and handlers of the breed. To promote and protect the integrity of the DL while improving the breed, its performance and versatility and usefulness as a hunting companion in accordance with the principles originated by the DLV.
• To provide cooperative, trainable DL for the foot hunter that will be utilized with emphasis in the preservation of wounded game.
• To sponsor training seminars and tests following the regulations of the DLV and Jagdgebrauchshund Verband (JGHV), which are designed to evaluate all hunting qualities of the DL and other versatile hunting dogs with an FCI-recognized and VDH-registered pedigree. To sponsor a Zuchtshau (breed shows) to evaluate the conformation of the DL against the DLV standards.
• To familiarize hunters and the public with the history, use and characteristics of the DL, and support the efforts of other versatile hunting dog breeding and testing organizations that are a member of the JGHV.
• To promote the importance of wildlife preservation through education of club members and the public. To promote hunting; especially youth hunting and related activities.

After working together for nearly two years, a group of dedicated Deutsch Langhaar enthusiasts debut a new breed club, Deutsch Langhaar Gruppe Nordamerika. With the election of officers and ratification of by-laws, Deutsch Langhaar Gruppe Nordamerika became established on September 14, 2007. On March 15, 2008 in Fulda, Germany, the Deutsch Langhaar Verband (DLV) sanctioned the Deutsch Langhaar Gruppe Nordamerika as the 15th group by unanimous vote! Please see HERE for the official announcement on the DLV web page.

Gruppe Nordamerika is modeled after and guided by several successful member groups of the JGHV already long established both here in North America and abroad. Gruppe Nordamerika represents the United States and Canada and is supported through association with the club and/or its members of the JGHV, the Deutsch Langhaar Verband and its member clubs, the JGV-USA, the VDD-GNA, VDD Canada, the Vereinigter CanAm Deutsch Kurzhaar Club and the NADKC. Our Gruppe Nordamerika members belong to one or more of these groups and so far we have supporting members from the VDD-GNA and JGV-USA.

Vice President of the JGHV Wolf Schmidt-Koerby wrote a congratulatory letter to the newly formed Gruppe Nordamerika stating, “The JGHV will support your organizations efforts in any way possible within the frame of our organization. From my experience traveling in USA and Canada, I learned the hunting ways of the countries. Breeding and handling of German Hunting dogs tested to JGHV standards and German breed club standards was a positive change in the hunters and dog handlers approach to hunting. The wish to breed a hunting dog for “before” and “after” the shot as well as the goal to breed “Thru performance to the type” has paved the way for a change to the more demanding European ethical hunting tradition.” To read the letter from JGHV Vice President Wolf Schmidt-Kirby in it's entirety, please click HERE.

As a result of the sanctioning of Gruppe Nordamerika, the DLV mandated the following policies in regards to breeding and pedigrees, which was communicated to the German Longhair Pointer Club of North America (GLPCNA) by DL-GNA on March 31, 2008 via the attached letter. That letter can be viewed HERE.

This letter was followed up by correspondence from the Chairman of Group Nordwest of the DLV to the president of the German Longhair Pointer Club of North America (GLPCNA). Please see HERE for the official correspondence from Germany. Please also see HERE for the third party professional translation by Astrid Geisler, contracted by Gruppe Nordamerika for all official communications since February 2008.

The Deutsch Langhaar Verband published an announcement in the June 2008 Mitteilungen which not only explains that Gruppe Nordamerika is the only officially sanctioned DLV group in North America, but also strongly reiterates the DLV policies as previously stated. Please see HERE for the published Mitteilungen article exemplifying the DLV's exclusive support for Deutsch Langhaar Gruppe Nordamerika, which encompasses the United States and Canada. Please also see HERE for the third party professional translation by Astrid Geisler. This article was written by the DLV and the intended audience is the DLV membership. The rules in regards to selling dogs, breeding and judging are as written. The opinions expressed are the opinions of the DLV and reflect the prevailing attitude of the DLV in Germany in response to the number of DLs bred outside the JGHV system over the last 30 years and this continuing trend. The DLV is a breed club. The JGHV is exclusively a testing organization and does not maintain a registry. The function of the registry is served by the member breed clubs of the JGHV. In an effort to protect an already limited gene poole, the DLV is placing further restrictions on the export of DLs. Although the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) and the Versatile Hunting Dog Federation (VHDF) testing standards were modeled by varying degrees around the JGHV testing system for the evaluation of versatile hunting dogs, the DLV only recognizes JGHV testing of the Deutsch Langhaar and requires that all dogs pass two JGHV tests for breed certification. Established in 1899, the JGHV testing system has been used for over 100 years to test and evaluate dogs under one system, ensuring the continuity and consistency in evaluating the abilities and characteristics of the Deutsch Langhaar.

The focus of Gruppe Nordamerika is to promote and protect the integrity of the DL while improving the breed, its performance and versatility and usefulness as a hunting companion in accordance with the principles originated by the DLV. Each individual member deciding to breed or promote DLs, must adhere to JGHV and DLV regulations. The DL Breeding Regulations stipulate that all breeding related activity in regards to a DL must be processed through Gruppe Nordamerika just as every other group in Germany must process breeding related paperwork through their resident breed club. This policy of the DLV is intended in part to lessen the degree of interclub politicking in the world of one's particular agenda. The DL Breeding Commission is removed from individual breedings and aims to preserve the integrity of the system through a degree of objectivity and group consensus. According to the policy of the DLV, in order for DL puppies to receive an Ahnentafel, the person must be a member of Gruppe Nordamerika and thereby agree to the bylaws, rules and regulations and DL Breeding Rules and Regulations. This is the policy of the DLV as it relates to all of its' member clubs. The DL-GNA does not issue pedigrees. The DLV issues FCI pedigrees under the umbrella of the VDH and JGHV. DL-GNA is part of a network of the DLV that facilitates breeding through the Breedwarden to the parent club in Germany. The DLV sets the policies and rules. Gruppe Nordamerika in essence a chapter of the DLV, follows the rules of the DLV and those of the JGHV. The DL Breeding Regulations is a 19-page document given to Gruppe Nordamerika by the DLV already translated in English and executed by the DLV Breeding Commission. The Deutsch Langhaar Gruppe Nordamerika exists to protect the Deutsch Langhaar as the true accomplished versatile hunting companion it is today. While no system is perfect, the Gruppe Nordamerika recognizes that these quality versatile hunting dogs exist because of the German breeding program.

Note: The DL-GNA is now known as Gruppe Nordamerika. This is out of respect and deference to the VDD-GNA, who is commonly referred to as GNA. In order to distinguish ourselves and avoid duplication, DL-GNA will only be used for brevity; such as the website address, etc.