Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons are super high-energy dogs. They need to be taken on daily, long, brisk walks or out for a run. They will make excellent jogging companions and love to swim. If these dogs are allowed to get bored, and are not walked or jogged daily, they can become destructive, high-strung and start to display a wide array of behavioral problems.

Minimal Shedding: His coat sheds a little throughout the year. It’s water-repellent and dries quickly after a bath or other wetting. Brush it weekly to remove dirt. You’ll also need to pluck out dead hairs, called “stripping” or “rolling” the coat. It’s easy to learn to roll the coat, and it’s not painful for the dog.

This strong breed can cope with any terrain. It should be slightly longer than tall, of medium substance. It functions as both a retriever and pointer, and its size and conformation reflects a compromise between the requirements of these jobs. Its gait is efficient and tireless, with low, catlike strides. The coat is of medium length, straight and wiry, with a fine, downy, thick undercoat. The combination provides protection in the swampy country in which it was developed, as well as insulation from cold and water. The abundant facial furnishings contribute to its friendly expression.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a skilled field dog, pointing and retrieving with a deliberate style, generally staying within the hunter's gun range. It combines independent action with the ability to be directed by the hunter. It is an equally adept family pet, absolutely devoted, willing to please, amiable and often comical. It is generally friendly toward strangers, other dogs and pets.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon was developed sometime around 1870 by a Dutch breeder named Eduard Korthals. An enthusiastic hunter, his goal was to breed a dog that would hunt in all kinds of terrain. Korthals mixed German Griffons, French and German Pointers, Spaniels, Barbets and a Setter. He developed the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon in his breeding program in less than 20 years, writing a standard, and in 1916 formed the Griffon Club of America. The dogs excel in small-game hunting, such as hare and quail; they are eager hunters with fine noses. That same year he showed sixteen Wirehaired Pointing Griffons at the Westminister Kennel Club Dog Show in New York. In the 1980s a select few breeders decided to mix the Cesky Fousek into the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon lines. This caused an uproar and the American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association was formed with the goal of preserving the purity of the original breed. The American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association is the AKC parent club for the WPG. The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon was recognized by the AKC in 1887.