Dog
Group:
Sporting 
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Champions
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Pronunciation:
wahyuhr-haird poin-ting grif-uhn
Breed Description:
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon breed of dog is a medium sized breed of dog that was primarily used for hunting. It should be a robust, compact and athletic dog that has amazing stamina and energy. The dog should have a body that is slightly longer than it is tall and the top line should have a slight curve to it. The breed should have a square head with a wide muzzle. The ears should be medium in length and they should hang down the side of the head. The tail should be long but it usually docked to 1/3 of its length.
The coat of the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon should be a double coat that has a soft, short undercoat and a medium length topcoat. The top coat should be wiry in texture and there should be a thick beard and mustache as well as well formed eyebrows on the face. The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon can be found in a range of coat colors including brown, brown and white, white, gray and brown and white and orange but the most common color is the gray with brown markings.
Temperament:
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon breed of dog is an intelligent and energetic breed that was developed for hunting. Because of that, the breed is still very much a hunting breed and they love to be out and working. They usually train very easily and are usually eager to please their owners. They are excellent with children and tend to be very patient and gentle with them. The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is usually wary of strangers and can make an excellent guard dog. They do need a lot of stimulation and without it they can become destructive and high strung. The breed usually gets along well with other animals but socialization is very important with this breed.
Height:
The average height for a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is between 20 to 24 inches.
Weight:
The average weight for a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is between 50 to 60 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon breed of dog is a very hardy breed and they have few health problems. However, there has been an increased occurrence of hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy seen in the breed.
Living Conditions:
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon breed of dog is an active breed and they really need to have a home with a large yard. For that reason, they are not recommended for apartments and the ideal is a home with acreage. They can do well in kennels, however, they should not live outdoors, exposed to the elements.
Exercise:
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon breed of dog has a large well of energy and owners should expect to exercise their dog about 60 minutes each day. This breed needs both on lead and off lead and they can make excellent jogging companions. A Wirehaired Pointing Griffon can become very destructive if they are not exercised properly.
Life Expectancy:
10 to 12 years
Grooming:
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon breed of dog is a very easy breed to groom. They only need to be brushed on a weekly basis to keep the coat free of tangles. They will need to be hand stripped two or three times per year but many owners opt to have them professionally stripped to make life easier. They only need to be bathed when it is necessary and many can go a whole year with only one or two baths. Ears should be cleaned on a weekly basis and nails should be trimmed once or twice a month.
Origin:
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon breed of dog can trace its origins back to Holland and more specifically to a man named Eduard Korthal who wanted to create a hunting dog that could perform in a vast range of terrain. Because of this, he crossed a number of dog breeds including French Pointers, German Griffons, Barbets, Setters, Spaniels and German Pointers until he produced the desired traits in the offspring. Within 20 years, and the late 1800's, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon was created and a breed standard was written. The breed was renowned for its ability as hunters and was quickly accepted by many avid hunters. The breed was imported into the United States by 1887 and the breed club was formed in 1916. The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon has remained an uncommon hunting dog, although it was recognized by the AKC in 1887. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
