Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Description

Everything starts with the coat, rough and wiry: the hard outer coat forms a natural armor against brush and cold water, while the dense, waterproof undercoat retains warmth. Recognized coat colors are steel gray mixed with brown, pure chestnut brown, and roan fawn. The bushy eyebrows, mustache, and abundant beard emphasize the dog's serious, determined expression. Solid medium build, 50 to 60 cm for 23 to 32 kg, with a balanced physique that gives it endurance on any terrain without heaviness.

Temperament

A gentle character for a pointing breed — calm at home, sociable with children and visitors, not prone to unnecessary barking. It stays deeply attached to its family and copes poorly with prolonged isolation. In the field, it transforms: methodical, tenacious, a steady trotter at 10-12 km/h, it ranges without ever losing sight of the hunter. This balanced duality — docile at home, driven in the field — makes it a hunting dog popular with active families.

Training

Training is a pleasure: responsive to voice and positive reinforcement, it picks up basic commands quickly and takes well to retrieving and pointing work. Hunting training should start between 6 and 9 months to channel its natural instinct. Intense outings — long walks, swimming, hunting — remain necessary to balance a dog with very high exercise needs: without enough of an outlet, it compensates with unwanted behaviors. It is not recommended for sedentary owners unable to devote several hours of exercise to it each week.

Feeding

250 to 380 g of premium medium-breed kibble a day for a 25 to 30 kg adult, split into two meals. Kibble formulated for sporting dogs (28-32% protein, 18-22% fat) suits dogs in intensive hunting activity. During the winter rest period, cut the ration by 15 to 20% to prevent weight gain. One hour of digestive rest after meals to prevent gastric torsion, a risk present at this size.

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Living conditions

A fenced yard or regular access to large open spaces is essential — an apartment doesn't suit a dog whose daily exercise must be sustained. A house with a yard in a rural or semi-rural setting is the optimal environment. Its waterproof coat lets it work in cold, wet weather; it tolerates summer heat less well and needs shade and fresh water in summer.

Grooming and coat care

Moderate upkeep despite the shaggy look: brushing twice a week to remove plant debris picked up on field outings. Stripping (removing dead coat by hand or with a stripping knife) twice a year is enough to maintain the coat's correct texture — unlike long-haired breeds, the wiry coat doesn't tangle. After every outing in water or marshland, drying the ears is essential to limit the risk of ear infections. Professional grooming isn't mandatory but is recommended twice a year.

Health

Life expectancy of 12 to 14 years for a sturdy medium build. Hip dysplasia is the most documented condition in the breed — serious breeders provide OFA or SCC radiograph results for their breeding stock. Ear infections are common, a direct consequence of the drop ears and work in wet environments (prevention detailed in the FAQ). Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) needs monitoring during the young dog's rapid growth phase; gastric torsion, meanwhile, remains a moderate risk in adults, heightened by intense activity around mealtimes.

Breed history

The breed owes its name to Eduard Karel Korthals, a Dutch breeder who began a rigorous selection program in 1873 from a small nucleus of carefully chosen breeding dogs: French spaniels, continental griffons, English pointers, and retrievers. His stated goal was to create a versatile pointing dog capable of hunting on any terrain and in water — a glaring gap in European dog breeding at the time, which was dominated by specialized dogs. The standard was presented and adopted in 1887 in Vienna at an international conference, making the Korthals the first versatile pointing breed with a fixed standard. The FCI assigned it number 107, and its joint French-Dutch origin was recognized.