German Wirehaired Pointer Dogs

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A beautiful german wirehaired pointer, waiting patiently for a command

A close up of a german wirehaired pointer's beautiful beard

A close up of a german wirehaired pointer's scruffy beard and eyebrows

A dark coated german wirehaired pointer enjoying some exercise

A lovely german wirehaired pointer, waiting for a command

A close up of a german wirehaired pointer's lovely scruffy beard

A close up of a german wirehaired pointer's Snowy beard and and pointed ears

A wonderful german wirehaired pointer's thick, wiry coat and stubby tail

An adult german wirehaired pointer's beautful head

History

This breed has its origins in 19th century Germany. They were first bred to hunt game. It is a result of several generations of crossbreeding between the Griffon, Pudelpointer and the Deutsche Kurzhaar. Hunters wanted a medium-sized, agile dog with wiry fur to prevent it from becoming stuck in dense undergrowth. GWPs proved themselves as adept hunters, retrievers and watchdogs. The fact that they are easy to train also helped them gain popularity. They are happy to work on land as well as in water.

Behaviour

The GWP is an active dog that is always ready for adventure. They require a lot of exercise and are best suited to a more outdoors, active family. They will idolise their owners, but may become a bit possessive of them. They tend to be good with children and strangers, but the hunter instinct is still strong in this breed so there will most likely always be a tendency to chase cats and smaller animals. As mentioned before, these dogs love their owners and you may find that they seldom leave your side. The fact that they have this close of a bond with their family can lead to some difficulties, for example they will get lonely and frustrated if left alone for a long amount of time.

Training will be needed to get them used to being alone from an early age, otherwise every time you leave the house for a few hours you’ll return to a torn up carpet or ripped drapes. They can be wary of strangers, so early socialization is needed. They can make good watchdogs too. They are very eager to learn and this makes them easier to train. They will need firm, but positive handling in order to get the most out of them. Recall can be a bit of a hit or miss sometimes, it varies between dog to dog, so it will be a good idea to spend a bit more time on this. They will need at least one large walk per day, ideally a second one later on. They need to run and use up their energy or they will tear up the house. A tired dog will rarely ever get up to any mischief.

The German Wirehaired pointer has a double coat. The undercoat becomes a lot thicker during the winter to insulate the dog. The wiry outer coat protects against rough cover and is also slightly water repellent. The coat should be kept around an inch long and stripped twice a year, plus weekly brushing. Generally a healthy breed, but Canine Hip Dysplasia and heart disease are seen.

Temperament

Temperament The German Wirehaired Pointer has an amiable and athletic temperament. They have been bred to be tough dogs able to find a way through the thickest bushes and getting out unscratched. These dogs love to roam, run and work. Only consider a German WIrehaired Pointer if you are prepared to give it the heaps of exercise on a daily basis.

Most will form a close bond with their family, but be wary of strangers. Their strong hunting instincts make them difficult to keep with other smaller house pets such as cats or rabbits.

Health Problems

German Wirehaired Pointers may be prone to canine hip dysplasia (CHD), elbow dysplasia, bloat, entropion (inward rolling of the eyelid which can cause irritation to the eyeball), hypothyroidism and heart disease.