E.K. Korthals (1851—1896), a Dutch banking heir, one of the world’s most innovative dog breeders, developed the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon in the late nineteenth century. Inspired by his work managing a large kennel of hunting dogs in Germany, Korthals devoted his life to creating a robust, versatile sporting dog. In 1876, his eight foundation dogs, which included setters, spaniels, pointers, and an otterhound, were handpicked based on their working aptitude.
Korthals maintained meticulous records on each generation as he developed the Korthals Griffon. He designed working trials to test their hunting skills. As a result, his dogs became widely admired by hunters when he began exhibiting them at dog shows. He wrote the breed standard in 1886 and formed an international breed club two years later. The first Griffon arrived in America in 1887.
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Standard
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a rugged, athletic, medium-sized, shaggy-looking dog with rectangular proportions. It possesses a long, slightly arched neck; a firm, gently sloping back; and a tail docked by one-third to half its length and carried out or slightly raised. The head is square-shaped, with a full mustache and eyebrows that impart a roguish, friendly expression. The eye color ranges from yellow to brown, and the medium-sized ears are set high and lie flat against the head.
Breed Facts
| Energy level |  | Watchdog ability |  |
| Exercise requirements | | Protection ability |  |
| Playfulness | | Grooming requirements | |
| Affection level | | Cold tolerance | |
| Friendliness toward dogs | | Heat tolerance |  |
| Friendliness toward other pets | | Friendliness toward strangers | |
| Ease of training | |
Activity level: This Griffon is an athletic, rugged, versatile hunting dog that needs daily exercise. For instance, Griffons enjoy running, jogging, swimming, and interactive play. Also, they are quiet, well-behaved house dogs as long as you satisfy their exercise needs. They do well in tracking, agility, obedience, hunting tests, and field trials.
- POPULARITY: Somewhat popular
- FAMILY: Gundog, Pointer, Versatile Hunting Dog
- AREA OF ORIGIN: France
- DATE OF ORIGIN:1800s
- ORIGINAL FUNCTION: Pointing and retrieving
- TODAY’S FUNCTION: Pointing and retrieving, pointing field trials
- OTHER NAME: Korthals Griffon, Pointing Wirehaired Griffon, Griffon D’ Arret a Poil Dur
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Temperament
Griffons are highly intelligent, receptive to training, and eager to please. They make great family pets, thriving on attention from interaction with their owners; they do best if treated as household members. They’re sociable and friendly. Griffons are versatile gundogs and excellent water retrievers that, if trained right, can work any game.
These Griffons are also great field dogs that point and receive a deliberate style, mostly staying within the hunter’s gun range. It combines independent action with the skill and direction of the hunter. Also, they are friendly toward strangers, pets, and other dogs.
Grooming
You will have to brush and “roll” the coat (strip out dead hairs by hand) regularly. Bathe about once a month. Trim any excess hair from between the footpads as needed. Detailed grooming information is available on the parent club’s website.
- Coat: This breed possesses a medium-length, straight, harsh, protective outer layer and a fine, thick, downy, insulating, water-resistant undercoat. A longer undercoat on the face provides the natural eyebrows and mustache.
- Colors: Steel gray with brown, white and brown, or white and orange markings
Health
- MAJOR CONCERN: none
- MINOR CONCERN: CHD, otitis externa, entropion, ectropion
- OCCASIONALLY SEEN: elbow dysplasia
- SUGGESTED TESTS: hips, eye, elbow
- LIFE SPAN: 12—14 years
- WEIGHT: 50—60 pounds
- HEIGHT: male: 22—24 inches; female: 20—22 inches
Breeders and Sale Advice
This dog is a rare breed, and only a few litters are born each year. Learn as much as you can about them before making a decision. Find a reputable breeder through the parent club or consider a rescue Griffon.
- Parent club: American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association (www.awpga.com); founded in 1991
- Rescue: The American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association’s rescue program is available on the parent club’s website under “Get a Griff.”
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Price
Adopting a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is the cheapest route to go if you genuinely want one of these rare dogs as a member of your family. The cost of adopting will run you around $300, which covers the cost of caring for the dog before the actual adoption occurs.
However, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons puppies from a breeder are going to be expensive. Therefore, be ready to pay more or less depending on the breeder’s size, location, pedigree, and lineage of the puppies. The cost will also reflect if you prefer a dog for a family pet or a dog show quality dog. Therefore, depending on the circumstances, as mentioned earlier, a Wirehaired Griffon puppy can run you anywhere from $1000 to $4000 or more.
