Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

The well-documented history of the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon dog breed began in the mid-1800s when twenty dogs across seven breeds were mixed. Edward Korthals of Holland is the one credited with refining the breed, and the dogs are known as the Korthals Griffon throughout most of the world. While Dutch, the dog gained more popularity in France through Korthals’ travels. They were often sometimes known as Russian Setters, and the first Wirehaired Pointing Griffon in America was registered as a Russian Setter in 1887. The breed isn’t as popular as it once was, but they make delightful family members and hard workers nonetheless.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (WPG) dog owner should be thoughtful, active, and energetic, able to match the dog’s personality. Gentle and loving, they are also eager to please and relatively easy to train, making it fun for owners. They can become bored and unhappy if they aren’t challenged enough, so owners will need to stay on top of meeting their physical and mental stimulation needs.

Social butterflies, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a friend to all. Socialization will help mentally exhaust them, as will plenty of daily exercise. They love high-impact activities such as fetch and agility. They love being included in owner and family routines and will enjoy running, hiking, swimming, and any activity so long as their family is by their side.

Medium to large, the WPG dog benefits from a larger home but can get by in smaller spaces so long as they have plenty of daily mental and physical stimulation. They enjoy free running, so a fenced-in backyard or lots of land is an ideal situation for them.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon dog sheds minimally and requires frequent brushing or combing to keep the coat shiny and in good condition. Hand-stripping to remove dead hair might be needed occasionally. Their drop ears are prone to infections, so ears should be checked and cleaned regularly.

Versatile and highly trainable, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is an intentional and tireless working dog who loves to please. They take well to training and will excel at many things so long as they are asked to do so positively and consistently.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon dog is loving, trustworthy, and gentle, making them good family dogs. They can thrive in any family, but their size and enthusiasm are best for families with older children or no children.

The cost of a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon from a breeder is significantly more than the cost of adopting one from a local shelter or rescue. The adoption fee usually covers additional items such as spaying or neutering, vaccines, and microchipping.