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The Canine Chronicles Directory
German Wirehaired Pointer
The water-resistant coat of the German Wirehaired is wiry and coarse. The coat is
about two inches long with a very thick undercoat. The breed is virtually water-repellent.
The beard, whiskers and forehead hair help protect his face from the elements. The
neck is strong and slender and the chest is deep and wide. The muzzle is wide, long
and robust. The eyes are dark and normally transparent. The teeth meet at a scissor
bite. This breed's color is liver, liver and white, spotted, roan or ticked. The
nose should be dark brown. The ears hang down beside the head and the tail is moderately
docked.
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Temperament
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German Wirehaired Pointers are very active, intelligent and very affectionate. They
love all members of their family and need an owner who is consistent in their training
approach. They do best with older more considerate children. Devoted to their owner,
they can tend to become jealous. Though this is a very friendly breed, they can
be aloof with strangers and need very early socialization. This naturally energetic
breed can become bored and difficult to manage without enough exercise. This breed
has an excellent nose and can track, point and retrieve on both land and water.
They make excellent watchdogs.
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Height, Weight
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Male Height: 24-26" ; Weight: 60-70 lbs.
Female Height: 22-24" ; Weight: 60-70 lbs.
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Health Problems
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This breed is prone to hip dysplasia, genetic eye disease, ear infections and some
skin cancers.
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Living Conditions
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German Wirehairs should not live an apartment. They do best with a large yard and
a very athletic family. Wirehairs require at least a six foot fence but can become
very restless if they become bored.
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Exercise
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This tireless and energetic breed needs regular exercise and should not be adopted
by a family unless they are able to give plenty of vigorous exercise. They make
excellent jogging companions and they love to swim as well as retrieve.
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Life Expectancy
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About 12-14 years
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Grooming
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German Wirehairs are easy to groom. The under wool sheds in the spring and requires
bathing and brushing, as is true of most breeds. The harsh coat does well with occasional
combing out of dead hair. Some slight stripping may be required to neaten him for
exhibition, but the coat should never have to be clipped or scissored.
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Origin
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The history of the Wirehair in Germany is quite recent. An interest in gun dogs
with bristly coats always existed, and several types were in evidence by the late
1800s. At first the Wirehair Club in Germany fostered all hunting dogs with a wire
coat, but the wide variation in types soon saw separate organizations for the Pudelpointer,
the Griffon, the Stichelhaar, and the German Wirehaired Pointer. They may all have
come from the same stock, as these breeds developed concurrently. From this time
on, each breed became individualized. The Wirehair came to America around the same
time as the first Shorthairs, in the 1920s. But the wirehair was later in achieving
AKC recognition and has never become as widespread as his shorthaired cousins in
the States. They are also recognized by the UKC.
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Group
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AKC Sporting, UKC Gun Dog
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