German Wirehaired Pointer

General Information - German Wirehaired Pointer

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History

German Wirehaired Pointers (GWP) trace their origins back about 120 years. They originated in Germany, where breeders wanted to develop a rugged versatile hunting dog that would work closely with either one person or small group hunting on foot. This was generally over terrain varying from the mountainous Alps to dense forests, open farm area and small towns. The breed was also desired to have a coat that would protect the dogs when working in heavy cover or in cold water, yet was easy to maintain. Hunters wanted a dog that would locate and point upland game, track wounded game, confront tough vermin, retrieve waterfowl from land or water and also function as companion and watchdog. The primary ancestor of the GWP is a breed called the Pudelpointer. This breed is itself a cross between a German Pudel and the English Pointer. By selectively crossing the Pudelpointer to a number of hunting breeds including the Griffon, Stichelhaar, Polish Water Dog and early German Shorthaired Pointer, the breed we know today as the German Wirehaired Pointer has evolved.

Temperament

The German Wirehaired Pointer is very affectionate, active and intelligent. Eager to learn and loyal to its family, it needs a handler who is consistent in approach. They like to be occupied and enjoy working for their owner. They are friendly with those they know, but are naturally aloof with strangers and should be socialised at an early age. They can be rather willful and they like to roam. Powerful and energetic they can become bored and hard to manage without enough exercise. The GWP is a good all-around gun dog, able to hunt any sort of game on any sort of terrain. This dog has a good nose and can track, point, and retrieve on both land and water. Steady, lively and vigorous, they do best with older, considerate children. Some may try to dominate other animals but most will get along well with other dogs and household animals. They make good watchdogs.

Upkeep

Exercise is a daily requirement for this energetic hunter. At least an hour a day of exertion is recommended, and the ideal situation would combine exercise with hunting or a chance to run and explore a field. As a breed that thrives on human companionship, it does best as a house dog with access to the outdoors. Like most harsh coats, some minimal hand-stripping may occasionally be needed to maintain a sleek outline; otherwise, brushing about once a week will suffice.

German Wirehaired Pointer

A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions and exaggerations, as well as being mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

Breed Standard - German Wirehaired Pointer

Characteristics: Wire haired dual purpose Pointer:Retriever excellent in the field, with a very keen nose. Perseverance in searching and initiative are required. His style attracts attention; he is equally good on land and in water, is biddable and an extremely keen worker and very loyal.

General Appearance: A medium sized hunting dog of noble bearing, colour unimportant; very harsh hair completely covering the skin; active temperament, intelligent expression; devoted and energetic.

Head and Skull: The head should be of medium length with a long strong muzzle.

Eyes: Dark hazel. Bright and intelligent with eyelids closing properly.

Ears: Medium sized.

Mouth: Teeth strong. The jaws should be strong, with a perfect regular and complete scissor bite, i.e., the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck: Strong and of medium length.

Forequarters: Shoulders sloping and very muscular with top of shoulder blades close; upper arm bones between shoulder and elbow long. Elbows close to the body, neither pointing outwards nor inwards. Forelegs straight and lean, sufficiently muscular and strong but not coarse:boned. Pasterns slightly sloping, almost straight but not quite.

Body: Chest must appear deep rather than wide but not out of proportion to the rest of the body; ribs deep and well sprung, never barrel:shaped nor flat as in the hound; back ribs reaching well down to tucked up loins. Chest measurement immediately behind the elbows smaller than that about a hands:breadth behind the elbows, so that the upper arm has freedom of movement. Firm, short back, not arched. The loin wide and slightly arched; the croup wide and sufficiently long, neither too heavy nor too sloping starting on a level with the back and sloping gradually towards the tail. Bone solid and strong.

Hindquarters: The hips broad and wide falling slightly towards the tail. Thighs strong and well muscled. Stifles well bent. Hocks square with the body and slightly bent, turning neither in nor out. Pasterns nearly upright.

Feet: Compact, close:knit, round to spoon:shaped, well padded, should turn neither in nor out. Toes well arched and heavily nailed.

Gait: Smooth, covering plenty of ground with each stride, driving hind action, elbows neither turning in nor out. Definitely not a hackney action.

Tail: Starts high and thick growing gradually thinner. Docked by half its length. When quiet, tail should be carried down; when moving horizontally, never held high over the back or bent.

Coat: Hair very harsh, medium length, abundant with a close fitting under coat. It should not hide the body shape but it should be long enough to give good protection. The coat should lie close to the body. The hair on the lower parts of the legs should be shorter. Very thick on the ears. Bushy eyebrows, full but not over:long beard. Skin fairly fine and close fitting.

Colour: Solid liver, liver and white spotted, liver and white spotted and ticked, liver and white ticked, black and white.

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault is regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Copyright Dogs New Zealand
23 Dec 2013

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.