German Wirehaired Pointer

German Wirehaired Pointers are members of the Sporting Group of breeds, and have been utilized as versatile hunting dogs since their creation in the late nineteenth century in Germany. As such, these dogs make excellent hunting companions, and they're good pets for active families willing to provide their GWPs with plenty of exercise.

Some German Wirehaired Pointer facts: they're on the large side of medium-sized (height at the shoulders averages 24 inches, and weight 60 pounds), with short-haired, coarse double coats that come in a variety of colors and include medium-length facial hair. Here are some advantages and drawbacks to owning this active breed:

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German Wirehaired Pointer dogs 101: breed members are active, athletic, smart, and versatile. In a nutshell, they're the canine equivalent of a utility infielder on a baseball team. Whether they're chasing an animal in the woods or bounding energetically through the house, GWPs are seemingly always on the move. They also have an interesting mix of behavioral traits: they're intelligent, focused, and willing to please, but they can be stubborn and willful if bored. Needless to say, GWPs need to be constantly stimulated--both physically and mentally.

Since their creation in the nineteenth century, these dogs have been highly prized for their pointing, tracking, and retrieving skills--both on land and in water. GWPs are also great at canine sports, be it agility, obedience, or tracking; they will make fantastic jogging companions as well. But when indoors, all that energy can be a problem. While GWPs are affectionate and loving, they can take "playtime" to a whole new level. Especially as puppies, these dogs can be incredibly exuberant, and will bound around mindless of their surroundings. And owners who leave their GWP cooped up inside all day might return home to find their entire living room in shreds.

This means, obviously, that German Wirehaired Pointers will need a great deal of physical and mental activity. They're at they're best when they have a job to do--and regardless of the task, they have plenty of energy to fulfill it.

German Wirehaired Pointer history begins, not surprisingly, in Germany. In the late 1800s, German hunters sought to create a versatile hunting dog that could retrieve, track, and point various game in numerous environments (land or water, hot or cold weather). So over a decade or two, breeders crossed assorted Pointer and Foxhound breeds, along with Griffons and Standard Poodles, until they created a distinct breed much like the German Wirehaired Pointer as it's known today. (In Germany, the breed is called the Deutsche Drahthaar, where draht translates to "wire" in English and haar is "hair.")

This breed is often compared to the German Shorthaired Pointer, but the two breeds are slightly different in both build and temperament, and Shorthairs were developed starting a few decades before their Wirehaired cousins and are mixes of different breeds.

After its initial development the GWP's popularity quickly grew throughout Europe, and the breed began being imported to North America in the early twentieth century. In 1928, the GWP gained admission into the German Kartell (the nation's official breeding club of that time); in 1953, U.S. breed enthusiasts formed the German Drahthaar Club of America.

Six years later, that organization changed its name to the German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America; also in 1959, the breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. Today the GWP is beloved by hunters around the world, and the German Wirehaired Pointer ranks 64th out of 190 AKC-recognized breeds.

Some debate exists around the world over whether the Drahthaar (the German variation of this breed) and the German Wirehaired Pointer (the U.S. variant) are actually separate, distinct breeds. Regardless of the controversy, the main difference lies in the published standards for the two varieties. The Verein Deutsch-Drahthaar, the German breed club that issues the standard for the Drahthaar, sets more tightly controlled guidelines for its dogs than does the German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America, the AKC-affiliated club in the U.S. In short, American dogs are allowed a bit more variation in coat length and color than German ones; the American standard lists no "disqualifying faults" for GWPs, while the German standard includes several faults (in poor temperament and deviant physical features, among other things) for the Drahthaar. Otherwise, the German Drahthaar and the American GWP are the same.

In regards to coat: occasionally a GWP will be born with a soft, silky coat instead of a wiry one. This is due to a genetic mutation in the breed, and while soft-coated GWPs are perfectly healthy, they are quite rare.

Size among individual dogs of this breed is consistent as well: an average of 24 inches in height and 60 pounds in weight. Some breeders may offer "Miniature German Wirehaired Pointers" for sale, but those dogs, while indeed smaller, are probably crossbreeds.