German Wirehaired Pointer Grooming

German Wirehaired Pointers have wiry, medium-length coats that include a good bit of facial furnishings. Though they do shed some, dogs of this breed don't require too much grooming overall. Below are further details about maintaining the German Wirehaired Pointer coat.

With these dogs' medium-length, wiry, weather-resistant coats, German Wirehaired Pointer grooming is not a very time-consuming process. Dogs of this breed shed lightly year-round (and they completely shed their undercoats each spring), so brushing once a week is fine (except during the spring shedding season, when you'll need to brush 2-3 times per week). GWPs also need baths every 2-3 months. And while they won't need full-blown haircuts, many owners strip their dogs' coats several times per year, and they often trim their GWP's facial furnishings with scissors when needed to keep that hair neat and clean.

Brushing a GWP is a relatively simple task. You'll need a medium-toothed comb, and an undercoat rake for removing dead hairs. Start by wetting the coat with mist from a spray bottle, then go through the coat section by section with the comb, in the direction of hair growth. (Don't forget the legs!) Finish by combing through the facial furnishings. Once a month, use the rake in the same method you use to comb, to remove any dead hairs from the undercoat. (During shedding season, you'll want to comb the GWP 2-3 times per week; use the rake once a week during this period to aid the shedding process.)

If you're following the combing with a bath, use either a bathtub or an outdoor kiddie pool and a garden hose. Use canine shampoo (available at pet stores); using conditioner on a GWP is not recommended, as doing so can ruin the coat's wiry texture. Make sure the shampoo is completely rinsed, towel-dry, then give the dog another quick comb-through to neaten the coat.

Stripping a GWP's coat, which should occur every 3-4 months, can be done by hand (whereby the loose, dead hairs are plucked with your fingers) or with a stripping knife. Additionally, a GWP's facial hair can get dirty with food when the dog eats, so many owners choose to trim the facial furnishings with scissors occasionally to keep this from happening. Stripping and trimming can easily can easily be done at home, but it might be good to have a professional groomer do it at least once; the groomer can also provide tips on how to groom a German Wirehaired Pointer in general.

The two options for giving a German Wirehaired Pointer a haircut are stripping or clipping. These dogs' wiry coats can be hand-stripped every few months, whereby the dead hairs are individually "plucked" to leave only the healthy ones. The stripping process, while not difficult, is pretty time-consuming (1-2 hours for a breed this size)--so a lot of people leave the task to professional groomers. With some patience, though, it can be done at home, and your GWP will look great.

Clipping, meanwhile, is easier--but not as effective. If the coat is clipped too short (or even shaved, which is never recommended for this breed), it'll lose its natural insulating abilities. A shaved German Wirehaired Pointer will in fact be susceptible to heatstroke and sunburn, and will get cold very easily. And in time, clipping these dogs' coats will soften their texture and dull their color. In any case, clipping your GWP's coat by a little bit is okay--but overall, stripping is the preferred method.

In addition: in between strips (or clips), many owners like to trim these dogs' beards to keep them neat. A GWP's beard is part of its signature; many an owner has merchandise bearing "FEAR THE BEARD--German Wirehaired Pointer" on it. People like to use scissors to trim the beards by only a little, to keep them tidy-looking and help keep them from getting soiled with food.