Dog class - Hunting
Average height - 20 to 24 inches
Size - Medium
Coat - Dense, wiry double coat. Undercoat is thick and provides insulation.
Average life span - 10 to 12 years

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a gentle and intelligent whiskered dog. The quiet country life is what this dog loves best. He blossoms in a steady, low-key--but high exercise--family. Long, long runs through fields and then some time in the water with his favorite person are his idea of heaven. He is a sensitive dog who pays attention and will respond quickly to a gentle trainer.

The American Kennel Club's first registered Wirehaired Pointing Griffon was "Zolette", who was entered into the stud book in 1887. However, the Griffon was still relatively unknown, and she was registered as a "Russian Setter(Griffon)" for her presumed Russian heritage. It was not until 1916, twenty-nine years later, that the breed was officially recognized in the United States. In that same year, sixteen Griffons appeared in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, one of the most prestigious shows in the country. Since then, the breed has grown in popularity as not only a show dog but also a versatile gun dog. For the most part, the breed still resembles his original intentions: a medium size, harsh coat, good degree of trainability, and resilient on the field and in the ring.

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons are known as intelligent, extremely eager to please, friendly dogs. A standing joke among Griffon owners is that a nice thing about a Griff is that you get to have a puppy for a long time - and a bad thing about a Griff is that you get to have a puppy for a long time. Certainly, many individual Griffons retain their puppy playfulness well into adulthood. They are also known for their slightly less excitable temperament when not in the field, which makes them a very comfortable dog to have living in your home. Most Griffons do not take well to living their lives in kennels. They are extremely people oriented and prefer to be somewhere in the vicinity of their owners.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a great swimmer and an excellent water retriever. It is an intelligent dog who is easy to train and very willing to please. They are outgoing dogs who are loyal and trustworthy.

Contrary to some publications, the Griffon is NOT non-shedding. However, it does shed considerably less than other breeds. All dogs shed, and it is the dog's dander and saliva that trigger most allergic reactions. Allergists do recognize that at times a particular allergy patient will be able to tolerate a particular dog, but they agree that "the luck of the few with their pets cannot be stretched to fit all allergic people and entire breeds of dogs. Allergists think there really are differences in protein production between dogs that may help one patient and not another, meaning that some allergic people may not have allergic reactions to a specific dog.

The wiry coat requires attention to grooming to keep it healthy

Further Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Dog Resources