German Wirehaired Pointer
The wire coat and the beard are armour: it works thorn and cold water that would stop a shorthaired dog. One of the most versatile gundogs there is.
Overview
The German Wirehaired Pointer was developed to work terrain that would strip a shorthaired dog: dense thorn, briar and cold water. The coat is the whole point, a harsh wiry outer layer with a dense undercoat, plus a beard and eyebrows that protect the face.
Like the Shorthair it is a versatile gundog expected to point, retrieve and track, and it is the more independent and protective of the two.
Temperament
Determined, loyal and more aloof than a Shorthair. GWPs are devoted to their families and reserved to suspicious with strangers, and they are natural watchdogs, which most gundogs are not.
They are strong willed and need consistent training. They can be dog reactive and the prey drive is high. They are also intensely bonded and do badly left alone or kennelled.
Care and grooming
The wiry coat needs brushing weekly and hand stripping a couple of times a year. It should not be clipped. The beard collects food and water and needs regular attention.
Hip dysplasia, von Willebrand's disease and entropion occur, and bloat is a risk in this deep chested breed. Fourteen to sixteen years is unusually long for the size.
Living and exercise
Two hours a day minimum with real work. Field work, swimming, running and tracking all suit them.
They are a serious working breed and a poor fit for a household that is not going to work them. They are also excellent with an owner who will.
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