Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

 

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (also known as the Korthals Griffon and the Griffon d'arrêt à poil dur Korthals in France and Quebec) is a gundog breed. Due to the nationality of the breed's originator, Eduard Karel Korthals, it is frequently thought to have Dutch lineage. The history of the breed may be traced back to Biebesheim am Rhein, Germany, where the founder created the Ipenwoud kennel and the breed type was developed, and subsequently to France, where it is currently recognized. Others believe the Griffon is a German breed because Korthals' kennel, Ipenwoud, was in Biebesheim am Rhein, Germany. It had been there for nearly two decades.Despite long recognition by their respective national kennel clubs and the FCI, the breed remains relatively rare in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom (Federation Cynologique Internationale). The Korthals Griffon is well-suited to hunting in dense foliage and near water, where its tough coat provides great protection. The griffon is primarily employed as a hunting dog for upland game birds and ducks.

Appearance

The Korthals Griffon is a powerful medium-sized dog (20-22" for females, 22-24" for males) that weighs 65 pounds for females and 75 pounds for men and has a rough, wiry outer coat and a softer undercoat. The coat should be steel gray with brown patterns. Other hues that are suitable are chestnut brown, white and brown, roan, and white and orange. Less attractive are all brown, all white, or white and orange. A black coat is ineligible.

The griffon has a huge and long head, with wide rounded eyes that are covered by brows and accented by a beard. The color of the nose is always brown. The neck is long, and the torso is strong and nicely proportioned. The tail may be docked depending on the nation.

History

Around 1873, Eduard Karel Korthals is credited with developing the breed. Korthals' ambition was to breed the ultimate adaptable gun dog, one with exceptional resilience, vitality, and commitment to its master. The dog would also have to cooperate closely with its master and be willing to be trained.

Korthals' breeding line began in 1874 with "Mouche", who would be used as its foundation bitch, as well as five other dogs described as "Griffons": Janus, Satan, Banco, Hector, and Junon. He carefully interbred the dogs until offspring resembled his vision of the ultimate hunting dog.In any case, because they are the Griffon's direct forebears, the resultant offspring (Moustache I, Lina, and Querida) are called to as the "Korthals Patriarchs."
The first "griffon club" was created as an international organization in 1888, with local clubs in Bavaria becoming the "Southern German Griffon Clue" in 1895, Belgium forming the "Royal Belgium Griffon Club" (1895), and France forming the "French Wirehaired Griffon Club" (1901).

"Zolette," the American Kennel Club's first registered Korthals Griffon (also known as a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon in the United States), was placed into the stud book in 1887. The Griffon, on the other hand, was still relatively unknown, and she was registered as a "Russian Setter (Griffon)" due to her suspected Russian ancestry. It wasn't until 1916, twenty-nine years later, that the breed was officially recognized in the United States as the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. At the same year, sixteen Griffons competed in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, one of the country's most famous competitions. Since then, the breed has risen in popularity as a show dog as well as a versatile gun dog, which was Korthals' initial purpose for the breed. The breed, for the most part, still retains his original intentions: medium size, rough coat, high trainability, and resilience on the field and in the ring.

Temperament and health

Korthals Griffons are recognized for being clever, with kind temperaments and an eagerness to please. They do not respond well to abrasive training approaches. Most Griffons do not adapt well to life in kennels. Exercise and training on a regular basis are strongly suggested. They are highly people-oriented and want to be in close proximity to their owners. Breed associations advise buyers to buy from breeders that provide health clearances on written contracts as part of their assurances. Recent studies found the injection of another breed into the Griffon all over the world.Contrary to popular belief, the Griffon does not shed. It does, however, shed far less than many other breeds. All dogs sweat, and most allergy responses are triggered by the dog's dander and saliva. Allergists agree that a certain allergy patient may be able to handle a specific dog (and many Griff owners believe these dogs hypoallergenic), but "the luck of the few with their pets cannot be extrapolated to accommodate all allergic persons and entire breeds of dogs." Allergists "believe there are significant variances in protein synthesis across dogs that may benefit one patient but not another," implying that certain allergic persons may not experience allergic reactions.