German Wirehaired Pointer (Deutsch Drahthaar)

The German Wirehaired Pointer (Deutsch Drathaar) is a multipurpose hunting dog that also excels in different sports: trailing, retrieving, and pointing game from pheasant and raccoons to deer. This is a very active, strong, intelligent, alert, loyal and affectionate breed. The Drathaar makes a great watchdog and a wonderful companion for an active family.

The German Wirehaired Pointer was developed in Germany in the end of the XIX century by crossing the German Shorthair Pointer with the various types of Griffon, Stichelhaar (a dog that was developed by crossing the Pointer, Foxhound, Pudelpointer, and Polish water dog) and the Pudelpointer. This breed developed by more serious hunters who needed a harsher tempered multipurpose dog.

The German Wirehaired Pointer was admitted into the German Kartell (Kennel Club) in 1928. The first breed member arrived to the United States in the 1920s, and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1959. The United Kennel Club (UKC) registered the breed a little earlier, in 1948.

The German Wirehaired Pointer make an excellent family companion, but most breed members are used as working or hunting dogs.

The German Wirehaired Pointer is an active, boisterous, affectionate and intelligetnt people-oriented breed with a great stamina that needs a job to do. This breed is extremely loyal and forms very close bonds with its owner. However, this breed is a one-person dog. The German Wirehaired Pointer requires constant human companionship and tends to suffer from separation anxiety. This breed makes an excellent watchdog and will always protect its family.

The German Wirehaired Pointer is a very good family companion, and most breed members are fairly tolerant of children and will make a great playmate for them. However, young German Wirehaired Pointer must be always supervised as it may accidentally play a little bit too rough.

The properly socialized German Wirehaired Pointer will be usually friendly with strangers, although many tend to be reserved. This dog will definitely prefer the company of its own family than other people. However, your dog will not be aggressive towards new people and therefore won’t be a good guard dog.

The German Wirehaired Pointer can be aggressive towards other dogs (especially males) as it tends to be dominant and pushy with them. You also have to be very careful around toy breed as this dog sees them as a prey. If you don’t train your dog properly, it will attack almost every small animal. However, this breed can be socialized with a household cat but will continue to chase and even kill strange cats.

The most common health problems for the breed include:

• canine hip dysplasia;
• elbow dysplasia;
• different eye problems;
• von Willebrand’s disease;
• cancer;
• ear infections.

The German Wirehaired Pointer is considered a fairly low-maintenance breed. Brush your dog at least twice a week with a firm bristle brush and a steel comb. You might need to comb out the beard and moustache daily to remove food or anything else stuck in it. This breed’s coat must be stripped twice a year: pluck out dead hair by hand or with a stripping knife. Some owners prefer to have this procedure done by a professional groomer.

Bathe your dog only when necessary (not more than 2-3 times a year) using a special dog shampoo. This breed is an average shedder and plucking can reduce the amount of shedding. To prevent irritations and infections check the paw pads, clean the ears, trim the nails and brush the teeth on a regular basis.

The German Wirehaired Pointer is a very intelligent and trainable breed but requires an experienced and dominant owner as it can be stubborn and wilful. This breed learns very fast especially at field training. It also excels at obedience and agility competitions.

However, the German Wirehaired Pointer has some staining difficulties. It is extremely distractible, tends to do things that it finds more interesting and may ignore or disobey commands if they seem less fun. The owner must always and completely control the situation and provide the dog with enough exercise.

The German Wirehaired Pointer is one of the few hunting breeds that can perform in almost all hunting tasks: pointer, retriever, water and upland bird dog, and scent hounds. If don’t use your dog for hunting, it will require formal training such as obedience, agility, or other forms of training. This breed must be taught that it must work for earning something. For example, before you feed, play or go for a walk with your dog, make it perform some command. This will help you to establish yourself as a pack leader.

The German Wirehaired Pointer is a tireless, extremely energetic dog that can work very hard for a very long time long. This breed definitely needs an active family or individual, as it requires plenty of vigorous exercise (at least an hour daily) or a job to do. A long, daily, brisk walk or a jog on a leash is a must. Without proper exercise, your dog will become restless and destructive.

The German Wirehaired Pointer makes an excellent cycling, jogging, hunting companion, loves to play, swim and enjoys different dog sports. This breed needs time to run off the leash. Your dog will feel better in a large yard, but remember that this breed loves to explore and can escape easily (dig under, jump over the fence of find another way out).