Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

AKC Breed Standard

Comments

Throughout the standard you will see the words moderate and medium.  To do the job that this dog was originally bred to do, the dog had to be of moderate size and build.  You do not want, what we would call a boat swamper, that is when your dog is too big to be pulled into the boat.  If you  have ever hunted with an oversize Lab, you know what I mean.  You also do not want one too small to hunt the thick cover that you may encounter in these marshy areas.  Any extreme in size, coat, or structure could seriously impact this breeds performance of the job for which they were bred. 

 

The griffon cannot be separated from the things that make it a griffon.  Primarily these are size, coat and movement. 

 

In the U.S. we have established the height standard for the male Griffon at 24 inches and the female at 22 inches.  Today you will see many dogs that are being bred that are much taller than this maximum size.  All of these dogs would be disqualified in their country of origin, France, as being too tall for the standard.  Another way to look at it is that the Griffon is the second smallest pointing dog in the Sporting Group.  The Brittany is the only one smaller, and the Vizsla has the same requirements for height in its standard as do we.  So the Griffon should always be one of the smaller pointing dogs.

 

Many dogs are seen today with a coat that is too long, wooly or standoffish.  None of these would work in the field.  The dog would not be protected by the coat in the water and thickets.  Remember the coat is designed to fit the function of the breed.  It should be a double coat.  The outer coat should be of medium length (2”-3”), straight and wiry.  The undercoat should be plush, providing both insulation and water resistance.  A good coated dog, dries very fast after coming out of the water. 

 

And finally movement.  We like our dogs to move nicely.  You must remember that they are gundogs.  They must cover the ground effortlessly, with a fluid, gliding gait.  They should never be plodding or have an exaggerated gait. 

 

A lot of people think that the Griffon should be a plodding slow dog, and I think this is from their interpretation of the statement “walking gun dog.”  The thing to remember is that the hunter is the one walking and the dog needs to cover the ground in front and to the side of the hunter.  A dog that can’t move cannot do this.   Anatomically, griffons are very similar to German Shorthair and Wirehair Pointers and they should move very similar to them.

 

 

Remember these comments are our opinions, but they are things that we feel strongly about.  A griffon needs to look, act and be the size of a griffon.
Text Box: Bear Hug Wirehaired Pointing Griffons

General Appearance
Medium sized, with a noble, square-shaped head, strong of limb, bred to cover all terrain encountered by the walking hunter. Movement showing an easy catlike gracefulness. Excels equally as a pointer in the field, or a retriever in the water. Coat is hard and coarse, never curly or woolly, with a thick undercoat of fine hair, giving an unkempt appearance. His easy trainability, devotion to family, and friendly temperament endear him to all. The nickname of "supreme gundog" is well earned.

Size, Proportion, Substance
Size--22 to 24 inches for males, 20 to 22 inches for females. Correct size is important. Oversize to be severely penalized.  Proportion--Slightly longer than tall, in a ratio of 10 to 9. Height from withers to ground; length from point of shoulder to point of buttocks. The Griffon must not evolve towards a square conformation. Substance medium, reflecting his work as an all-terrain hunting dog.

Head
The head is to be in proportion to the overall dog. The skull is of medium width with equal length from nose to stop and from stop to occiput. The skull is slightly rounded on top, but from the side the muzzle and head are square. The stop and occiput are only slightly pronounced. The required abundant mustache and eyebrows contribute to the friendly expression. The eyes are large and well open, more rounded than elliptical. They have an alert, friendly, and intelligent expression. Eye color ranges in all shades of yellow and brown. Haws should not show nor should there be protruding eyes. The ears should be of medium size, lying flat and close to the head, set high, at the height of the eye line. Nose--Well open nostrils are essential. Nose color is always brown. Any other color is a disqualification. Bite scissors. Overshot or undershot bite is a serious fault.

Neck, Topline, Body
Neck-- rather long, slightly arched, no dewlap. Topline-- The back is strong and firm, descending in a gentle slope from the slightly higher withers to the base of the tail. Body-Chest-- The chest must descend to the level of the elbow, with a moderate spring of rib. The chest must neither be too wide nor too narrow, but of medium width to allow freedom of movement. The loin is strong and well developed, being of medium length. The croup and rump are stoutly made with adequate length to favor speed. The tail extends from the back in a continuation of the topline. It may be carried straight or raised slightly. It is docked by one-third to one-half length.

Forequarters
Shoulders are long, with good angulation, and well laid back. The forelegs are straight and vertical from the front and set well under the shoulder from the side. Pasterns are slightly sloping. Dewclaws should be removed. Feet are round, firm, with tightly closed webbed toes. Pads are thick.

Hindquarters
The thighs are long and well muscled. Angulation in balance with the front. The legs are vertical with the hocks turning neither in nor out. The stifle and hock joints are strong and well angulated. Feet as in front.

Coat
The coat is one of the distinguishing features of the breed. It is a double coat. The outer coat is medium length, straight and wiry, never curly or woolly. The harsh texture provides protection in rough cover. The obligatory undercoat consists of a fine, thick down, which provides insulation as well as water resistance. The undercoat is more or less abundant, depending upon the season, climate, and hormone cycle of the dog. It is usually lighter in color. The head is furnished with a prominent mustache and eyebrows. These required features are extensions of the undercoat, which gives the Griffon a somewhat untidy appearance. The hair covering the ears is fairly short and soft, mixed with longer harsh hair from the coat. The overall feel is much less wiry than the body. The legs, both front and rear, are covered with denser, shorter, and less coarse hair. The coat on the tail is the same as the body; any type of plume is prohibited. The breed should be exhibited in full body coat, not stripped short in pattern. Trimming and stripping are only allowed around the ears, top of head, cheeks and feet.

Color
Preferably steel gray with brown markings, frequently chestnut brown, or roan, white and brown; white and orange also acceptable. A uniformly brown coat, all white coat, or white and orange are less desirable. A black coat disqualifies.

Gait
Although close working, the Griffon should cover ground in an efficient, tireless manner. He is a medium-speed dog with perfect coordination between front and rear legs. At a trot, both front and rear legs tend to converge toward the center line of gravity. He shows good extension both front and rear. Viewed from the side, the topline is firm and parallel to the line of motion. A smooth, powerful ground-covering ability can be seen.

Temperament
The Griffon has a quick and intelligent mind and is easily trained. He is outgoing, shows a tremendous willingness to please and is trustworthy. He makes an excellent family dog as well as a meticulous hunting companion.

Disqualifications
Nose any color other than brown.
Black coat.

Approved October 8, 1991
Effective November 28, 1991