German Wirehaired Pointer    Questions About German Wirehaired Pointers? Click Here for the Kennel.com Forum! Description: The German Wirehaired Pointer is medium sized all purpose dog with a most distinctive functional, wiry coat. The breed's origins date back the mid 1800s in Germany when sportsmen were in need of a tough, rugged and all terrain hunting companion with a coat protective of harsh elements. The exact lineage is not known, although the best educated sources indicate Wirehaired Griffon, Poodle-Pointer mixes as well as Bloodhound and Foxhound as possible early contributors. Today's German Wirehaired Pointers are said to be a result mainly of these breeds: Pointer, Foxhound and Poodle. German Wirehaired Pointers were brought to the United States in the 1920s. The German Drahthaar Club of America was formed in 1953, but the name was officially changed to the German Wirehaired Club of America when the breed was admitted into the American Kennel Club in 1959. Height: The height of a German Wirehaired Pointer is 22 to 26 in. (53–66 cm) Males are slightly larger than females. Weight: The weight for a German Wirehaired Pointer is 66 to 70 lbs (30 to 32 kg). Coat Type: The German Wirehaired Pointer's coat is harsh, wiry textured. The outer coat is one to two inches in length, flat lying, harsh, wiry, hard. The undercoat is dense in the winter providing insulation, yet thins out during the warmer summer months. The German Wirehaired Pointer's functional coat, which is the breed's most distinctive feature, is weather resistant, somewhat water repellant and provides protection against rough terrain. Color: The color of the German Wirehaired Pointer's coat is liver and white, usually either liver and white spotted, liver roan, liver and white spotted with ticking and roaming or solid liver. The head is liver, sometimes with a white blaze. The ears are liver. Any black in the coat is to be severely penalized. (AKC standard) Temperament: German Wirehaired Pointers are active, intelligent and a loyal family pet. They're eager to please, devoted and affectionate with those they know, to the point of becoming jealous of others. German Wirehaired Pointers are happiest and most well behaved with they are with their family and they're appropriate for older children. This breed is very friendly, but aloof with strangers. The German Wirehaired Pointer makes a good watchdog. This breed is eager to learn - but dominance can be a problem, therefore both adults and children must consistently show leadership. German Wirehaired Pointers are high energy dogs need plenty of exercise and they love to roam. Health Problems: Some German Wirehaired Pointer lines are prone to hip dysplasia, genetic eye disease, ear infections, and skin cancers. Some are prone to bloat and although rare, bladder control disease. The average life expectancy for a German Wirehaired Pointer is between 12 - 14 years. Special Interest: • German Wirehaired Pointers were also known as Deutsch-Drahthaar. • German Wirehaired Pointers were admitted into the American Kennel Club in 1959. • German Wirehaired Pointers point and retrieve both on land and water. Classifications: AKC: Sporting Group ANKC: Group 3 - Gundogs CKC: Group 1 - Sporting Dogs FCI: Group 7; Section 1 - Continental Pointing Dog KC: Gundog Group NZKC: Gundog UKC: Gun Dog