Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

[Summitthunting]

I'm looking into getting a griffon. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them. I've ran labs for years so how do they compare in terms of demeanor. My 7 and 9yr old boys really want one but I'm concerned they will be high strung. I hunt mostly river ducks, field geese and quail.

 

[choc dogs]

I hunt with a friend's griff. He's actually the slowest working pointing dog I've ever been around. He does a great job hunting dead, and while he will swim after birds, it's not his favorite. All in all, a good dog, but the one downfall is that he picks up every single cockleburr in three counties every time we go out. I'd think if we hunt the same river corner, eventually, he would have gotten them all in his fur, but, no he had just as many the last hunt as the first. He's a truly enjoyable dog to be around, although he could use some steady work. That's probably an owner issue, not the dog.

 

[mthillrunner]

I grew up with labs & the first 2 dogs my wife and I owned were labs. We bought a WPG 2 years ago. He is most certainly a different dog than a lab. His personality is more “intense & in tune” with me. He will stare at me where as labs glance at me. He’s pretty quiet in the house. Our labs would have eaten someone that tried to come in the house uninvited. He might nip them, he’d certainly bark but I think home defense would be up to me. He works an area more slowly & methodically. He doesn’t range as far out(one of the reasons we got him). He is a point a to b dog, as in he goes around nothing. He plows through the thickest tangled of vegetation without batting an eye. He does pick up burrs to his head readily, body not so bad. From what I’m told he is not a “typical male” in that he is every bit as assertive as either lab we’ve owned. He has treed a couple bears while hiking, hates them for whatever reason. He is an excellent hunting partner for upland birds, has never refused to retrieve a duck in water. He has no experience with geese. He was very different than a lab to train. With our labs I felt I saw slow, steady progress. With him it was no progress, no progress & boom he’s got it. I found I had to be relaxed when working with him, no getting loud and mad. I’ve never been heavy handed but I think if you’re inclined to be you could ruin him rather quick. He’s is VERY intense in the field and highly focused. Nothing goes unnoticed by him. He can go all day. Our labs were more high strung indoors. When in the house he is plum happy to chill out. One quirk is he truly needs to be near his people as in physical contact much of the time. He’s very gentle with our boys and plays with our 5 lb kitten often. We live in MT, when walking in powder snow he gets wads of snow between his pads. He just stops & pulls them off. If you have any more specific questions just ask. My understanding there are 2 types of griffon. One is the “pure” griffon, they tend to be more laid back. The other one had another breed I can’t recall introduced into the gene pool. Those can be more high strung. Know which one you’re looking to get.

 

[MThuntr]

I had a Griffon pup for only a few months before my job sent me on the road and as per my agreement with the breeder I surrendered him back with a refund. My observation from the new to owning a versatile hunting dog was Griffs are incredibly intelligent and eager to please. My pup figured out his name almost immediately and got basic commands much faster than the lab pups I had known. I also noticed he was much more sensitive than similar puppies as in a simple scolding would send him in a panic. I had him pointing wings in less than a week. I'll second any comment about cockleburs and snowballs and for some reason he found every single one on my small property.

The finished dogs I've hunted with are as described...methodical and close working. Personally I see Griffs as an upland dog first then a water dog. If you're mostly waterfowl hunter I'd probably consider going back to a lab.

 

[mthillrunner]

 

[pointingdogsrule]

I've owned 5 Griffons, since 1990. As stated they are the most laid back dog that you will find. They have an amazing personality and are a family dog. In they old days they would get the nickname "bootkickers" or "old mans dog" because they are typically close working dogs. They love everyone. I've never had a bad experience with any Griffon.

They love to retrieve. Now for the other.... As compared to my GSP's the nose is less. They retrieve a lot better (all day long). They are very easy to train. They are very forgiving. One thing up front!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are two types of coats 1. the normal thick and wolly coat that is the standard. Great for water and cold weather. 2. Shorthaired coats (this is not the standard). My first was a shorthaired coat and I loved it (NO care needed). The other four were the standard coat. These are beautiful, however, they are cocklebur collectors and the coat must be maintained. By the way they love the snow, cold weather & water.

LOLA is my current Griff and is in the top 20 as far as "show"

Two former Griffs "Hank & Mike"

They are very good around kids. I would take Hank & Mike to schools for National Pet Day.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[AKal]

I too have been looking at a griff. I have a lab and will always have one around beings I do a lot of waterfowl hunting, but also upland hunt my fair share. I hunt grouse and pheasant with my lab and my brothers GSP. This is very good info from all that have posted, and all that has been said has confirmed my research. It seams that eager to please is a trait of all the german pointing dogs as my brothers gsp is eager to please and is not a fan of a light scolding either. They seem to be great dogs and am excited to add one to my arsenal.

 

[Summitthunting]

Thanks for all the information. Is it true they they shed very little? I could have baled my labs hair!

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Thanks for all the information. Is it true they they shed very little? I could have baled my labs hair!

Yep, they shed very little. Griffs with the standard coat will actually have two coats. One is the wire/harsh/long coat. The other coat is the fine under coat. The under coat may shed, however, very little and it seems to be seasonal.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[mthillrunner]

Our griff sheds waaaaay less than our lab.

 

[Irrelevant]

Thanks for all the info guys. I too have been looking at a griff when our current GSP goes.

 

[OwyheeHuntr]

We love our Griffs! I've had Chesapeake Bays, Shorthairs etc- but far and away feel like Griffs are an almost perfect do everything dog...

 

[Slam]

Drahthaar http://www.vdd-gna.org/

This breed is similar in appearance to a Griffon with more speed and generally more reserved and protective. I grew up with pointers (Wiemeraners & Vislas) but developed a strong passion for waterfowl and hunted labs for years both waterfowl and upland. In my late 30's I went on a hunt with a fellow who had a male Drahthaar, we were grouse hunting and I was most impressed, efficiently & effectively worked varying cover stretching distance as cover allowed and steady on the point, good retrieves. I was smitten. Twenty years later it's the only dogs I've owned. Great family and companion animals, intense hunters, very little shedding, need a little cleanup after hunting where burrs are located. Worth checking out.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Drahthaar http://www.vdd-gna.org/

This breed is similar in appearance to a Griffon with more speed and generally more reserved and protective. I grew up with pointers (Wiemeraners & Vislas) but developed a strong passion for waterfowl and hunted labs for years both waterfowl and upland. In my late 30's I went on a hunt with a fellow who had a male Drahthaar, we were grouse hunting and I was most impressed, efficiently & effectively worked varying cover stretching distance as cover allowed and steady on the point, good retrieves. I was smitten. Twenty years later it's the only dogs I've owned. Great family and companion animals, intense hunters, very little shedding, need a little cleanup after hunting where burrs are located. Worth checking out.

Yep, more protective.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[1_pointer]

The attributes of the WPG folks have listed are why it made my short list of breeds; even though I selected a different breed (pudelpointer) I could have easily easily enjoyed one. A former poster who had trained more than a few pointing breeds would most often recommend a WPG for a first pointing breed. He touted their biddablenees as the primary reason why.

 

[BrentD]

I do not have one, but my hunting partner has had 3. They are wonderful dogs, perfect family dogs. I don't see a downside except that they aren't golden retrievers. I don't think you could possibly go wrong with one.

 

[hobbes]

I agree with the information above. +I've owned wpg's for the last four years and a gwp. I've also owned several labs in the past.

Griffs are great dogs. Definitely different than labs, but great dogs. They require more human companionship than labs. They are not backyard kennel dogs. Although neither of my last two labs lived outside in kennels either. Griffs do not shed even close to the amount labs do. Griffs do not develop a bad odor as quickly as labs do. The long hair can be more trouble to take care of on a Griff, but in my opinion it's worth it. I think the longer/thicker haired griffs would struggle in warmer climates. One of mine has a ton of hair and the other has a little thinner coat. Both of my griffs love everyone in the family unless I start carrying hunting equipment out the door, then they think I'm the only one that matters in the world. I've had at least one lab that was only concerned about me, he just tolerated the rest of the family. I still love labs and always will, but I don't plan to ever be without a Griff.

My GWP is much more protective. He seems to get worse the older he gets (he's 9) and concerns me on occasion. I believe part of it is that I don't think he can see as good as he used to, or he's just crazy.

 

[Jfwhit]

I have a Pudelpointer, but hunt with several Griffons. They are great dogs. Great family dogs. The ones I’m around have good temperaments also. They also are great retrievers. Although they enter the water with grace. Methodical but in no hurry. Not saying it’s a bad thing. Just not lab like. Low shedders. Check your local NAVHDA chapter. Ours has a bunch of griffons and a few breeders.

 

[Summitthunting]

In four weeks I will be the proud owner of Kona.

 

[JLS]

Cute pup!