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GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTER |
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The history of
the Wirehair in Germany is quite recent. An interest in gun dogs with
bristly coats always existed, and several types were in evidence by the
late 1800s. At first, the Wirehair Club in Germany fostered all hunting
dogs with a wire coat, but the wide variation in types soon saw separate
organizations for the Pudelpointer, the Griffon, the Stichelhaar, and
the German Wirehaired Pointer. They may all have come from the same stock,
as these breeds developed concurrently. From this time on, each breed
became individualized.
Like the Shorthair,
the Drahthaar was developed to be used as a utility hunting dog and still
fills that capacity. Because of the diverse tasks the breed is expected
to accomplish, the dog is ideally big and robust, with a coat that affords
protection. Wirehairs lead all hunting dogs in German registrations.
The Wirehair
came to America about the same time as the first Shorthairs, in the 1920s.
But the Wirehair was later in achieving AKC recognition and has never
become as widespread as his shorthaired cousins in the States. Wire-hairs
tend to be a bit more aloof, and sometimes are one-person dogs. Those
who support the breed possess a fine, obedient companion and hunting dog.
His tail is
docked, like the GSP, leaving about two-fifths. If the coat is proper,
it requires very little care. The underwool sheds in the spring and requires
bathing and brushing, as is true of most breeds. A good harsh coat will
do well with occasional combing out of dead hair. Some slight stripping
may be required to neaten him for exhibition, but the coat should never
have to be clipped or scissored. Only when the coat is improperly long
and woolly does excessive grooming become necessary to give him the proper
outline. This improper coat also attracts burrs and sticks in the field,
which is why it is discouraged.
Often a clown,
the Wirehair provides entertainment for his family. His whiskery face
can switch from an imp to a noble show dog or a stern uncle. Sufficient
exercise is essential. If bored, his excess energy can turn to destructive
entertainment. The more they are taught, the happier they are. The breed
needs a mixture of firm training with all-out rough-housing.
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