Plate 207 · Continental Europe
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
刚毛指示格里芬犬
“A Dutchman's griffon, developed in Germany and France, now regarded as French.”
- Origin
- France
- France (bred by the Dutchman Korthals, partly in Germany)
- Country of origin
- Its founder, Eduard Korthals, was Dutch and kept his kennel at Biebesheim am Rhein in Germany for over twenty years; the breed is now regarded as French, and the FCI lists France. The marker is France's reference point; the Dutch and German claims are recorded here.
- The point is a reference position in the country of origin.
- Era
- Second half of the 19th century
- Today
- Gun dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
France (bred by the Dutchman Korthals, partly in Germany)
A rough-coated, all-round European gun dog that points on land and retrieves from water.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Pointing upland birds and retrieving waterfowl and furred game in thick cover and marsh.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Eduard Karel Korthals is credited with starting the breed around 1873; Wikipedia, citing a French breed history, says his line began in 1874 with a foundation bitch, Mouche, and five other griffons. It also reports, without a citation, an international griffon club in 1888, followed by local clubs in Bavaria and Belgium (1895) and France (1901).
04 · Today
Gun dog · Companion
A hunting dog and devoted companion.
Personality
- Friendly
- Devoted
- Trainable
- Tireless
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Very active and social: needs attention, training and lots of work.
- Grooming
- Weekly brushing; some coats need occasional hand-stripping.
- Training
- Highly trainable, close-working and eager to please.
Living with one
- Size
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
- Coat
- Harsh, wiry outer coat over a soft, insulating undercoat
Field note
Its founding dogs, Moustache I, Lina and Querida, are called the 'Korthals Patriarchs'.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Sporting Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (as Wire-haired Pointing Griffon Korthals, Group 7, standard 107), Société Centrale Canine
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Sporting Group, recognized 1887.
AKC registrations: ranked 51 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/wirehaired-pointing-griffon/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirehaired_Pointing_Griffon
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Eduard Korthals, the Ipenwoud kennel at Biebesheim, Dutch/German/French claims, Mouche and the patriarchs, the 1888 club.
- Wire-haired Pointing Griffon Korthals — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/WIRE-HAIRED-POINTING-GRIFFON-KORTHALS-107.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin France; Group 7, section "Continental Pointing Dogs"; accepted 1954.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Its founder, Eduard Korthals, was Dutch and kept his kennel at Biebesheim am Rhein in Germany for over twenty years; the breed is now regarded as French, and the FCI lists France. The marker is France's reference point; the Dutch and German claims are recorded here.