Quick Links: Table of Contents
- German Wirehaired Pointer Breed Overview
- History of the German Wirehaired Pointer Breed. Where German Wirehaired Pointers came from
- What the German Wirehaired Pointer Looks Like
- How Much is the German Wirehaired Pointer Puppy?
- Best German Wirehaired Pointer Breeders
- Adopting or Rescuing the German Wirehaired Pointer
- German Wirehaired Pointer Growth
- What Colors do German Wirehaired Pointers Have?
- The Temperament of the German Wirehaired Pointer
- German Wirehaired Pointer Litter Size
- How Fast German Wirehaired Pointers Can Run
- Good Names for German Wirehaired Pointers
- How Intelligent are German Wirehaired Pointers?
- How Popular are German Wirehaired Pointers with New Dog Owners?
- Health Problems in German Wirehaired Pointers and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of German Wirehaired Pointer
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to German Wirehaired Pointers
- Other Things to Know About German Wirehaired Pointers
German Wirehaired Pointer Breed Overview
The German Wirehaired Pointer is a large-sized dog.
The adult German Wirehaired Pointer stands 1 foot, 10 inches to 2 feet, 2 inches tall at the .
The German Wirehaired Pointer belongs to the Sporting Dogs group.
Dogs in the Sporting Dogs group, like the German Wirehaired Pointer, were bred to help hunters catch and retrieve feathered game. Some sporting dog breeds such as Retrievers, which were built for swimming, were bred to hunt waterfowl in water.
Whereas sporting dog breeds like setters, spaniels, and pointing breeds were bred to hunt quail, pheasant, and other game birds nest on grasslands.
Many Sporting Group breeds have thick, water-repellent coats that protect them from harsh hunting conditions.
The fact that the German Wirehaired Pointer belongs to the Sporting Dogs group is one of the reasons why German Wirehaired Pointers have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the German Wirehaired Pointer is generally described as:
- Active
- Affectionate
- Friendly
- Intelligent
- Loyal
- Willful
History of the German Wirehaired Pointer Breed. Where German Wirehaired Pointers came from
The German Wirehaired Pointer is thought to have originated in 1870 in Germany.
Hunters desired a versatile and rugged hunting dog capable of hunting in difficult terrain.
The German Wirehaired Pointer was created through selective breeding with the German Pointer, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Pudelpointer, Deutscher-Kurzhaar, and Stichelhaar.
They aimed to create a medium-sized wire-coated dog that could work closely as a gundog and search, locate, and point upland game.
As the breed evolved, he could work feather and fur games and retrieve waterfowl with great skill.
He is also a devoted companion, family pet, and property watchdog for its owner.
The German Wirehaired Pointer is a versatile hunting dog performing well in conformation and obedience competitions.
The first of these breeds was imported into the United States in 1920.
In 1959, the American Kennel Club officially recognized him.
The German Wirehaired Pointer is not an ideal first-time dog owner companion.
As a high-energy dog, he requires significant training and exercise.
Owners who do not provide enough exercise or mental stimulation will have a destructive and difficult dog.
He was originally bred to track and hunt games in the field.
He spent most of the day tracking, stalking and running.
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What the German Wirehaired Pointer Looks Like
The German Wirehaired Pointer`s most distinguishing feature is its wiry coat.
its coat must be weather resistant and water repellent in some way.
The undercoat is dense and will keep you warm during the colder months.
During the summer months, the undercoat sheds.
The outer coat should be wiry, rough to the touch, and straight.
The German Wirehaired Pointer is available in three colors: liver, liver and white, and liver roan.
He is usually spotted in liver and white or has ticking or roaning in liver and white.
It is permissible for it to wear a white blaze.
The head and ears are liver in color, with no ticking or roaning.
Black was once considered unappealing; however, a black and white combination is becoming more popular.
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How Much is the German Wirehaired Pointer Puppy?
The average price of a German Wirehaired Pointer puppy is $1050. The price of a German Wirehaired Pointer puppy ranges from $875 to $1200.
A lot of factors determine the price of the German Wirehaired Pointer. These factors include what health records the German Wirehaired Pointer puppy has, the lineage of the German Wirehaired Pointer puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy German Wirehaired Pointer based on the many factors that determine the price of the German Wirehaired Pointer puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the German Wirehaired Pointer puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the German Wirehaired Pointer breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Best German Wirehaired Pointer Breeders
We have researched reputable German Wirehaired Pointer breeders that you can buy a puppy.
Go to this page for our complete list of reputable German Wirehaired Pointer breeders in various states in the United States.
On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.
A few of these breeders are listed below.
Shoreline Pointers
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Jeffrey Vance
Puppy Price: $1200
Sandra Carns
Puppy Price: $1,000
Afterhours German Wirehaired Pointers & Basset Fauve de Bretagne
Puppy Price: $900.00
Joel McVinnie
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Adopting or Rescuing the German Wirehaired Pointer
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many dogs, German Wirehaired Pointers included, are currently available for adoption in your local dog shelters.
These helpless but adorable dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Dog adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300 or even less.
In addition to your local dog shelter, another good place to find dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.
Below is an adorable Male German Wirehaired Pointer named Captain that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely German Wirehaired Pointers like Captain on pefinder.com.
Gunner is the name of another German Wirehaired Pointer (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new forever home.
You can find more German Wirehaired Pointers that are available for adoption on petfinder.
German Wirehaired Pointer Growth
New German Wirehaired Pointer owners need to know about the growth of their German Wirehaired Pointers. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the German Wirehaired Pointer will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their German Wirehaired Pointer early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your German Wirehaired Pointer puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the German Wirehaired Pointer at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your German Wirehaired Pointer
What Colors do German Wirehaired Pointers Have?
German Wirehaired Pointers come in the following beautiful primary colors:
- Brown / Chocolate
- Black
- Bicolor
- White / Cream
- Red / Chestnut / Orange
- Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
- Gray / Blue / Silver
- Tricolor (Brown, Black, & White)
German Wirehaired Pointers come in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to their primary colors:
- White / Cream
- Brown / Chocolate
- Black
- Gray / Blue / Silver
The Temperament of the German Wirehaired Pointer
The temperament of the German Wirehaired Pointer based can be summarized as in the table below.
The table shows the scores of the German Wirehaired Pointer for 13 important dog behavioral factors.
We obtained these scores by analyzing raw data from the C-BARQ dog personality survey tool. The higher the score of a dog for a factor, the worse the temperament of the dog regarding that factor.
The C-BARQ tool was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and it is a scientific tool that is used worldwide for reliably measuring the temperament of dog breeds.
See our complete analysis of the temperament of the German Wirehaired Pointer here.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Attachment Attention Seeking | 81.7 percent |
| Prey Drive | 62.3 percent |
| Energy Level | 57.5 percent |
| Excitability | 53.9 percent |
| Nonsocial Fear | 5.7 percent |
| Owner Directed Aggression | 5.4 percent |
| Dog Directed Aggression | 36.7 percent |
| Dog Rivalry | 27.3 percent |
| Stranger Directed Aggression | 27.0 percent |
| Separation Related Behavior | 24.9 percent |
| Dog Directed Fear | 17.5 percent |
| Touch Sensitivity | 13.5 percent |
| Stubbornness | 11.9 percent |
| Stranger Directed Fear | 11.3 percent |
German Wirehaired Pointer Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 53 different German Wirehaired Pointer birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that German Wirehaired Pointers can have is 7 puppies. Also, the German Wirehaired Pointer can have as few as 1 puppies per litter and as many as 14 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the German Wirehaired Pointer will have depends on factors such as the age of the German Wirehaired Pointer, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your German Wirehaired Pointer will have and how the litter size of the German Wirehaired Pointer compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
How Fast German Wirehaired Pointers Can Run
How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.
Based on our analysis of the speeds of 44 different German Wirehaired Pointers, the average speed of the German Wirehaired Pointer is 25.7 mph (41.4 kmph).
The fastest speed on AKC record that the German Wirehaired Pointer ran in a race is 30.85 mph (49.6 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a German Wirehaired Pointer is 20.52 mph (33.0 kmph).
Click here to see how the speed of the German Wirehaired Pointer compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.
Good Names for German Wirehaired Pointers
Here are some really good names that are typical for the German Wirehaired Pointer ranked by popularity:
- Winston
- Louie
- Will
- Bandit
- Butch
- Kai
- Captain
- Curry
- Deuce
- Kramer
How Intelligent are German Wirehaired Pointers?
| German Wirehaired Pointer | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 44 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the German Wirehaired Pointer has an obedience intelligence rank of 44 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put German Wirehaired Pointers in the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that German Wirehaired Pointers tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| German Shepherd Dog | 3 |
| Golden Retriever | 4 |
| Papillon | 8 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | 10 |
| Brittany | 19 |
| Border Terrier | 30 |
| Dalmatian | 39 |
| Kuvasz | 42 |
| American Water Spaniel | 44 |
| American Foxhound | 46 |
| Scottish Deerhound | 47 |
| Dachshund | 49 |
| Alaskan Malamute | 50 |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | 52 |
| Pug | 57 |
| Lhasa Apso | 68 |
| Bullmastiff | 69 |
| Shih Tzu | 70 |
| Chow Chow | 76 |
| American Bulldog | 77 |
How Popular are German Wirehaired Pointers with New Dog Owners?
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.
The graph below shows the popularity trend of the German Wirehaired Pointer.
The popularity of the German Wirehaired Pointer averaged over the years is Number 64 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.
Health Problems in German Wirehaired Pointers and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The German Wirehaired Pointer is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a German Wirehaired Pointer puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your German Wirehaired Pointer breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen German Wirehaired Pointers for:
- Autoimmune thyroiditis
- Cardiac Evaluation
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Eye Examination- any age, yearly if in a breeding program
- Hip Dysplasia
- von Willebrand`s Disease
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for German Wirehaired Pointers here.
How to Take Care of German Wirehaired Pointer
To take good care of your German Wirehaired Pointer, you need to make sure that you groom your German Wirehaired Pointer regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your German Wirehaired Pointer regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your German Wirehaired Pointer`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your German Wirehaired Pointer daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your German Wirehaired Pointer.
Also, you need to feed your German Wirehaired Pointer high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your German Wirehaired Pointer from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the German Wirehaired Pointer and how much food to feed the German Wirehaired Pointer at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your German Wirehaired Pointer has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your German Wirehaired Pointer needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to German Wirehaired Pointers
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the German Wirehaired Pointer.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the German Wirehaired Pointer:
- Australian Kelpie (81 percent match with German Wirehaired Pointer). Learn more about the Australian Kelpie here.
- German Pinscher (83 percent match with German Wirehaired Pointer). Learn more about the German Pinscher here.
Other Things to Know About German Wirehaired Pointers
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the German Wirehaired Pointer that you need to know about the German Wirehaired Pointer breed: