Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Breed Profile

Head: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The topskull is not too broad. A faint median furrow starts at the stop and disappears toward the occiput. Although the head is lean, it is equipped with strong, smooth, and well-developed, yet never overly prominent muscle. The head is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.

Eyes: Moderate in size, oval to almond shape, and green or amber to dark brown in color. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.

Ears: Moderately in size, broad across the base, and rounded at the tip. They are set high on the skull, just above the level of the eye. They hang flat and close to the head and face. The ears are never long, overly large, or broken.

Muzzle: Long, broad, deep, full, and strongly developed. The plane of the muzzle is straight and level or just slightly curved (Roman-nosed). Upper and lower jaws are equal in length and have good bone substance, appearing strong and well-developed, never appearing snipey or weak.

Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and is liver, self-colored, or black, according to the coat. The nose is broad, and the nostrils are well-opened. In profile, the tip of the nose may project slightly forward.

Neck: Moderate length allows for proud head carriage. It is strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut, without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.

Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed.

Body: The body is that of a canine endurance and agility athlete. It is deep, solid, and of moderate substance. The body is never cloddy or heavy. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.

Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes, tough pads, and strong webbing.

Tail: Set neither especially high nor low on the croup but as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. It is often carried level with or slightly above the level of the topline when working but also kept according to the dog’s mood and energy level, never tucked or carried well above the topline or over the back. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked short. Natural tails are moderately long, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight, sabered, or gently curved.

Movement: The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon moves with powerful and agile motion. His action is effortless, efficient, and energetic. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.

Temperament: The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is intelligent and enjoys the outdoors. Their stable temperament and can-do attitude make them great candidates as training companions for many activities in and out of the field, so long as they are kept busy. They can be trained to use their nose in many disciplines, including fieldwork, search and rescue, or tracking and article search. They also excel in other events, such as obedience and agility. They bond strongly with their family and tolerate other dogs and people. He particularly enjoys his time with the children in his family. He should never appear nervous, shy, or fearful. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.