German Shorthaired Pointer vs Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

A German Shorthaired Pointer
Photo: Горбунова М.С.
A Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Photo: Liv klesta

Side by side

German Shorthaired Pointer
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Adult weight
Males 25–32 kg (55–71 lb); females 20–27 kg (44–60 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 23–32 kg (50–70 lb); females 16–23 kg (35–50 lb) (breed club figure)2
Lifespan
Median 13.4 years3
No sourced figure
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes4
Group
Pointing dogs5
Pointing dogs6
Coat
Short coat5
Wire or harsh coat6
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Grooming
A brush once a week
Exercise
Plenty
Health
Blood-vessel cancer of the spleen (more likely)7
No sourced figure
Class
Field
Field

Which suits you

Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the German Shorthaired Pointer sheds through the year, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (German Shorthaired Pointer: a lap or leaning dog; Wirehaired Pointing Griffon: affectionate on its own terms) and on independence (German Shorthaired Pointer: cooperative, with its own ideas; Wirehaired Pointing Griffon: keen to work with you).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 26 kg (57 lb) for the German Shorthaired Pointer and 23 kg (51 lb) for the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.
Alike
Both are rated the same on intelligence: needs daily brain work.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

German Shorthaired Pointer
Pointing dogs · Medium

In temperament it is friendly, intelligent and willing, with plenty of drive and stamina.

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Pointing dogs · Medium

Griffons are generally affectionate, keen to please and responsive to training, and they form close bonds with their households.

The German Shorthaired Pointer page →The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon page →

Breed traits

Day to day
German Shorthaired Pointer
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Needs daily brain work
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
German Shorthaired Pointer
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Affection
Differs
A lap or leaning dog
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Differs
Bonded to its family
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Differs
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Keen to work with you
Around the home
German Shorthaired Pointer
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Sensitivity
Differs
Needs a calm, predictable home
Average
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Differs
Likely to chase small pets
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour8. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home9,10.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 25 kg.
German Shorthaired Pointer
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
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More comparisons

Compare the German Shorthaired Pointer with
German Shorthaired Pointer vs German Wirehaired PointerBracco Italiano vs German Shorthaired PointerSpinone Italiano vs Wirehaired Pointing GriffonBrittany vs German Shorthaired PointerFrench Spaniel vs German Shorthaired PointerGerman Shorthaired Pointer vs Wirehaired VizslaAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·