Last year I decided to get my bird dog, a German wirehair pointer. Plan was to get a male first from proven hunters, train him up, and then get a female and do the same. Besides being great bird dogs, they can swim like fish with their web feet, and hardly shed at all. The wire coat really protects them from the northern Michigan brush. So far, my male has been excellent. Obeys commands, holds point, and mostly brings back the bird. Has a nose like a blood hound. All at 1.5 years old. The seven month female goes to school next month, but I have been working with her already.

We’ve had several over the years. Great dogs. Our female loved the water. She would go swimming anytime she got near water— no matter how cold it might be.

Looks like a fine pair. If I could pick one game animal to inhabit Kentucky, it'd be Pheasant.

My male hits the water every time he gets a chance to go. The next stage of his training will be for waterfowl. He is very bold. Definitely a guy type of dog.

How big are they? How much do they weigh? Beautiful dogs.

Females are around 50lbs. Males are around 65lbs.

They are great family dogs too. My boys love them, and the dogs watch over them closely. If a stranger shows up at the door, they aren’t walking in without a fuss.

Aren’t you retired?

Great looking pups !!

Yeah,....I guess I could go in search of them. But it's hard to train a dog to fetch one if there's none around.

Bristoe,

Look around and see if there is a local hunt club you can join. I found a small one near me. Bet a crisp $1 you find one. They are pen raised birds but the dogs don’t know it. Really helps in training and lots of fun with your buddies. Most state game laws don’t apply so the season is as long as you want. Look at KY regs.

I have 2 drahthaars

An 7 year male that’s been in on a lot of upland birds,waterfowl,turkeys,and killed his fair share of vermin.

And an almost 1 year old that’s the boldest pup I’ve ever seen. Nothing scares him except my voice when he’s being a retard.

Probably not the best pure bird dog out there but my older Male Willy, will keep hunting day after day. So durable,and so much go even their pads outlast most dogs. I don’t want a string of dogs and I don’t think a lot of other breeds could hunt day after day on road trips.

I've had 6 of them along with a couple each of their close cousins the Pudelpointer and Griffon and their Italian counterpart the Spinone. I have been around dozens more through NAVHDA and other testing, trialing, and training venues. They are almost everything the OP said other than the shedding part. They all shed though the hair does not usually ball up like many other breeds. Two of my wirehairs shed quite copiously and they added a fair amount to the daily vacuuming. The rest did not appear to shed but one could see they did when emptying the vacuum.

My males have run 70 pounds which seemed to be about the top end of the norm for what I have seen. My last one was 80 pounds and was a very strong and solid dog. I did a lot of waterfowl hunting with an emphasis on geese so looked for the larger dogs as I thought they would be an advantage. The lone female was small and ran 40-45 pounds. She was my first pointing dog and I learned a lot from her.

I've run setters the last few years but am looking at another versatile breed for the next dog. I'm getting tired of all the brushing needed to get rid of burs and the like.

I'm glad you posted this, beautiful dogs you have. We just picked up a female GWP last weekend; dam is a JH and sire is a MH. My intent is to use her for waterfowl, dove, tracking deer and some released quail and pheasant. I researched the breed and everyone whobowns them raves about their natural hunting ability. We wanted a dog that would be a good house and family dog and not shed as profusely as most labs. She will retrieve toys to hand and I'm working with her on wings....by next dove season she should be well on her way. Ellie is her name, short for Benelli.

I'm now the proud owner of my third wirehair......and she is a spectacular dog.....great house pet and just as good at pointing and retrieving.....

I've had two marvelous pointing labs as well.....but this GWP is at least the equal and then some

Aero is my third wire hair and my first show ring champion. He took a Best of Breed at the Sea-Tac specialty last August. Right now he is finishing up a month of hunt training and I will go pick him up this week and try him out on some farm birds. I expect to get a lot of use out of him this fall. He can't pass a mud puddle without jumping in it.

Great looking dogs. I was trying to pickup a GWP last year, but had a 1 year old Golden Retriever given to me. I told the wife the next dog is a GWP or a Brittany, I've been informed there will be no next dog.

Beautiful dogs RAS,

I currently have GWPs #4 and 5. Love this breed. We hunt doves, three species of quail and occasionally do some stock tank jumping for ducks. Mearns quail hunting is my favorite and my 4 3/4 yr old female Asa is my best mearns hunter ever. She has been great at helping to train my male 1 3/4 yr old Oli.

Asa is a real muscular female weighing 72 lbs. While Oli is larger in stature he still hasn't caught up to her weight and is only 65 lbs.

These dogs live with us and are kept indoors when we are away. They are our constant companions. They are similar enough in age to play with each other a great deal. They have a perfect environment with a 3/4 acre fenced in yard including a pool which they use to great advantage in the hot summer months. There are two retired horses some rocky slopes, cactus, lots of bushes and trees, perfect for exploring and keeping their bodies and feet in shape.



If I could figure out how to post a few pics I would.....

Dandy looking dogs!! Fear the beard!! I doubt I'll ever be without a bearded, versatile breed. Have a pudelpointer that is just a hoot to have around. Far from a "brag dog", but about the best dog I've ever had.

Beautiful Dogs, makes me wan't to get one, now that my lab is really old. I had a GWP growing up many years ago, when they were first beginning to show up in the US (about 40 years ago). They were quite sharp then. Ours liked to kill stuff and was an extreme hunter of everything including strangers at our house. She was the best bird dog I have ever hunted with (pheasants and grouse) , would retrieve ducks readily. Our dog was a real bitch and would challenge any dog except really big males, was very protective of house and family. but was a real lap dog for the people in the family. Our dogs specialty was ridding the country side of feral house cats. She had it down to an art, and would take care of some really big tom cats in about 5 seconds if we ran into one while pheasant hunting, she would not point them like some dogs but would simply rush in and grab and shake, often getting a couple of scratches on her nose. From what I have heard the breed is a little less sharp these days.

Have fun, with your friends. they are really great dogs.

When my lab dies I may PM you to find our where you got yours.

Prairie,

No problem. The breeder I got them from gets people from all over the country. I live in Michigan, and so does the breeder. I had to wait in the car until a family from Tennessee picked their male.

You are right. Total lovable, kind, funny dogs in the house with family. Almost clown like. But if a stranger walks by the house, it’s a different scenario for sure. Burglars will think twice. Lol. My male hunts well with other dogs. Seems like they know it’s there job or something. My male was pointing wings at 13 weeks. He kills mice, squirrels, and birds. These are stout, bold, but lovable dogs. They are definitely what I call a “guy” dog.

i have 4 currently, 2 solid brown, and 2 white dogs with brown spots, like a shorthair. old dog is 14, next male is 7, a 2yr old female and a 1.5yr female. if the water is not solid ice i cant keep them out of it, they retreive out of the missouri almost daily, tremendous point and back to them, come in the house at night and eat popcorn,,,,

old dog has tracked wounded deer and elk for guys number of times, male dogs are 55-60 lbs females are 46-51 lbs depends on how much running we have been doing, allready pointed many sharpies and huns and retreived a bunch of waterfowl this last weekend,,,

i cant say enough good things about them

I've always thought GWP's were cool looking dogs.

A question, are the GWP and drahthaars the same dog? I see both names around and wondered

Yes, but the name depends on the pedigree

The answer is yes (and a qualified no.) Originally the German and English/American names for the same dog. In the US you can find Deutsch Drahthaars (DD) and they work to maintain a different breeding standard. The GWP may be bred to win shows and not be the best at its original use of hunting. The DD is bred for hunting abilities. I am sure this is the same type of standards variation we find in horse breeds, dog breeds, etc. I had a German Shorthair but my next will likely be a Deutsch Drahthaar. From what I have read the disposition as well as hunting ability is better in the DD line. There just aren't as many choices in the US. Either GWP or DD are a better all-around dog for me that just about any other.

Dang lots pics of young GWP. As i write this i'm starring at my 14 1/2 year old GWP. This will be her first year that she wont be in the field.
Her hearing is gone and eyes are starting to go. Even last year in the woods she was wondering off, was hard to get to come back to me..

Been blessed with three of them. First one adopted my gal pal on our first date. Didn’t let anyone near her except me. Loved her nephews and niece. Very touching stories from them about him. He was a cat killing SOB and great hunter of birds . Hated grizzly bears too. The second and third one were litter mates. Wonderful boys, one died at two years from cancer, the other loved us until he had to go at fourteen.
These are family dogs period, do not belong in a kennel. Will give their life for you if needed. My gal pal became my wife and those two had a very special relationship. You did not get out of your pickup at the farm with him around her.
God bless those fuzzy boys.
Now we have a standard schnauzer that’s a very wonderful boy. Hims learning the world but don’t try anything with her, he’s protective....

Many dogs are a great judge of character!

That dog picked your wilfe -- awesome!

John

For those who own them, at what age did you start them swimming? Ours is only 9 weeks old and I'm afraid the water temps may get too cold before she is old enough to swim (Central NC location). I took her to the lake and she would get in up to her chest but not any further and I didn't want to push the issue at such an early age.

I got mine in January, he's a draht though. I didn't start him swimming here till May/June. I did a bunch of field work, exposure to birds and gunfire stuff all spring though. And of course, obedience work. He loves the water now.

This one is about 80 pounds. Most of the ones we train with are 70-80.

A neighbor has 4. Really energetic dogs. He thought about getting a Lab for ducks, but his 4 year old male retrieves them well whether in water or not so hasn't seen a need.