Page 226 - Showsight April 2013

a dog to be judged according to a written
standard of excellence with a pass or fail
score. Due to the historical nature of this
breed’s versatility and the requirement of
its parent club that it must have the ability
to retrieve on land and in water, the Ger-
man Wirehaired Pointer is now allowed
to also enter Retriever Hunting Tests as
well as those for Pointing breeds. All these
events could certainly keep a GWP and its
owner busy for a while!
Not everyone hunts, but there are many
who admire the breed and think they might
like to have one as a pet. They can make
excellent pets and housedogs but they have
a natural inclination to “do something”
besides lying quietly at your feet! Wire-
hairs are an active and inventive breed!
If they’re unable to use their basic talents
to hunt, they need an alternative job. If
you don’t provide them with a construc-
tive pathway, they’ll find activities on their
own to occupy their time. As a pet owner,
you may not appreciate a GWPs idea of
entertainment. Left to their own devices,
without attention and guidance from their
owner, they might delve into redecorating
your home or redesigning your collection
of shoes! They also have a very strong sense
of self, so they need an environment where
there is patience, understanding and an
ability to set limits. A Wirehair has a
strong desire to be part of a family unit
and if you include them, they are loyal
and devoted companions. They are
perfect for a family with an active life-
style. Something as simple as walking
or jogging with “their person”, hiking,
camping or going to work with you on
a daily basis is satisfying for this breed.
If you want to own a German Wire-
haired Pointer, you must not only meet
their physical need for adequate exer-
cise but also engage their minds in a
productive way. They just need to be
involved. Isolation and boredom are
their worst enemies!
How about general care of a Wire-
hair? Those adorable, fuzzy faces are very
appealing; however, they do enjoy clean-
ing their beards on the couch after they
eat. Coat care is important and coats in
this breed are inconsistent. Plan on learn-
ing about how to keep them looking good
from the breeder you purchase your pup-
py from. Be aware that the best coats are
relatively easy, but the ones with more coat
require more care.
Their excellent scenting ability and
desire to “find” make them intuitive track-
ing dogs. There are many opportunities to
utilize these qualities. Tracking Tests are
one venue. Teaching a dog to follow scent
and find an object at the end of their quest
is a natural pursuit for a GWP. There are
also new and evolving sports such as Barn
Hunt and Nose Work that are natural
activities for these dogs. Besides structured
sports, Wirehairs make very good Search
and Rescue Dogs and are often utilized by
law enforcement as narcotic or explosives
detection dogs. Their natural prey drive
also makes them good candidates for the
C.A.T., or Coursing Ability Test. This is an
activity that’s lots of fun for dogs and own-
ers alike. These are certainly not Coursing
dogs, per se, but chasing without getting
in trouble seems to be something that they
thoroughly enjoy!
They are well suited for both Agility and
Obedience. But, keep in mind that they
have a unique sense of humor and may try
and teach you a variation on an exercise!
German Wirehaired Pointers are definitely
team players but often think of themselves
as the “MVP”! They are fun and satisfying
to train but they will always tend to keep
their individuality. Repetition and drill-
ing may sometime need to be put aside for
praise, reward and well-earned play time.
If there is something you enjoy doing,
your GWP will gladly have a go at it! Most
importantly, they want to be part of what-
ever you do. Versatile, adaptable, flexible,
resourceful and useful—a German Wire-
haired Pointer is a wonderful companion,
but not without an investment of time,
love and resources.
“GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTERs ARE
DEFINITElY TEAM PlAYERs
but often think of themselves as the ‘MVP’!”
226 • ShowSight Magazine, April 2013