Mary Allen
Shoulder height: 50 – 60 cm
Weight: 23 – 27 kg
Age: 10 – 13 years
Colour: gray-brown spotted, solid brown or white streaks, white-orange
Use: hunting dog
The Griffon Korthals (French Wire-Haired Pointer or Wirehaired Pointing Griffon) is a versatile hunting dog that needs a job that matches its abilities. Ideally, he should be used for hunting, then he is also a pleasant family dog.
Origin and history
The Griffon Korthals is a wire-haired hunting dog breed that was bred from various wire-haired breeds in Germany by the Dutchman Eduard Korthals at the end of the 19th century. Griffon is the French word for wire-haired. Outwardly, he is very similar to the German Wirehaired Pointer and the German Stichelhaar.
Appearance
The Griffon Korthals is a medium-sized, powerful, and very hardy dog. Its body is slightly longer than it is high. It has a long, square muzzle and medium-sized floppy ears. The bushy eyebrows and the well-developed (mustache) beard are characteristic. Both give him a serious, determined expression. The tail is carried straight and has bushy hair. It may be docked by a third for hunting use.
The Griffon Korthal’s fur is hard and coarse and is reminiscent of wild boar bristles. Under the dense top coat, which is never woolly or curly, lies a dense, fine undercoat. The coat color of the Korthals is steel gray with maroon spots or solid maroon, often with white stitching. White-brown and white-orange are also possible.
Nature
The Griffon Korthals is an excellent, versatile hunting dog in the woods, fields, and water. It is used as a pointing dog as well as for tracking and welding work. The breed standard describes the Korthals as gentle and proud. He forms a very strong bond with his people and his territory. He is alert and ready to defend himself, friendly, sensitive, and well-tolerated in the family.
The fine-nosed, intelligent and easy-to-handle Korthals should be used for hunting, then he is also a well-balanced and pleasant family dog. He has to spend several hours a day outdoors and also needs a task that suits his abilities. His upbringing and hunting training requires empathy and loving consistency. He understands quickly and usually submits willingly. However, the sensitive Korthals does not tolerate excessive hardness or severity.
The rough hair needs to be brushed regularly but is easy to care for.