Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Korthals Griffon, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a hunting- and gundog. It was Eduard Karel Korthals who is thought to have brought about this dog breed around 1873.

He was a Dutchman living in France. It is believed that quite a few dog breeds were used to bring about this dog such as the Otterhound, Spniels, Setters and possibly a Pointer. The dog is known as a supreme gundog and it is a very popular dog breed.

Edward Korthals of Holland was looking for an ideal gun dog. It was in 1888 that the first Griffon Club was formed. It was only in 1916 that this dog was officially recognized as the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon in the United States.

It is also recognized by the FCI or Federation Cynologique Internationale.

This Italian breed has an ancient blood line tracing all the back to 500 BC. Originally bred to hunt, he is today a friendly, alert and loyal companion. He is intelligent enough to do any job you give him. The Spinone is thought to be one of the oldest gun dogs ever, but it is not entirely clear that he came from Italy. There are some who think he may have come from somewhere in these European countries – Italy, Greece, France, Celtic Ireland, Spain or Russia. However, most believe the breed came from Italy in the Piedmont area.

The most common thinking is that he is a descendent of the Spanish Pointer and/or the Russian Setter. One other theory is that setters from Greece were brought to the Roman Empire and crossed with a variety of Italian dog to make the coarse haired Spinone we see today. Then the French put in their claim that the breed is a cross of many French pointers.

The theory that counts might just belong to the Italians who believe the ancestor to the Spinone includes the German Wirehaired Pointer, the Pudelpointer and the Wirehaired Pointer. It was not until the 19th century that the name Spinone was officially given to the breed.

Before that it might have been known as a Spinoso and named after a thorn bus in Italy called the Spino. This bush was so thick and sharp that small prey animals learned to hide under it because the predators could not get through it. The Spinone however was able to fight through the briars with its thick, coarse hair and tough skin.

The breed almost became extinct during the second world war as before and after the hunters in Italy had started to use other breeds for hunting. Breeders also began to cross the Spinone with wire hairs like German Wirehaired Pointer, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and the Boulet.

The most popular hunting dog in Italy today is the Bracco Italiano while the Spinone is still used for hunting.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon or Korthals Griffon is a medium-to-large sized dog standing at between 50 and 60cm both male and female and weighing between 23and 27kg.

He has a wiry, somewhat harsh curly outer coat and a softer undercoat. The head is quite large. He has thick eyebrows and a beard. The eyes are brown with yellow irises.

This is a low-shedding dog. There are a few colors such as white and brown, white and orange but the coat is also steel gray with brown markings.

Temperament:

These dogs are intelligent and independent with a desire to please their owners. He is able to learn tricks and commands easily. They love their human families and want to be around them all the time.

It would be devastating for such a dog to find himself stuck in the backyard with no human contact. He is also not suited to cramped living conditions in the city but is essentially a country dog, especially since he has boundless energy.

As a family pet, he is playful, friendly, loyal, loving and gentle, behaving well with children and other pets. They’re not aggressive dogs but they make excellent watchdogs, barking if someone comes into their property.

The breed is made up of strong, solid and muscled dogs that have an almost square build. His legs are made to travel any terrain and his head is long with an occipital that is pronounced and unique to the Spinone. They are said to have “human appearing eyes”, with a docked tail in countries allowing it and webbed paws.

Shorter hair covers their feet, head, legs, muzzle and ears. They have longer hair on their eyebrows and it is stiff, with soft hair on the muzzle and cheeks with a beard and mustache. It is a single coated dog though the coat is rough. They should have skin, lips, nose, and pads in colors that coordinate with their coats. For white dog it is a red-orange color, brown in dogs that are roan colored and dark red-orange in the orange and white colored dog.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon has always been a great hunting dog and he doubles as an excellent pet and companion as well.

This dog is extremely loyal to his human family and is friendly, intelligent, loving and affectionate, getting on well with children as well as other pets in the home.

He can reach 14 years of age and doesn’t often get sick, making him an all-round great pet and companion.

1.Children friendliness – yes they live kids.

2.Special talents – Digging and running.

3.Adaptability – Young dogs need a lot of attention but they don’t need a lot of space. The young dogs are energetic while the adult dogs are laid-back. They need exercise every day and at least a small back yard.

4.Learning ability – good/stubborn/intelligent.

To avoid ear problems, a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon's ears should be kept clean and dry. If you do detect redness inside the ear, it could mean he has an infection that will need to be treated.

This is an ancient breed with not a lot of documented genetic issues, but it does have one deadly condition.

• Cerebellar ataxia (CA) is inherited and hits the puppies. Because it is a recessive gene both the mother and father must carry it for the puppy to inherit it. This makes it less likely than it would be otherwise. Puppies with the condition do not live more than a year. Since it is a genetic problem there is now a test for it that identifies carriers at a 95% accuracy rate.

• Like many other large breed dogs, they are susceptible to hip dysplasia. This can cause arthritis and/or lameness. There are now hip replacement surgeries available for this condition.

• Bloat is again common in large dogs and you need to watch for it with the Spinone. It can be deadly if not treated immediately. Let your dog rest quietly after eating. Do not let her exercise or play energetically after eating.

Exercise:

This dog loves his exercise, and if you live in the country so much the better. He will love to go hiking and swimming with you or running next to you as you go cycling. He also loves all kinds of rope- and ball games in the garden. It’s why this active dog isn’t ideal for life in the city.

Always have the telephone number of a good vet in your phone.

Spay or neuter your pet if you don’t want unwanted puppies. Don't do it too early. Speak to your vet about the procedure and about the health benefits that come from spaying and neutering a dog.

Diet:

These are active dogs and they will require top quality food if they’re to remain healthy and active.

Always check the packaging to see what ingredients are present in your dog’s food. Some of the cheaper, more inferior brands can actually be harmful to your pet with their useless ingredients devoid of vitamins and minerals.

Some home-made food is good and this needs to be plain and free from spicy additives. Dogs have sensitive stomachs and anything unusual can cause them digestive problems.

Make sure your dog’s vaccines are up to date.

Provide your pet with a quiet, warm, dry sleeping place to call his own.

1Feeding the puppy – feed a high quality dog food for puppies of large breeds. Feed 3-4x day but don’t overfeed or let him exercise after eating even as a puppy.

2.Feeding the adult - feed a high quality dog food for large breeds. Feed 1-2X day but don’t overfeed or let him exercise after eating.

3.Points for Good Health – Active and strong

4. Games and Exercises – The Spinone is an active breed, but not a fast dog. In fact, they like to travel at a trot so it becomes a great dog for jogging or running with. They love to jump, track, hunt, hike. They do well with agility, retrieving, flyball, carting, being a therapy dog, a rescue dog and a watchdog.