German Wirehaired Pointers Afield
GWP's trace their origins back about 120 years. They originated in
Germany, where breeders wanted to develop a rugged, versatile hunting
dog that would work closely with either one person or a small party of
persons hunting on foot in varied terrain; from the mountainous regions
of the Alps, to dense forests, to more open areas with farms and small
towns. The breed the Germans desired had to have a coat that would
protect the dogs when working in heavy cover or in cold water, yet be
easy to maintain. The goal was to develop a wire-coated, medium sized
dog that could:
- Search for, locate and point upland game
- Work both feather and fur with equal skill
- Retrieve water fowl
- Be a close-working, easily trained gun dog
- Be able to track and locate wounded game
- Be fearless when hunting 'sharp' game such as fox
- Be a devoted companion and pet; and
- Be a watchdog for its owners family and property