My setters will put any bearded dog to shame when it comes to messes made drinking.
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
- Thread starter Kleos
- Start date
My setters will put any bearded dog to shame when it comes to messes made drinking.
I work my Griff every single day, in the morning and the evening the key to a good dog is a tired dog. I will not go as far to say as my current Griff is more prey driven than any GSP's I have owned or worked but he will hunt. We leave him in the house by himself (well my daughter has a cat but we never see it) and he is fine. The only time he gets pissed is when I am outside the fence shooting my bow and he cant be right there with me running in front of and around the target looking for rabbits and birds.
Jesse Jaymes
WKR
Wait....you're taking a shit on Griffs, Munsterlanders and Drahts....and you have Setters?? Holy Shit that's Rich
Danny Hoey
WKR
Lol, my Gordon's ears drop right in the bowl when he's getting a drink.
Broomd
WKR
Great post PS. Agreed.
I raised and bred the breed for about 17 years. I could probably write a book, amazing animals. They are unique in several ways, and males are almost always more chill than the females, but there are exceptions. GWP, Draahts, GSP, Spinones are great dogs, but overall don't equal the accepting personality of the WPG. Griffs live to socialize with other dogs and especially people.
My new griff is about 11 weeks now and he's a bright boy.
Squeals for a few when put away for the night by himself, his room is tarped with the potty training gig. He's started to use the doggy door this week. My wife made elk jerkey for training treats, a tiny stamp-sized bite goes a long way. It's probably been said here before, but they can be sensitive to discipline so patience and care is needed. They want to please and be praised.
I raised and bred the breed for about 17 years. I could probably write a book, amazing animals. They are unique in several ways, and males are almost always more chill than the females, but there are exceptions. GWP, Draahts, GSP, Spinones are great dogs, but overall don't equal the accepting personality of the WPG. Griffs live to socialize with other dogs and especially people.
My new griff is about 11 weeks now and he's a bright boy.
Squeals for a few when put away for the night by himself, his room is tarped with the potty training gig. He's started to use the doggy door this week. My wife made elk jerkey for training treats, a tiny stamp-sized bite goes a long way. It's probably been said here before, but they can be sensitive to discipline so patience and care is needed. They want to please and be praised.
Pony Soldier
WKR
I agree with Broomd. I have had Griffs since 1968. I imported 4 from Germany years ago and raised them for many years. I love the dogs but learned to dislike the public over time. I currently have a 6 month old pup.
OP
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Kleos
Lil-Rokslider
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I went to sleep and woke up to 2 pages of great information. Thanks to everyone who contributed and feel free to keep it going!
My Oscar is almost 9 months.
*Separation anxiety was awful until he was around 7 months. As in I couldn't leave the house without him pacing and whining like a zoo animal until I returned. Damn near gave my wife a nervous breakdown after a half day.
*Puppy training is sort of constant until they're fully house trained which took about 7 months as well.
*There is a fantastic facebook group for Griffs where new and potential owners ask all the questions you are probably thinking about and I highly encourage you to join.
I've had dogs my entire life and Oscar is my first Griff. He is has several traits that are unique to the breed that were challenging. Potty training, separation anxiety, ONLY positive reinforcement, and "bite-fighting" with my other dogs to name a few. That being said, I absolutely love him to death and look forward to many years in the field with him. He is my buddy and loyal as a guy can ask for.
Very little if any shedding whatsoever was a huge requirement for me after having 2 goldens and an aussie. Oscar sheds the least out of any dog I've ever seen.
I think the show line bit is wholely dependent on your breeder. WPGs are supposed to be hunting dogs thus their inclusion in NAVHDA. People can do what they want with their pup, but they're bred to hunt.
*Forgot to mention* Agree with messy drinking. Betwen their "griff lips" and beard, they will leave a trail from their bowl to the other end of your house. Just mentioning it in case your wife/GF is anal about stuff like that.
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zion zig zag
WKR
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We like the bearded dogs
Ha. My older dog (6yo) has been a life saver with the new puppy. They play fight for hours. Occaisionally he'll have to get serious with him to teach him some manners but he's been very patient.
Broomd
WKR
+1..
Having other friendly, well-behaved dogs (and/or pre-teen or young teen kids) can be a huge plus in griff development, imho.
I have two teenage daughters, 3 other dogs, and a cat in the house.
11 year old retired Golden Retriever
10 year old Aussie that acts like he's a puppy
8 year old mini golden doodle that is Oscar's best buddy- bite fight challenger
Interestingly enough when we take Oscar out on the trail or out in public he is very protective of the family and somewhat standoffish with strangers. Not aggressiver per se, but definitely not an easy going Golden.
I have a GWP. My setters make twice the mess drinking that GWP ever does.
I was referring to their drinking habits.
I wouldn't own a Griff or a Musterlander, I've never seen one that can keep up with a good setter, well bred GWP, English pointer, etc, in the chukar hills or hunting Huns. I could care less about ditch chickens or flying liver which I am sure they're adequate for. I'd own a good draht if I hunted water fowl as well, they're tougher than woodpecker lips, but the trade off is they're sharp and if they're german lineage dogs, usually too big for my liking and not particularly great at covering lots of ground.
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Mine both feel it better to drink with their feet in the bowl half the time, goofy bastards.
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Kleos
Lil-Rokslider
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Why did you stop breeding? Any breeders you recommend?
Pony Soldier
WKR
I found people that wouldn't follow up with their shots. A few that mistreated their dogs and quite a number that were just cheap. Most of the dogs I sold went without papers because I hate show dogs and the people attached. I'm not a fan of Navda. I participated when they started and knew Bodo Winterhelt personally. Most of those people are similar to show people with the competition and social events. Over the years I sold high quality griffs for $100 to Montanans. I think the last litter I sold for $500 because of higher vet prices. I targeted hunters I knew that would hunt them. The griffon club went to hell with Joan Bailey and her drive to fix the griffons by breeding them to chech fousics. That lasted way too long. I found many breeders that didn't value the dogs as much as the income.
Shop carefully and only buy from a hunter with hunting dogs. Be careful of the crossbreeds with wirehairs. I found some of them in Wisconsin. The French griffs with thin coats and yellow eyes should be avoided.
Recently I bought one out of Billings that was so screwed up I had to put it down after a year and a half. The most recent one I bought came out of Douglas Wyoming. The body is good and the personality is great. The coat is a little thin but you will never know what their coat will be until they are two. He has a great nose and is always searching. He naturally likes to fetch. It's up to me to get the exposure to him.
I suggest in purchasing a pup, look carefully at the parents for coat, personality, and desire to hunt. Just because they have papers doesn't make them desireable. I paid $1,000 for the one I shot and $1,200 for this last one so price doesn't dictate quality. Prefer to buy out of a second or later litter. The first litter is a crapshoot even if the parents are great there is no guarrentee that the offspring will resemble them. At one point I had the littermate to the number 1 dog in germany. He was ok but nothing special. He did throw nice pups.
Lot's of luck but choose wisely. They all aren't created equal.
Shop carefully and only buy from a hunter with hunting dogs. Be careful of the crossbreeds with wirehairs. I found some of them in Wisconsin. The French griffs with thin coats and yellow eyes should be avoided.
Recently I bought one out of Billings that was so screwed up I had to put it down after a year and a half. The most recent one I bought came out of Douglas Wyoming. The body is good and the personality is great. The coat is a little thin but you will never know what their coat will be until they are two. He has a great nose and is always searching. He naturally likes to fetch. It's up to me to get the exposure to him.
I suggest in purchasing a pup, look carefully at the parents for coat, personality, and desire to hunt. Just because they have papers doesn't make them desireable. I paid $1,000 for the one I shot and $1,200 for this last one so price doesn't dictate quality. Prefer to buy out of a second or later litter. The first litter is a crapshoot even if the parents are great there is no guarrentee that the offspring will resemble them. At one point I had the littermate to the number 1 dog in germany. He was ok but nothing special. He did throw nice pups.
Lot's of luck but choose wisely. They all aren't created equal.
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Kleos
Lil-Rokslider
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Thanks for all the tips!
FWIW, Coppershot Griffons out of NW IA was owned by a gentleman that bred the dogs for over 50 years. His name is Cliff Koele. He is in his late 70s now and still shoots 50 roosters or more over his dogs every season. The man is a machine. He breeds his dogs for hunting, and is very selective about who he sells them too. He doesn't have all hairy legal contracts and other mumbo jumbo either. When you buy from Coppershot its your dog.
He recently sold his business to a man named Troy in Lemars, IA (Blue Bunny Ice Cream), but I expect the quality and vision of the kennel is likely the same.
Coppershot Griffons
Oscar's mother is Coppershot Jenta, and his father is Flat Brooks Walker. Oscar was from their second litter together. His prey drive is ridiculous and his nose never leaves the ground.
Any tips from the gallery on keeping these dogs from wanting to run sparrows, robins, and any other little bird that they see/smell at ground level? I've got him broke of crows and hawks for the most part, but he still goes nuts over the little ones.
He recently sold his business to a man named Troy in Lemars, IA (Blue Bunny Ice Cream), but I expect the quality and vision of the kennel is likely the same.
Coppershot Griffons
Oscar's mother is Coppershot Jenta, and his father is Flat Brooks Walker. Oscar was from their second litter together. His prey drive is ridiculous and his nose never leaves the ground.
Any tips from the gallery on keeping these dogs from wanting to run sparrows, robins, and any other little bird that they see/smell at ground level? I've got him broke of crows and hawks for the most part, but he still goes nuts over the little ones.
It just comes with time and birds. It's a prey drive thing. I let my pups chase them all, it's part of the learning process. Remember the first year is for them, every year after that is for you. It's all about time in the field and all those little and big birds just reinforce he can't catch them. Curtailing drive at a young age can have catastrophic effects once you start the training process later.
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