Why a Griffon

http://www.gundogmag.com/2011/02/07/gundog_breeds_gd_dutch_0707/

I found a few things I really liked from this article.

Rare Breed
The WPG is a relatively rare breed among sporting dogs. Only 410 were registered with the AKC in 2005 and while this is up about 40 registrations from the previous year, finding a WPG pup is not an easy task. Even with the “population increase” last year, a total of only 88 litters were registered in the entire country in 2005.

Buddy (VC Ch. Alibi’s Montana Gold MH), Pat Loomis’ WPG, winds a bird and hits a point.

This is definitely a walking hunter’s breed, a fact that endears it to Hank Brandes. “A griff makes an ideal gun dog for those of us in the ‘senior set.’ I’m just shy of 72 and my griffs have slowed down for me so I can still keep up and hunt with them,” Brandes notes. “I started hunting behind griffs that were owned by my brother and his friends in Iowa some 25-plus years ago,” Brandes continues.

“They also had German shorthairs and my brother had an English setter. One problem I noted with these dogs was that while they worked hard, fast and furious, they burned themselves out in about two to three hours, whereas the griffs, being slower and more methodical in their work, worked all day and were ready to go the next day and the day after that and the day after that.

“Furthermore, they were pointing just as many birds as the fast workers. They’re also very biddable and do not require a lot of training other than putting birds in front of them if your interest is limited to simply going out and getting pheasants.”

Hunting With A WPG
The breed has a great deal to recommend it as a hunting dog, Loomis says. “They are a close-working dog, which makes them ideal for the walking hunter. They are thorough and great at picking up singles. They will go through the thickest brush to retrieve a bird and they will sit in the blind with you quietly until their whiskers are frozen waiting for the ducks to come.

Ch. Oak du Mas du Jonquier, owned by Philippe Roca, holds a perfect score (112 points) in NAVHDA Natural Ability and a NAVHDA Utility Prize II.

They love to retrieve from the water and their double coat allows them to withstand cold water. You can hunt ducks in the morning and woodcock in the afternoon with them. If you shoot it, they’ll bring it back.”

Jon Pease noted that he has hunted in many different states for a variety of game with his griffons and they have been effective wherever and whatever he is hunting. “I use my dogs for all types of game. We regularly hunt ducks and we travel to hunt quail, pheasant, chukar and grouse. I’ve hunted the highlands of Idaho, the forests of Wisconsin, the open fields of the upper Midwest and the flooded timber and rice fields of the Delta.

“The griff is definitely a great dog for walking hunters because they will hunt close all day long with their effortless gait. They work ground methodically and efficiently and they will often find game that the faster pointers and setters have blown by. But this is a breed that really has to have a job, as they are easily bored.”

Training A WPG
If your desire is for something more, however, the training can be a bit more complicated.

Like her namesake, Jon Pease’s WPG, Ch. Alibi’s Pin Up Girl Greta Garbo JH NA1 (“Greta”) has a memorable face indeed.

“The WPG is not the easiest dog to train to the highest levels,” says Philippe Roca, who currently serves as vice president of the American Wirehaired Pointing
Griffon Association. “When you run into folks who tell you that the breed is easy to train, you should ask how many they have trained to the UT1 or the Master Hunter level. Griffons are difficult to train to these levels because they are too smart and too soft, particularly if you have not done the right things with them.

“They have tons of natural ability and they always figure a way out,” continues Roca. “I have trained several breeds besides griffons and griffons require a totally different approach. The average pro trainer does not want to mess with them, and as a result there are only a couple in the country who are having good results with them in competitive events. “The problem is the time factor,” Roca continues. “You simply cannot rush a griffon.

They do things on their own schedule…maybe. But when you get a good one, you need nothing but a gun and some shells. Of course, you also need to be a respectable wingshooter because they won’t hesitate to give you dirty looks if you miss.”

Griffon puppies are lively and possess plenty of hunting and retrieving instinct.

“They learn very quickly, which means that repeating something once or twice is okay but by the third time, they are thinking they have done something wrong and they start messing up,” says Chuck.

“The solution to this is to go on to something else and then come back to what you were originally doing,” Chuck continues. “Then they will do it correctly again. When the hunting seasons are closed, we train our dogs for tracking, agility and obedience. It helps keep them from getting bored as well as keeping them in shape physically.”

“You need to be able to laugh at yourself and the dog to successfully train a griffon. They are a happy breed that loves to have fun but they do need discipline. They see everything that’s going on and notice anything that is different.
“Usually a verbal scolding is enough to crumple any griffon and they take corrections quite well if they know why they’re being corrected. They adore their families and will do anything to please the members of their family. However, this love for their family means that griffons need to be around people, which is why they don’t do very well in a kennel situation.”