German Wirehaired Pointer

Feed your German Wirehaired Pointer a high-quality, complete and balanced food matched to its life stage, whether puppy, adult, or senior. The guidelines on the food packaging, based on your dog's weight, are a good place to start, and your vet can fine-tune portions for your dog's health and activity level.

• Adults: two meals a day, at breakfast and dinner
• Puppies: three or four smaller meals a day on a regular schedule
• Treats: no more than 10% of daily calories

Keep clean, fresh water available at all times, and keep your GWP at a healthy weight by measuring meals and monitoring intake. Counting treats toward the daily total helps avoid creep.

A dog on a complete, balanced diet that meets recognized standards generally does not need supplements. Your vet may still recommend them based on your dog's individual needs, so always check with your vet before adding one. Learn which human foods are safe for dogs and which are not.

The harsh, wiry double coat needs little upkeep. A weekly going-over with a comb and soft slicker brush removes dirt and loose hair and keeps the coat in good shape. The breed sheds lightly and rarely needs a bath; when it does, use a shampoo made for wire-coated breeds to preserve the texture.

To keep the coat's characteristic wiry feel, strip it twice a year by pulling the hairs out at the root by hand rather than clipping. An unstripped coat loses its texture. You can learn to do this yourself, or a groomer who specializes in wire coats can handle it.

Inspect and clean the ears about once a month, or more often if your vet advises, using a veterinary-approved cleaner. Talk to your vet if you notice odor, debris, or scratching at the ears. Because GWPs spend so much time outdoors, keep up flea and tick prevention and check the skin for ticks, and contact your vet about any flakiness or redness.

Trim the nails regularly, since overly long nails cause discomfort and can split painfully. Brush the teeth often at home alongside professional dental cleanings, and have the eyes examined once a year, contacting your vet if you notice discharge, redness, cloudiness, or other vision changes.

German Wirehaired Pointers are high-energy dogs with greater exercise needs than many breeds. They need plenty of daily activity to stay happy, and they love being outdoors with their people. In the city or suburbs, give them a long daily walk and longer hikes on weekends.

Long walks, play sessions in an enclosed yard, hiking, and swimming all suit them well. Thanks to their hunting background, GWPs love to retrieve, so throwing a ball or frisbee burns energy and lets them use their natural abilities. Organized activities such as field trials, tracking, agility, rally, and obedience give that drive a productive outlet.

Mental work matters as much as physical exercise. A bored GWP will often bark or dig to occupy itself, so pair the activity with stimulation that keeps the mind busy.

This breed can get anxious when away from its people and should not be left alone for long stretches. Crate training from an early age can ease separation anxiety. The ideal home is full of people who love the outdoors and won't leave their dog on its own for long.

German Wirehaired Pointers are intelligent, responsive, and eager to please, which makes them generally easy to train. They can carry an independent streak and will sometimes work best for someone they like, so start early, stay consistent and firm, and use positive reinforcement. Giving the dog a job, even something as simple as fetching your slippers, plays to its strengths.

Early socialization and puppy classes help a GWP grow into a well-mannered, well-adjusted adult. Early socialization helps German Wirehaired Pointers grow into well-adjusted adults.

GWPs bond closely to their family and do well with children who have learned how to interact with dogs; always supervise time between dogs and kids. Their high prey drive, rooted in their hunting history, means they may not live well with cats or other small animals.

Because these dogs crave human company, undesirable behaviors can show up when they are regularly left alone for long periods. A close bond is the foundation of training with this breed.