THE WIREHAIRED POINTING GRIFFON
(The American Kennel Clubs Standard and Description)


General Appearance

Medium sized, with a noble,
square-shaped head, strong of limb,
bred to cover all terrain encountered by
the walking hunter. Movement showing
an easy catlike gracefulness. Excels
equally as a pointer in the field, or a
retriever in the water. Coat is hard and
coarse, never curly or woolly, with a
thick undercoat of fine hair, giving an
unkempt appearance. His easy
trainability, devotion to family, and friendly temperament endear him to all.
The nickname of "supreme gundog" is well earned.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size--22 to 24 inches for males, 20 to 22 inches for females. Correct size
is important. Oversize to be severely penalized. Proportion--Slightly
longer than tall, in a ratio of 10 to 9. Height from withers to ground; length
from point of shoulder to point of buttocks. The Griffon must not evolve
towards a square conformation. Substance medium, reflecting his work
as an all-terrain hunting dog.

Head

The head is to be in proportion to the overall dog. The skull is of medium
width with equal length from nose to stop and from stop to occiput. The
skull is slightly rounded on top, but from the side the muzzle and head
are square. The stop and occiput are only slightly pronounced. The
required abundant mustache and eyebrows contribute to the friendly
expression. The eyes are large and well open, more rounded than
elliptical. They have an alert, friendly, and intelligent expression. Eye
color ranges in all shades of yellow and brown. Haws should not show nor
should there be protruding eyes. The ears should be of medium size,
lying flat and close to the head, set high, at the height of the eye line.
Nose--Well open nostrils are essential. Nose color is always brown. Any
other color is a disqualification. Bite scissors. Overshot or undershot bite
is a serious fault.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck-- rather long, slightly arched, no dewlap. Topline-- The back is
strong and firm, descending in a gentle slope from the slightly higher
withers to the base of the tail. Body-Chest-- The chest must descend to
the level of the elbow, with a moderate spring of rib. The chest must
neither be too wide nor too narrow, but of medium width to allow freedom
of movement. The loin is strong and well developed, being of medium
length. The croup and rump are stoutly made with adequate length to
favor speed. The tail extends from the back in a continuation of the
topline. It may be carried straight or raised slightly. It is docked by
one-third to one-half length.

Forequarters

Shoulders are long, with good angulation, and well laid back. The
forelegs are straight and vertical from the front and set well under the
shoulder from the side. Pasterns are slightly sloping. Dewclaws should be
removed. Feet are round, firm, with tightly closed webbed toes. Pads are
thick.

Hindquarters

The thighs are long and well muscled. Angulation in balance with the
front. The legs are vertical with the hocks turning neither in nor out. The
stifle and hock joints are strong and well angulated. Feet as in front.

Coat

The coat is one of the distinguishing features of the breed. It is a double
coat. The outer coat is medium length, straight and wiry, never curly or
woolly. The harsh texture provides protection in rough cover. The
obligatory undercoat consists of a fine, thick down, which provides
insulation as well as water resistance. The undercoat is more or less
abundant, depending upon the season, climate, and hormone cycle of the
dog. It is usually lighter in color. The head is furnished with a prominent
mustache and eyebrows. These required features are extensions of the
undercoat, which gives the Griffon a somewhat untidy appearance. The
hair covering the ears is fairly short and soft, mixed with longer harsh hair
from the coat. The overall feel is much less wiry than the body. The legs,
both front and rear, are covered with denser, shorter, and less coarse hair.
The coat on the tail is the same as the body; any type of plume is
prohibited. The breed should be exhibited in full body coat, not stripped
short in pattern. Trimming and stripping are only allowed around the ears,
top of head, cheeks and feet.

Color

Preferably steel gray with brown markings, frequently chestnut brown, or
roan, white and brown; white and orange also acceptable. A uniformly
brown coat, all white coat, or white and orange are less desirable. A black
coat disqualifies.

Gait

Although close working, the Griffon should cover ground in an efficient,
tireless manner. He is a medium-speed dog with perfect coordination
between front and rear legs. At a trot, both front and rear legs tend to
converge toward the center line of gravity. He shows good extension both
front and rear. Viewed from the side, the topline is firm and parallel to the
line of motion. A smooth, powerful ground-covering ability can be seen.

Temperament

The Griffon has a quick and intelligent mind and is easily trained. He is
outgoing, shows a tremendous willingness to please and is trustworthy.
He makes an excellent family dog as well as a meticulous hunting
companion.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Nose any color other than brown.
Black coat.

Approved October 8, 1991
Effective November 28, 1991



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