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A Short History

The Griffon (Wirehaired Pointing) as it is officially known to the Canadian Kennel Club is one of the sporting groups best kept secrets. The Griffon is known in Europe as the Griffon d’Arret ‘a Poil Dur Korthal. This wonderful fuzzy face owes its existence to Edward Karel Korthal (1850 - 1896) who in the 1870’s traveled throughout Holland, France & Germany looking for rough coated hunting dogs to form a breed type. It’s thought that he started with eight dogs that were brave, sharp, intelligent and tractable. Selecting dogs with a dense, harsh outer coat that would shed water and yet have a soft downy undercoat to keep them warm. In addition to a dog that would eagerly hunt all game and retrieve on land or water and yet be calm and intelligent enough to track wounded animals.

Korthal wanted a dog that had a deep desire to please. This trait makes the Griffon compatible to living in and with your family, but it is this trait that does not make this breed a good kennel dog, they must have human contact on a regular basis to thrive and reach their utmost potential. The breed began with Mouche, Janus, Hector, Satan, Junon and Banco that were born in Holland. Korthal, at 23 years of age moved to Germany as the manager of Prince de Solms-Brauntels’ large kennel where Donna and Vesta where added to his breeding program. The first standard was published in 1887 with the start of the Griffon Club in 1888. During this time the French hunters like Baron de Gingins became very interested in the Griffon and today is known primarily as a French breed. France registers between 1600 & 1700 Griffons yearly whereas all other countries including Canada and the US are registering less than 100 dogs yearly.

This versatile, medium sized dog is 55 to 60 cm with a 2 cm tolerance on the top of the scale and a 1 cm tolerance on the bottom for males, 50 to 55 cm (with the 1cm tolerances) for females in height. Height is measured from the highest point of the withers to the ground. The brown head may be with or without a white blaze, must have abundant eyebrows and moustache with brown to yellow eyes that have a soft intelligent trusting expression. Hard stiff coat, and a downy undercoat that can be brown or chestnut with gray or white, but never black. Griffons have smooth effortless movement that can cover all types of terrain without tiring. The tail is docked with a 1/3 to 1/4 of the tail being removed.

In Canada this dog is rarely seen at the dog shows, it will turn up in Alberta with some regularity in small numbers and once in a while in Quebec. Griffons are hunting dogs that love to do anything you ask of them, and yet maintain an air of intelligence and impish humor. They train easily with positive training techniques but are very late to mature.
 

History of the Breed in Canada

Griffons are found in every province in Canada at this time there are still less than 100 Griffons being registered on yearly basis. Owners of this breed are very passionate about it. And wish to keep it a versatile gun dog, with an happy outgoing personality.

With smaller bag limits in North America, and with so much of the land now posted, the Griffon with its close working pattern and never quit attitude is gaining in popularity. They are able to live quietly in the house and yet will work all day in the field. To me they exemplify the term Companion Dog for the average hunter.

I would like to thank Phillipe Roca for his help on this project. For further breed information please contact Shirley Flinn, 5105 50 Ave., Lacombe, AB (403) 782-2967 or fax (403) 782-6909 

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