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Animal register · DogIn the app

German Wirehaired Pointer

Deutsch Drahthaar, GWP

The German Wirehaired Pointer comes from Germany; the FCI lists it as the Deutsch Drahthaar among the continental pointing dogs. The Royal Kennel Club standard describes a medium-sized hunting dog with wire hair completely covering the skin — gentle, affectionate and even tempered, alert, biddable and very loyal. Dogs stand 60–67 cm and weigh 25–34 kg; bitches stand 56–62 cm and weigh 20.5–29 kg. Liver and white, solid liver and black and white are the standard colours.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends more than two hours of exercise a day, says it suits a large house with a large garden in the country, needs grooming more than once a week and sheds. PetMD says GWPs need lots of exercise and mental stimulation, form a close bond with their family and can make great family dogs when trained and socialised early, do well with children who have been taught how to behave with animals, should never be left alone for long periods, and have a high prey drive. The coat is hand-stripped twice a year.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

German Wirehaired Pointer — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
large — The Royal Kennel Club S521
Adult weight
males 25–34 kg, females 20.5–29 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S522
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S521
Brushing
more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S521
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S521
Lifespan
more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S521

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS188S521
  • needs mental challengesS524
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS524
  • shedsS521
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS524

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S521

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S521
  • Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S521
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S521

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S521

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 15–18 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S521
  • Height at the withers: males 60–67 cm, females 56–62 cm — The Royal Kennel Club S522
  • Adult weight: males 25–34 kg, females 20.5–29 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S522

Training

  • No. 44 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 98, group 7 (pointing dogs); origin: Germany. — FCI S519

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a German Wirehaired Pointer need?

According to our sources, the German Wirehaired Pointer needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S521.

How long does a German Wirehaired Pointer live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the German Wirehaired Pointer is: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S521.

How big does a German Wirehaired Pointer get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the German Wirehaired Pointer, according to our sources: Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S521; Adult weight: males 25–34 kg, females 20.5–29 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S522.

How much grooming does a German Wirehaired Pointer need?

Coat and grooming of the German Wirehaired Pointer, according to our sources: Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S521; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S521; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S521.

Who is the German Wirehaired Pointer a good fit for?

Our sources describe the German Wirehaired Pointer as a good fit for: an active family — PDSA, The Royal Kennel Club S188S521; family life — PetMD S524; families with children — PetMD S524; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S521. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — PDSA, The Royal Kennel Club S188S521; needs mental challenges — PetMD S524; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PetMD S524; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S521; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PetMD S524.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 90 (7.5 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing twice a week.
  • Care: checking and cleaning the ears every 4 weeks — a task for the child.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S188S521S524

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S188
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S188
  • Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited problem with blood clotting that can cause excessive bleeding, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S188
  • Cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart caused by a weakening of the heart muscle, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S188
  • Skin allergies (atopy), which cause itching and sore skin, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S188
  • Eyelids that turn inwards (entropion) and cherry eye, where the third eyelid pops out, can occur in the breed; cherry eye can be corrected surgically. — PDSA S188
  • An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which can affect weight, skin and energy levels, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S188

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Further tests for best practice

  • DNA test for von Willebrand disease type 2 (vWD2), an inherited bleeding disorder — The Royal Kennel Club S521
  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S521
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S521
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S521

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S188PDSA — German Pointer (shorthaired and wirehaired)https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/german-pointer
  11. S519FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — DEUTSCH DRAHTHAAR (98)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/DEUTSCH-DRAHTHAAR-98.html
  12. S521The Royal Kennel Club — Breeds A to Z — German Wirehaired Pointerhttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/gundog/german-wirehaired-pointer/
  13. S522The Royal Kennel Club — Breed standard — German Wirehaired Pointer (last updated 1 April 2025)https://www.royalkennelclub.com/breed-standards/gundog/german-wirehaired-pointer/
  14. S524PetMD — Zack Newman, reviewed by Barri J. Morrison, DVM (updated Oct. 20, 2023) — German Wirehaired Pointerhttps://petmd.com/dog/breeds/german-wirehaired-pointer
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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