Double Trouble With German Wirehaired Pointers

I currently have two German Wirehaired Pointers in residence with me. They are proving to be quite a handful. I always advise owners to research a breed before purchasing their puppy. In both these cases, the dogs have gone into domestic settings, not as working dogs. Primarily, the German Wirehaired Pointer is a hunting dog. They have high energy levels and as intelligent dogs, need to be kept occupied. Too passive a lifestyle and the dog will dominate the household with their strong-willed character.

The four year old GWP I have in residence arrived weighing 40kgs – in others words, very overweight. This doesn’t help with control issues. I have blogged about Otto’s aggression when he first came into my kennels. He is now making good progress and working well with his rehabilitation. However, the owners will need to continue with a very structured regime for him when he returns home.

The two year old GWP has only been with me for a couple of days. She is a complete princess and dominates the household to such a degree, the owners are scared to walk past her in the hallway or enter a room where she is guarding the door in case she attacks them. She becomes aggressive and bites at the slightest thing, as I have seen since she has been with me. During her first 48 hours, which I always use to the assess the dog, she has been reactive towards everything I have done. She resources guards and jumps at me when I put her lead on. She is a dangerous dog. Whatever progress I make with her here in kennels she will not imprint back at the house and so unusually, I believe the best place to work with her will be in her own home.

I keep in touch with all owners who have dogs residing with me but with these two, there has had to be ongoing conversations. The future of a dangerous, aggressive dog within a domestic environment needs careful thought. Remember, always research the breed thoroughly and choose a dog that is well suited to your lifestyle.

Posted: August 5, 2020