Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon

The Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon is a hunting dog, a medium-sized wire-haired pointer, a man’s versatile helper and also an easily manageable and friendly breed. Its original homeland since the 14^th century has been Bohemia. It is probably the oldest breed of wire-haired pointers in Europe. Apart from written records, pictures in which the Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon is depicted have also been preserved – one from 1520, from the Vyšší Brod monastery, depicting a typical example of the breed, which matches the current standard, the other in Aleš’s gallery in Hluboká nad Vltavou, from 1700, depicting still life with the Bohemian dog.

In the late 19^th century, the population of the Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon started to decrease, which motivated its breeders and lovers in 1896 to found in Písek the Society for Wire-Haired Pointers – Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon for the Kingdom of Bohemia, which is probably the oldest Czech cynological society. In the following years, the Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon was endangered several more times, and its critical status lasted until the foundation of another society of breeders in 1924, this time under the name Society for Wire-Haired Pointers – Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon. The breed was saved in spite of the difficulties and in 1964 it was recognised by the International Cynological Organisation FCI as a Czech national breed.

The Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon is a middle-sized dog, strong and versatile. Apart from being kept as a pet, it is best suitable for hunting. At a signal, it usually starts chasing whatever is moving and is capable of working in difficult conditions. It exists in two colours: dark roan with or without brown patches, or brown with markings on forechest and lower part of the limbs or without them. It is around 60 centimetres tall at withers.

The Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon is beloved by hunters not only in the Czech Republic, but also in many other European countries and elsewhere in the world, e.g. in Canada and in the USA. That contributes to the global development of this national breed, which is what the Bohemian Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon certainly deserves, because thanks to its long history in the Czech lands, it can be regarded as cultural heritage.