What is a "Breed Standard?"
Each national parent
club creates a "blueprint" or written description for the
purpose, appearance, temperament, structure, and essence of what
differentiates one breed from another. This essence is known as "type,"
and this written description is known as a "breed standard."
The breed standards are the guidelines by which breeders and judges
measure the quality of the dog, and thereby strive to improve the breed
towards the ideal. The breed standard is an agreed upon standard of
excellence. You may enjoy comparing the AKC Griffon Standard to the French
Standard for Griffons in
French or English translation.
Official AKC Breed Standard
for Wirehaired Pointing Griffons
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 "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 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 height, 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 wooly. 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 oranges 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 meticulous hunting
companion.
Disqualifications
Nose any color than brown.
Black coat.
Approved October 8, 1991
Effective November 28, 1991
©1999 American Kennel Club
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