Korthals Griffon
🧠 Temperament & character
The Korthals Griffon is even-tempered, biddable and deeply bonded to his people. He works calmly and thoroughly, seeks the closeness of his handler and shows a pronounced willingness to please. In the house he is gentle, compatible and fond of children, in the field, by contrast, enduring and passionate. This mix of love of work and cosiness makes him a pleasant family and hunting dog.
📜 Origin & history
The breed goes back to the Dutchman Eduard Karel Korthals, who in the 1870s and 1880s wanted to create an ideal, weather-hardy pointing dog. He crossed various wire-haired hunting dog types and thereby laid the foundation for today's Griffon. Although Korthals ran his breeding programme above all in Germany and France, the FCI patronage of the breed lies with France. To this day the Korthals Griffon is valued as a versatile and easily handled working dog.
✂️ Grooming, care & training
The Korthals Griffon's rough, wiry coat is weatherproof and dirt-repellent; it needs regular brushing and occasional stripping, but sheds little. As a full working dog he needs plenty of daily exercise, combined with scent, retrieving or water work. His clever, cooperative head learns quickly and gladly, which is why varied tasks do him particular good. Thanks to his biddability, training usually succeeds without problems given calm consistency.
🩺 Health
The Korthals Griffon is considered a robust breed with a life expectancy of around 12 to 14 years. Hip dysplasia occurs occasionally, and as with many drop-eared dogs, regular ear checks are sensible. Responsible breeders X-ray the hips and select healthy, sound-tempered parent animals. Overall he is largely spared from serious hereditary diseases.
🏡 Who is this breed right for?
The Korthals Griffon suits active families and people looking for a versatile, affectionate companion with a hunting background. Thanks to his biddability and gentleness he is also an option for sporty, learning-ready first-time owners. He feels most at home with plenty of exercise and access to water - in Switzerland he is excellently suited to hiking, hunting and dog sport. For pure flat living without occupation he is not made.