Home / Breeds / Compare / Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Ariège Pointer
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a medium sized gundog breed from Netherlands, Germany, France, developed to work with hunters in the field, finding, flushing and retrieving game. France produced the Ariège Pointer, a medium sized pointing gundog bred to quarter open ground at speed, find game birds by scent and point them rock steady. This page compares the two on the numbers that actually differ: size, exercise, grooming, what each costs to keep, and the health tests a breeder should show you.
The biggest gap is daily exercise: the Ariège Pointer plan runs to about 90 minutes a day at the middle of its range, against 75 minutes for the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.
The next biggest gap is shedding: the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is rated 4 of 5 against 3 of 5 for the Ariège Pointer.
The third gap worth noting is size: the middle of the Ariège Pointer weight range is about 57.5 lb against 52.5 lb for the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.
| Wirehaired Pointing Griffon | Ariège Pointer | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Sporting | Sporting |
| Origin | Netherlands, Germany, France | France |
| Height | 20 to 24 in | 21 to 26 in |
| Weight | 35 to 70 lb | 50 to 65 lb |
| Lifespan | 12 to 15 years | 12 to 14 years |
| Coat | Dense, wiry double coat. Undercoat is thick and provides insulation. | Short, smooth coat lying close over a pointing dog frame, fine in texture and dense enough for days in the field in southern France. It sheds lightly, and a weekly brush is all the grooming this wash and wear coat asks for. |
| Temperament | Active, friendly, willing and people focused | Driven, intelligent, steady and companionable |
| Energy | 5 of 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Trainability | 4 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Grooming needs | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Shedding | 4 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Barking | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| With children | Good with children | Good with children |
| With other dogs | Good with dogs | Usually good with dogs |
| With strangers | Friendly with strangers | Friendly with strangers |
| Apartment fit | Not ideal | Not ideal |
| Daily exercise | 60 to 90 min | 60 to 120 min |
| Food per month (model) | $34 (3.2 cups a day) | $37 (3.4 cups a day) |
| Insurance per month (model) | $35 to $63 | $36 to $65 |
| Monthly total (model) | $69 to $97 | $73 to $102 |
| Yearly total (model) | $825 to $1,161 | $872 to $1,220 |
| Lifetime total (model) | $9,901 to $17,416 | $10,460 to $17,075 |
| Breeder health tests | 3 recommended tests | Panel not published yet |
| Health watch | Hip screening is the mainstay, and the Korthals griffon world keeps close records. Generally a hardy, weatherproof hunting breed. Ask to see health test results for both parents before you commit to a puppy; a good breeder will offer them before you ask. | Hip and elbow scoring and annual eye checks are the backbone of gundog health testing, and most gundog breeds also have DNA tests for the conditions found in their lines. Ask the breeder for the full panel, not just a vet checked claim. |
The two are level on the first-time-owner score, so daily temperament and the sections below decide this one.
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon: matches the Ariège Pointer on the apartment rating ("Not ideal") and edges ahead on the tie-breaks: barking, then daily exercise, then size.
The two are listed the same way for children and tie on the tie-breaks, so supervision matters more than the breed label here.
Ariège Pointer: sheds less, at 3 of 5 for shedding against 4 of 5 for the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Loose hair in the home is what shedding measures, and only loosely; no breed is allergen-free.
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon: runs about $5 a month under the Ariège Pointer on modeled food plus insurance ($83 against $88 at the midpoints).
How the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and Ariège Pointer verdicts are scored: the first-time-owner verdict uses 2 x trainability + (6 - energy) + (6 - grooming) + (6 - barking). Apartment living ranks the apartment rating first, then barking, exercise and weight. The children verdict ranks the children rating, then trainability and stranger friendliness. Allergy ranks lowest shedding first, then grooming. Budget ranks the lowest monthly modeled total. Where the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and the Ariège Pointer finish level, the verdict is declared a tie.
Month to month, the modeled figures put the Ariège Pointer ahead on cost: about $88 a month at the midpoint of food plus insurance, against $83 for the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Run over the lifespan ranges, the model puts the Ariège Pointer at $10,460 to $17,075 and the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon at $9,901 to $17,416. All of these are planning estimates, not quotes.
The Ariège Pointer needs more: 60 to 120 minutes a day, against 60 to 90 minutes for the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Energy ratings are level at 5 of 5, so the difference sits in the planned minutes rather than in drive.
The Ariège Pointer sheds less, rated 3 of 5 for shedding against 4 of 5 for the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Coat notes for the Ariège Pointer: Short, smooth coat lying close over a pointing dog frame, fine in texture and dense enough for days in the field in southern France. It sheds lightly, and a weekly brush is all the grooming this wash and wear coat asks for.
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, on the published ratings: "Not ideal" for apartment life against "Not ideal" for the Ariège Pointer, barking rated 3 of 5 against 3 of 5, and a daily exercise plan of 60 to 90 minutes against 60 to 120 minutes.
Choosing between more than two? Open the comparison tool and put up to four breeds side by side, or read all written breed comparisons.
Breed facts for the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and the Ariège Pointer follow the standards and club guidance summarized on each breed profile. Cost figures are modeled estimates for planning, labeled with their basis, and are not quotes or veterinary advice. The health test panels follow the recommendations published by the breed clubs and CHIC, as set out on each breed's health testing page.