Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Swedish Vallhund - Breed Comparison

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Swedish Vallhund - Breed ComparisonSwedish Vallhund is originated from Sweden but Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is originated from France. Swedish Vallhund may grow 26 cm / 10 inches shorter than Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Swedish Vallhund may weigh 13 kg / 28 pounds lesser than Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Swedish Vallhund may live 3 years more than Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Both Swedish Vallhund and Wirehaired Pointing Griffon has almost same litter size. Both Swedish Vallhund and Wirehaired Pointing Griffon requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Sporting dog
undefined
Sweden
France
Height Male:
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
Height Female:
30 - 34 cm
11 - 14 inches
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
23 - 27 kg
50 - 60 pounds
Weight Female:
9 - 14 kg
19 - 31 pounds
23 - 27 kg
50 - 60 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 10
6 - 9
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Västgötaspets, Swedish cow dog
Korthals Griffon
Colors Available:
Cream, grey, brown
steel gray with brown markings., White and brown, white and orange
Coat:
Medium length, thick
Medium length, wiry
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

swedish vallhundKnown also as the Västgötaspets or Swedish cow dog, the Valhund hails from Sweden. It’s a herding dog, and was always a farm dog in that country.

It was in 1943 that the dog was first recognized as a breed by the Swedish Kennel Club. Only later, in 1996, did the American Kennel Club start registering the breed.

wirehaired pointing griffonKnown also as the Korthals Griffon, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a hunting- and gundog. It was Eduard Karel Korthals who is thought to have brought about this dog breed around 1873.

He was a Dutchman living in France. It is believed that quite a few dog breeds were used to bring about this dog such as the Otterhound, Spniels, Setters and possibly a Pointer. The dog is known as a supreme gundog and it is a very popular dog breed.

Edward Korthals of Holland was looking for an ideal gun dog. It was in 1888 that the first Griffon Club was formed. It was only in 1916 that this dog was officially recognized as the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon in the United States.

It is also recognized by the FCI or Federation Cynologique Internationale.

Description

swedish vallhund puppy - descriptionLooking much like a cross between a Corgi and the German Shepherd, the Swedish Valhund is a medium sized dog that stands between 30 and 34cm in height and weighs between 9 and 14kg.

His medium length weather-resistant coat is available in wolf like shades – cream, grey, brown etc. The tail can be long or bobbed and the medium sized ears are held erect.

Temperament:

Intelligent, confident, independent, alert, playful and active, your Swedish Valhund promises to make a good family pet.

You'll need to be an active, outdoor type of family though, as he isn’t a couch potato type of dog, snoozing in front of the TV.

He wants to be up and about going on long walks or playing ball games that give him a good run. If he gets his fair share of exercise he can adapt to life in the city or the countryside.

He is intelligent too and will respond well to training and socialization.

He just loves his human family and wants to be constantly with them. He won’t do well if you just keep him locked outside away from everyone. He is social, alert innovative and entertaining as well as being a good guard dog.

wirehaired pointing griffon puppy - descriptionThe Wirehaired Pointing Griffon or Korthals Griffon is a medium-to-large sized dog standing at between 50 and 60cm both male and female and weighing between 23and 27kg.

He has a wiry, somewhat harsh curly outer coat and a softer undercoat. The head is quite large. He has thick eyebrows and a beard. The eyes are brown with yellow irises.

This is a low-shedding dog. There are a few colors such as white and brown, white and orange but the coat is also steel gray with brown markings.

Temperament:

These dogs are intelligent and independent with a desire to please their owners. He is able to learn tricks and commands easily. They love their human families and want to be around them all the time.

It would be devastating for such a dog to find himself stuck in the backyard with no human contact. He is also not suited to cramped living conditions in the city but is essentially a country dog, especially since he has boundless energy.

As a family pet, he is playful, friendly, loyal, loving and gentle, behaving well with children and other pets. They’re not aggressive dogs but they make excellent watchdogs, barking if someone comes into their property.

Characteristics

swedish vallhund dog - characteristicsYour Swedish Valhund is such a confident, independent dog and he promises to be a loving, faithful pet. He's also alert and will let you know if strangers are approaching his property.

He is a calm, easy going pet and is capable of adapting to quiet or noisy homes. He may be quite a strange looking dog, but he's got a whole lot of loving to give.

wirehaired pointing griffon dog - characteristicsThe Wirehaired Pointing Griffon has always been a great hunting dog and he doubles as an excellent pet and companion as well.

This dog is extremely loyal to his human family and is friendly, intelligent, loving and affectionate, getting on well with children as well as other pets in the home.

He can reach 14 years of age and doesn’t often get sick, making him an all-round great pet and companion.

Health Problems

swedish vallhund puppies - health problemsCapable of living a long, healthy life, the Swedish Valhund isn’t likely to fall victim to some of the many dog illnesses there are, and yet it is wise to be alert to some of them that he could get.

One of these is an hereditary eye disease known as retinopathy. Its where there is degeneration of the retinal photoreceptor cells. This eye disease can lead to blindness.  

You need to be careful with this pet of yours, because with his long back and short legs he can so easily hurt his back if he leaps off a bed or high chair.

Whenever you pick this dog up, always support his legs and back. Don’t pick them up without supporting both the front legs and the rear end.

wirehaired pointing griffon puppies - health problemsTo avoid ear problems, a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon's ears should be kept clean and dry. If you do detect redness inside the ear, it could mean he has an infection that will need to be treated.

Caring The Pet

swedish vallhund dogs - caringTry and feed your Swedish Valhund two meals a day instead of just one, so that he doesn’t gobble down his food too quickly.

Your dog can be prone to obesity, so you have to be careful with the way you feed him. Overfeeding a dog packs on extra weight and this puts strain on the joints.

Apart from the dry kibble that you feed him, try to include some tasty, nutritious homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach.

This can all be chopped up and added to his dry kibble. Some raw meat added to the diet can only be to his benefit. Remember to always ensure a bowl of fresh, cool water is available.

General Care:

Give his thick coat a brush twice a week to remove dead hair. Brushing also stimulates the sebaceous glands that produces oil which gives the coat is sheen.

Open his mouth and check for rotting teeth which can be painful for him.

Trim his nails because left long, they can hook onto things and rip the skin open.

Check inside the ears too for redness which could mean an ear infection.You get dog wipes that you can wipe the ear out with. There are always professional dog groomers who can do these chores for you if you don't want to.

See that his vaccines are up to date and that if he shows signs of illness, you get him to the vet.

Exercise:

wirehaired pointing griffon dogs - caringThis dog loves his exercise, and if you live in the country so much the better. He will love to go hiking and swimming with you or running next to you as you go cycling. He also loves all kinds of rope- and ball games in the garden. It’s why this active dog isn’t ideal for life in the city.

Always have the telephone number of a good vet in your phone.

Spay or neuter your pet if you don’t want unwanted puppies. Don't do it too early. Speak to your vet about the procedure and about the health benefits that come from spaying and neutering a dog.

Diet:

These are active dogs and they will require top quality food if they’re to remain healthy and active.

Always check the packaging to see what ingredients are present in your dog’s food. Some of the cheaper, more inferior brands can actually be harmful to your pet with their useless ingredients devoid of vitamins and minerals.

Some home-made food is good and this needs to be plain and free from spicy additives. Dogs have sensitive stomachs and anything unusual can cause them digestive problems.

Make sure your dog’s vaccines are up to date.

Provide your pet with a quiet, warm, dry sleeping place to call his own.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Swedish Vallhund vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Swedish Vallhund vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Swedish Vallhund vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Swedish Vallhund vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Swedish Vallhund vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Swedish Vallhund vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Swedish Vallhund vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Swedish Vallhund vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Swedish Vallhund vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Swedish Vallhund vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Swedish Vallhund vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Swedish Vallhund vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Swedish Vallhund vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Swedish Vallhund vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Swedish Vallhund vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Swedish Vallhund vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Swedish Vallhund vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Swedish Vallhund vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Swedish Vallhund vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Swedish Vallhund vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Swedish Vallhund vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Swedish Vallhund vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Swedish Vallhund vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Swedish Vallhund vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Swedish Vallhund vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison