Korthals Griffon

Developed by, and taking their name from the Dutchman Eduard Karel Korthals, the Korthals Griffon is a rough-haired multi-purpose Hunt/Point/Retrieve breed (HPR) designed to fulfil multiple roles in the hunting field. At the time, hunters were not particularly concerned with the appearance of the dog, as long as their conformation was sound and the dog could easily be seen in cover – they were far more concerned with working ability. Korthal’s goal was a rough coated working dog that bred true – in other words, puppies could be expected to resemble their parents – and worked well on all types of terrain, all game and all-weather conditions, a tall order indeed!

Korthals created his breed from the existing pointing dogs from France, Belgium and Germany, and almost certainly culled (removed from his breeding programme) anything that did not make the grade. In a short time, he produced a stable type that worked well, and at the invitation of Prince Albrecht zu Solms-Braunfels, he was invited to take over the training of the Prince’s Pointers. He took five young Griffons with him and continued his breeding program, started the first Stud Book in 1872 and eventually from around 600 pups, registered 62 in the Stud Book.

Korthals died at the early age of 45, but his work was continued by his friends in Germany, Holland, France and Belgium. The dogs proved popular for working on pheasant, grouse, woodcock and snipe but also for tracking boar and other large, wounded game such as deer.

It is likely that Korthals Griffons were first shown at Crufts in 1892, certainly ‘Griffons’ are mentioned in the schedule, but they were also shown 4 years earlier at Barn Elms in 1888.

Very few Korthals Griffons exist in the UK today, with the first four reintroduced in 2001/2002, and the breed is on the Import Register where they will remain until they are seen in the show ring in larger numbers. Most of the Korthals Griffons in the UK are working dogs as well as pets, as the breed retains an excellent working ability and strong desire to hunt.

Ideal for those who want a more unusual gundog, and who already have gundog experience, the Korthals Griffon is an attractive multi-purpose choice. Korthals Griffon owners need to be willing to put in time and lots of patience as this is a slow maturing and sensitive breed whose training cannot be rushed. You’ll need a strong interest in gundog activities, lots of time and some experience in positive reinforcement-based gundog training.

Bred to work hard for long hours, two hours or more per day of physical exercise, walking, running, swimming, across a variety of routes and terrains will be required. This is a robust and energetic breed, designed to cope with any kind of ground and any sort of weather, so not suited to the fair-weather walker who hates the rain and mud! Best suited to those who want to take part in gundog activities at some level, although their energies can be put to other sports if required, but whatever job they do, they must have a job!

The Korthals Griffon won’t take up a huge amount of space, a medium sized home with a reasonably sized, securely fenced garden will suffice. They do like to walk in all weathers, aren’t shy of mud and love a swim, so space to groom a dog frequently and dry off a muddy wet animal is vital. Better suited to the rural or semi-rural home, as they need access to lots of open space to run, hunt, swim and explore.

Large breed dogs, as well as having large appetites, benefit from a different balance of nutrients including minerals and vitamins compared to smaller-breed dogs.

A daily brush, paying attention to heavily feathered areas that can collect debris, particularly the legs and beard/moustache area. They will benefit from being stripped out annually, and groomed more intensively a few times a year. Check paws and ears for debris particularly grass seeds, after each walk.

Intelligent and eager to please if the owner has worked hard at motivation and cultivating a strong relationship with their dog, the Korthals Griffon really wants to work. Positive reinforcement will work very well, whereas harsh, aversive handling will result in a loss of relationship, distrust and eventually a total refusal to work. They are very slow to mature for a dog of their size, taking 4 years to reach true adulthood, so care must be taken not to overwhelm or expect too much before they are ready. Socialise well at an early age, and work on good manners around people and livestock in a consistent and thorough way, as they remain puppy-like and boisterous for some time.

A dog for those who love gundog work, love long muddy walks in the rain and wind, and aren’t shy of a bit of mud and slobber. Better suited to the rural family with older children, where someone is home most of the day, and dog sports/activities are the family hobby. Not ideal with very small children due to the length of time this breed takes to mature.

While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.