Griffondor (Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Labrador Mix): Pictures, Temperament & Traits

With a name that sounds straight out of a Harry Potter book, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffondor is indeed a magical mix of two of the canine kingdom’s most wondrous family dogs. The Griffondor merges the versatile Wirehaired Pointing Griffon with the people-pleasing Labrador Retriever.

Though hardly the first cross anyone considers when thinking of designer dogs, Griffondors provide a near-faultless combination of smarts, friendliness, affection, and biddability. Let’s explore the Griffondor dog’s temperament and traits to show how they could be the perfect companion for nearly any owner.

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffondor’s parents may come from opposite sides of the Atlantic, but the two have similar working backgrounds. Labs and Griffons combine to make this one of the most trainable, people-pleasing, and even-tempered hybrids you can find.

The Labrador Retriever originated in the 19th century in Newfoundland, where they were fisherman’s aides. The dogs were exceptional swimmers, with short waterproof coats that made them ideal for retrieving fish and hauling nets. Their retrieving skills and trainability soon made them preferred hunting dogs. Eventually, their marvelous temperament helped them become known as quintessential family pets and service animals.

While the Lab is the most popular member of the sporting group, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon might be the most capable. Eduard Korthals originated the breed in the late 1800s. Mixing traits from Spaniels, Pointers, Setters, and Otterhounds, Korthals tried to breed the ultimate gundog. The bright, all-purpose Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a testament to his success. With strategy and discipline, the hardy hunters excel at pointing, tracking, and retrieving over rough terrain and in water.

Griffondor Characteristics

Griffondor Puppies

Though energetic as adults, Wirehaired Pointing Griffondors are an even more exuberant bunch as they mature over the first 1–2 years. Puppies need frequent exercise and a high-quality, high-calorie diet to ensure their proper development while burning energy.

Training and socializing are no less critical with Griffondors than any other breed. But it’s typically much more straightforward. Griffondors are joyous, affectionate, and yearning to make their family happy, making training a delightful experience.

Although Wirehaired Pointing Griffons aren’t the most popular dogs, we can’t say the same about the Lab. As a result, the Griffondor is a relatively common mix you might find in a shelter. Searching for “Wirehaired Pointing Griffon mix” online will yield national results, often including Lab mixes. A few websites to look at when adopting a Griffondor dog include:

Adopting a pet from online sources often comes with extra risk and work. Reaching out to a local shelter is typically the best starting point when looking for any mixed breed. You can also try the AWPGA Rescue application, though their system isn’t ideal for looking for a specific Griffon mix like the Griffondor.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Griffondor 🧠

Griffondors bring together two intelligent and even-tempered dogs. You can feel confident putting them in the home around kids or out in public around strangers. They willingly accept new faces and never fail to follow your lead. Although the Labrador Retriever side may make them prone to separation anxiety, Griffondors are adaptable and easy to guide with consistent effort.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

Families will benefit immensely from bringing a Wirehaired Pointing Griffondor into the home. Although you may have to train out some mouthiness when they’re puppies, they are gentle, kind, and playful with children. They’re affectionate with the whole family and will gladly yield to your authority.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?

Wirehaired Pointing Griffondors are generally friendly to other pets. Labrador Retrievers get along well with almost any person or animal, and Wirehaired Pointing Griffons often do well with other dogs.

Although they can live with cats, Griffons may also have an overwhelming prey drive that urges them to chase. Smaller pets like rats and hamsters may be even more at risk. If well-socialized and paired with pets at an early age, Griffondors can get along wonderfully with other animals in the home.

Things to Know When Owning a Griffondor

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Wirehaired Pointing Griffondors need a high-quality diet to develop their athletic bodies and fuel them through their activity-filled day. They should enjoy a protein-rich, nutritionally balanced food with natural ingredients suited to their life stage.

Puppies should enjoy high-calorie puppy food three to four times daily for the first 6–12 months. When transitioning to adult food, meal times should occur twice daily, each consisting of 1 to 1.5 cups of dry food.

Exercise 🐕

Wirehaired Pointing Griffondors inherit a highly active personality from both parents. They’re not the best apartment dogs, as they prefer wide open spaces to run and play. Aim for 60–90 minutes of daily exercise, splitting it among walks, games of fetch, agility or obedience training, and other mentally and physically exhausting activities.

Swimming is an excellent outlet, as both Labs and Griffons have a history of water-retrieving. Allowing a Griffondor to burn energy is critical in preventing boredom and destructive behavior around the house.

Training 🎾

The Griffondor’s parents are famously easy to train, making their mixed offspring an equally quick study when teaching obedience. Griffondors are determined, intelligent, and committed to pleasing their owner. Early socializing and training are a relatively smooth process when you use consistency and positive reinforcement.

Crate training, environment enrichment, and establishing a routine will be helpful alongside obedience training. Labrador Retrievers are often among the breeds many consider the most prone to separation anxiety, a trait they can pass to the people-loving Griffondor. With a safe space and numerous activities to reduce stress, they’ll more easily adjust to time away from you.

Grooming ✂️

Wirehaired Pointing Griffondors can inherit the Labrador Retriever’s short double coat, the Griffon’s wiry double coat, or a mix of both. They’re heavy shedders if they have more of the Lab influence and need weekly brushing to remove fur and keep longer hair untangled and healthy. The folded ears often have longer hair, requiring more cleaning and trimming to prevent infections and discomfort.

As a relatively clean breed, Griffondors only need the occasional bath once every couple of months or as needed if they get particularly dirty playing outside. Otherwise, the typical teeth brushing and monthly nail trimmings will keep your dog looking and feeling their best.

Health and Conditions ❤️

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffondor is not a typical designer dog. Unlike dogs from reputable breeders, an adopted Wirehaired Pointing Griffondor often comes without a clear health report. Testing for concerns like genetic traits, personality, and heritable diseases isn’t likely. Although you get the supposed hybrid vigor with the broader genetic pools going into the crossbreed, there’s a higher chance of medical issues down the line.

Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia are common in Wirehaired Pointing Griffons and Labrador Retrievers. Breeders typically screen their dogs for these genetic traits to reduce the possibility of purebreds having problems. However, with unknown parentage, an adopted Griffondor could suffer severe joint deterioration, causing mobility issues, pain, and a lower quality of life. Though less likely, many issues unique to either breed can also appear in their mixed offspring.

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Male vs Female

Male and female Wirehaired Pointing Griffondors have similar warm, outgoing temperaments and high energy levels. Many find males to be the more rambunctious yet docile gender. Males can be substantially larger than females, generally weighing 10–20 pounds more and standing 2–4 inches taller.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Griffondor

1. The Wirehaired Pointing Griffondor is a Genetic Marvel

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon’s existence may not have been possible without Gregor Mendel’s genetics research during the mid-1800s. Shortly after Mendel demonstrated inherited genetics through his famous pea plant experiments, Eduard Korthals put those principles to work to create the “supreme gundog.” We could view the Wirehaired Pointing Griffondor mix as yet another step in Korthals’s work.

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2. Wirehaired Pointing Griffondors Have a Knack for Numerous Activities

An intelligent and biddable dog like the Griffondor can learn almost anything. But with the versatile working background of their parent breeds, they’re born with a natural aptitude for numerous sports and competitive activities.

Agility, obedience, hiking, and swimming exercise their hunting instincts, offering familiar and enjoyable places to channel their energy. During everyday play, a game of fetch or tug-of-war satisfies the Griffon’s and Lab’s urge to retrieve.

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3. Griffondors Are Best Used for Hunting

Modern Griffons and Labradors are notably adaptable dogs capable of thriving anywhere that gives them a chance to expend energy. But if the Griffon influence is heavy, hunting may be the only way to satisfy your dog.

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons are some of the keenest bird dogs. Their intuition and focus are sharp, they communicate efficiently, and they always know their job. Training them to hunt is easy, as they happily and intelligently take on the task like seasoned pros. Adding to the Lab’s similar hunting history, you have the perfect match for a one-dog hunter.

Conclusion

While some mixes can leave you guessing about the kind of temperament you bring into the home, Wirehaired Pointing Griffondors are some of the most dependable hybrids you could ask for. Griffons and Labs are loving, calm, hardworking, and driven to delight their owners. Inheriting the best traits of their talented and trustworthy parents, the Griffondor is an exceptional companion to anyone lucky enough to come across one of these little-known crosses.

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Featured Image Credit: Left – Vaclav Sonnek, Shutterstock | Right – Neil, Pexels