wirehair

It's ironic, really, that one of the most revered qualities of Labradors might be getting bypassed and even overshadowed; it's the opposite for breeds with aggressive reputations, such as Chesapeake Bay retrievers and German wirehaired pointers.

PROBLEM I've had four German wirehairs from established breeders.

In our two days of jump-shooting, my old German wirehair pointer found six of our eight woodies.

"A friend of mine owns a German wirehair pointer," Slyfield said.

The American Wirehair has fur with a crimped or bent texture.

The wirehair didn't scent the bird until he'd reached the open field, whereupon he whipped around in the air, landing on point, glaring intently at the very peak of the triangle.

"Griffons have a base coat and an outer coat called a wirehair, which gives them durability to the extreme--as much as a Lab, if you ask me.

My German wirehair, JET, pictured after a good day on woodcock, is a versatile hunter.

"I stood, dropped the drake and let the hen go to look for another boyfriend, then sent my 10-year-old German wirehair, Montana, out for the retrieve," he said.

Jake, my 12-year-old German wirehair pointer, hit the water like a Labrador, swam the pond, charged up the opposite bank and disappeared into a six-foot-high stand of cattails and swamp brush.

I've got to get over this hang-up soon or my wife and kids will pick their own name for her and start using it like they did on my last wirehair!

Dave had brought along his springer, Clay; Andy had his German shorthair, Emmy; and Chad brought his German wirehair, Lily.

After only a few short weeks with my first wirehair, I was ready to throw in the towel.

That's the original name of the breed (literally, "wirehair") in its native Germany.

QUESTION: My dog is a 3-year-old spayed German wirehair. She has been to the vet twice recently for eye problems.