wirehaired breeds and heat

[quackaddict]

Just curious how the wirehaired breeds handle the heat. I have always wanted a pudelpointer or GWP/DD pretty bad but I've always worried about the heat. I know folks have them in the southern states, but how do they really handle it? I would assume a WPG wouldn't do well down here as there coarse are thicker than the 2 I mentioned.

[gonehuntin']

My DD is the worst hot weather dog I've ever had. I understand they all are, but if you LIVE in the S or SW and the dog acclimates to it, they are better.

That is the ONLY downside to this breed there is.

[fuzznut]

I've seen GWP's that can handle heat just fine, and others that think 60 degrees is a heat wave. The coat does factor in, but it's also body bulk that is important. Some GWP's are very large, bulky dogs, these will probably not do as well as a leaner more athletic dog.
A bigger dog with a heavy thick coat will be a better cold weather dog, while a lighter boned dog with less coat will be a better heat dog.
I've owned dogs that will run along just fine in low 80's...... but they will seek water or a mud puddle to cool off in. That is just a fact of life with a GWP... any dirty, muddy puddle will do just fine.
Fuzz

[mcbosco]

I have been suprised with my Spinone that, despite looking "hot", he seems quite happy in the summer weather. Being the heaviest of the wire-hairs hasn't impacted him. I think the long muzzle, large chest cavity and wet beard help to cool him down. Also they tend not to race around, as many know.

[orbirdhunter]

I find the difference to be about 10 degrees between my DD and my shorthair. I think that they can do alright, there are plenty of people in AZ,TX,OK etc that run wirehaired breeds. Pudelpointer coats aren't really all that consistant yet, but they are great dogs, if i was looking at either, but especially PP's i would make sure to let the breeder know that you want to error on the side of shorter coat over a wooly mammoth.
Both breeds are great versatile dogs!!!

[gotpointers]

I would think conditioning is a major factor in NM. I have two contacts for you if you need them Mark Kruger has the Wirehairs and There is another person In Stanley NM who has the pudelpointers. I have my Deutsch Langhaarr's in the north side of my barn that is made from concrete block so the stay cool all summer. I wont run them in the open desert since they are not made to cover mile after mile. But I do love to take them in the heavy cover in the rio grande valley for pheasants. They are beautiful on point. If you want the contact info let me know thru PM. Give me an email adress to respond to I cant PM back through this fourm for some reason but I can read them.
Heres a picture of moose and rascal on point near my home

[jasonw99]

no different than any other breed i have had. body size has alot to do with it and conditioning. the coat i dont think is as thick as it looks if you strip it

[troutbum13]

my WPG needs < 60* to hunt for more than an hour at a time. My DD is still young, but has a tight coat and small build and seems to get 10-15 degrees more than my griff.

[quackaddict]

Thanks for the replies guys. Gotpointers...if you wouldn't mind, how about email me that contact info for both guys. My email address is jiwhite86@yahoo.com

[Georgia Boy]

I live in the south, hot and humid but mine do pretty well with the heat. I agree conditioning plays a big part, you cant take a dog that lives in the air conditioning and expect him to preform like a dog that stays outside. Some lines will produce dogs with much less coat which might be more suited for the desert. If you need any help with DD,s I would be glad to help.

[Steve007]

Color matters, too, My Gordons did not handle heat as well as my partner's white English Setters (but ask me about snow!). Wirehairs come in various colors, and a white GWP would probably handle heat much better than a black Draht variety of GWP. That said, they're smart enough to seek out water if they can.

[mcbosco]

Are GWP's, WPG's & DD's double-coated or single-coated like a Spinone?

[AzDoggin]

There are two PP's in the Az NAVHDA chapter - both do very well. One is a "slick" (looks like a solid liver GSP http://www.gccnavhda.com/)

There are also several GWP's chasing Gambels in the desert - they do fine but need plenty of water.

Like humans, there is variability within breeds in heat tolerance as well. This is where working closely with the breeder for heat tolerance can really pay off IMO.

Gary Wright is a PP breeder in Texas that puts out some nice dogs. http://www.gunsmokegundogs.com/

There is another forum that caters more to the versatiles. You may also want to check over their and/or search both GDF and the 'other' forum.

[skeetermc]

I have a white liver ticked GWP and a dark liver DD. The GWP runs circles around the DD in warmer weather. I agree color has alot to do with it. Dont forget body type and heart, heart, heart!

[JKP]

Are GWP's, WPG's & DD's double-coated or single-coated like a Spinone?

They should be double coated....however, many are not...or have very little undercoat. Bred for western Europe, these breeds are best adapted to cool/wet to cold/ice conditions. Lighter framed dogs (FT lines), smaller dogs can be conditioned to hunt warm weather. But to me, its like asking a quarter horse to run the Kentucky Derby.....its just best to get the right "horse" for the job.

[fuzznut]

Don't care if we're talking GWP or GSP or any other breed. Some dogs handle heat fine, others don't. It's more to do with their physical capability to disperse heat, lung capacity etc. A large bulky framed dog won't be as athletic or able to handle hot weather, but will handle cold better. Body fat, body style .... think Lab vs Pointer.

The coat insulates the dog in both hot and cold.... and for sure the darker the dog the more sun and heat it will soak up. But I've known some darker dogs to perform pretty well in moderately high temps. Again, body style and athletic ability. A clunky 90 lb ground pounder will not last in hot weather, but will probably do ok in icy conditions.

If I were looking for a dog to live and work in a hotter climate, I'd be looking for a lighter colored, lighter boned , light on it's feet dog. Plenty of GWP's will fit the bill for you, you just have to be more selective in your search. There are many of both the European style and the American style of Wires out there to choose from.

Undercoat should be present, in summer much of it goes away and then in the winter grows back. You need undercoat for protection and for insulation. Some GWP's have a single coat (not good) a double coat (good) and I've seen what I would almost call a triple coat (even better). That coat has undercoat, a nice tight short coat, and then longer guard hairs. As the long hair gets pulled out via hunting, there is still a nice tight hard coat in there. For hot weather I would be looking for a shorter hard coat with not an overabundance of undercoat.
Fuzz