The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is an interesting breed. Although it has both an outer and undercoat, it remains hypoallergenic due to being virtually shed free. This makes the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon an excellent pet choice for anyone who suffers from dog allergies.
What Makes the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Hypoallergenic
There is no truly hypoallergenic dog. That’s because, contrary to popular belief, people aren’t allergic to dog fur. They’re allergic to a dog’s saliva, urine, and dander. People run into problems with shedding dogs because the hair that comes off of the dog invariably has one or all of the causes of dog allergies attached to it.
See, even the cleanest dog will still have allergens on it. Every time they urinate, they get a little bit on the fur surrounding their genitals at the very least. Messy dogs will end up stepping in it. So you have urine on that front. All dogs lick and chew to some degree, so you have saliva. Dander is also a constant with all breeds, but it doesn’t get into the air unless the dog sheds.
A hypoallergenic dog is simply a dog that sheds very little or not at all. This is what makes the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon an interesting hypoallergenic breed. Although it has both an outer coat and a dense undercoat, it doesn’t shed like most dogs with that coat set up. In fact, it sheds very little, if at all.
The reason that is so interesting is because most dogs with undercoats don’t just shed their fur, they blow it. Dog’s with undercoats are fur producing machines that give vacuums, noses, mouths, and eyes a workout due to all of the hair flying around. With the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, you don’t have that.
Further Improving the Hypoallergenic Aspect of Your Griffon
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is naturally hypoallergenic, but there are some things you can do to make them, even more, hypoallergenic. Weekly bathing and brushing will keep the dander on the skin to a minimum and remove any loose, trapped undercoat hair.
You’ll also want to strip the coat about twice a year. Stripping the coat is the process of pulling out the outer coat. It keeps the coat healthy, and most Griffons enjoy it. In addition to keeping the coat healthy, it removes all of that hair, which while not shedding, is just sitting there trapping environmental allergens.
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon – An Unusual Hypoallergenic Dog
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is unusual in its hypoallergenic nature because most dogs with a double coat are heavy shedders. In contrast to that tendency to shed, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon sheds virtually no hair at all, making it easy on people with allergies.
If you’re looking for a dog with a wonderful personality and that won’t fire up your allergies, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is the breed for you. These soft-tempered dogs are lovable, easy to train, and their lack of shedding makes them perfect companions for anyone suffering from allergies.
Do you have a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon? What do you love about this breed?
