Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer puppies

About the Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer

The Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer was assembled in Slovakia after the Second World War from Weimaraner, German Wirehaired Pointer and Cesky Fousek stock, so that a hunter could keep one dog that pointed game, followed a blood trail and retrieved from water. This is a lean, leggy gundog of 57 to 67 cm and 22.7 to 29.5 kg, with a harsh grey coat, a beard and heavy eyebrows. Indoors they are calm and quiet; in the field they are serious and tireless.

This is a working gundog and they behave like one. They want an hour or more of real activity daily, ideally running in a secure field, and they will invent jobs if you give them none. The wiry coat needs only a wipe down and a strip of dead hair in shedding season. Training is easy, since the breed scores at the top for trainability, but the hunting instinct is strong enough that off lead freedom near livestock or game is a bad idea. Owners underestimate how badly one takes being left alone.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip and elbow dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed and scored for
• Progressive retinal atrophy, detectable by DNA test on both parents
• Cataracts, found by an annual ophthalmologist eye examination
• Ear infections, common in drop eared gundogs and caught by weekly ear checks

Your Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 22.7 to 29.5 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 29.5 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other large breeds

Previous: Sloughi · Next: Slovensky Cuvac

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/slovakian-wirehaired-pointer/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Ing. Urban Michal ( breeders HP ), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.