The history of the origin of Griffon Korthals, the appearance, health and characteristic behavior of the dog, advice on care, the nuances of training, interesting facts. Buying a puppy. This breed was bred by a native of Holland, but this man lived his whole life in Germany, and almost all French hunters honor his memory. After all, the breeder revived and gave a second life to the old national breed of France. This is the best hunting dog in the world. With it you can hunt game both in the field and in the swamp. And the quality of its wonderful wool allows you to get ducks even from very cold water.
The sight of hunting with these dogs always looks fascinating and impressive - even for a sophisticated person. There is something wild, primitive, real in this. Probably, this is how the ancestors of modern cops hunted a long time ago. Most hunters get pleasure not from the shot, but from the beautiful work of their charges. If the dog did everything right, then the trophy is twice as expensive.
The origin story of Griffon Corthals
Its correct name is Griffon Korthal. He is little known in Russia, and who knows them calls Griffon Cortals. In 1850, in Amsterdam, their creator was born - Eduard Karl Korthal. His father was a large ship owner, the owner of a large number of barges that sailed here along the canals. Little Edward was not attracted by the fate of the sailor. The boy was madly attracted to dogs. At some point, he realized that he could not live without these animals.
Then, he left his native Holland and moved to Germany, the city of Bodenheim. There he got a job at a kennel, where his career as a dog handler began. Although the pedigree of the Griffons is Dutch, they can be called a French breed without hesitation. Because they mainly developed in this particular country. This was due to the systematic movements of the young breeder across France, in the role of the duke's commissioner Pierre d'Orléans.
Whatever company Korthal was in, he began to praise his griffins. His stories were so infectious that no one could remain indifferent. These dogs became more and more popular. Why, at some point, the pets of kings, dukes and princes were on the verge of extinction? The answer is very simple, the French Revolution is to blame.
The dogs of the aristocrats got no less than the nobles themselves. What tricks did noble people resort to to protect their favorites: they cut off their tails and ears, cut them, repainted. But it was all in vain - the French griffins have practically disappeared. Probably, they would have completely disappeared if not for Eduard Karl Kortal.
An avid lover of hunting dogs, he quickly managed to occupy one of the most honorable positions. He became the superintendent of Prince Souls Brown Phelps's kennel, in Bodenheim. This man is still loved and revered in Germany. Karl managed to raise a dog, the qualities of which rivaled such outstanding four-legged hunters as drathar and kurtshar.
Today, the Griffon Cortal is one of the most popular breeds in France. Ordinary hunters and experts speak of them with bated breath and admiration - as if they were a miracle. Experts are still hesitant about the origin of the first individuals. They are called the "patriarchs of the kortal" appearing in the creation of the breed.
Most researchers are of the opinion that in these wire-haired hunters, there is shelter: spaniel, setter and otterhound. It was also established that real griffons were used in their formation and at least one mating was carried out with a German wire-haired Pointing Dog - Drathaar.
Karl Korthal had colossal connections among the hunters of Europe. He was constantly on almost all large-scale tests of dogs in the field. After some time, the breeder continuously took part in exhibitions, spreading his type of griffon. For the first time, it was at a show in England, where his pets attracted the interest of a large number of participants and spectators.
This dog is especially adapted for hunting in swampy areas, where its coarse coat provides reliable protection. He is a good swimmer and perfectly gets a bird out of the water. Enthusiasts of the breed claim that it can be trained on any game. The Griffons of Korthal have collected all the best qualities that a hunting dog can have. This is exactly the goal that their creator set for himself and successfully completed his plan.
Initially, he selected six hundred dogs for selection, and from this abundance he weeded out another sixty. In the end, only seven were left to lay the foundation for a new species. These dogs are very similar to draathars - German wire-haired cops, but they have serious differences. First, the Kortal canines are quite compact and square. This property was passed on to them, in all likelihood, from crossing with island cops, mainly pointers. Secondly, they have powerful and sturdy paws. These are the real hercules of the canine world.
The breed is bred in France. In a year, she brings in one thousand four hundred puppies all over the country. Females puppies once a year, on average eight are born in the litter. There are many small breeders who have only one litter per year. Large, about five or six. Raising this dog is easy enough.
The Griffons of Korthal work primarily with a stance, as they are cops. They have the finest sense of smell and are good at picking up the blood trail. Pets are not afraid, and can fight back a more serious animal: a wild boar and even a bear. The only caveat of working with them is that such dogs mature late. You do not need to expect brilliant results from them by the first year of life, but in the second and third, they reveal their full potential.
Appearance of Griffon Corthals
The dog is medium in size, with a breed head. It is used for hunting in any area where a person can hunt on foot. The movements are graceful, smooth like those of a feline. Shows its excellent qualities as a pointer in the field, and as a retriever in the water. Due to the structure of their wool, they can swim in water even at sub-zero temperatures.
The height at the withers is ideally 29 cm for males, 27 cm for bitches, with a variation of 2 cm. Weight varies between 5, 9 and 10, 0 kg, depending on gender. The animal must move freely. Running is quite slow, but confident. In this case, the position of the forelimbs is in a straight line forward.
- Head large and long, parallel to the muzzle. The length from the tip of the nose to the corner of the eye is equal to the length from the inner corner of the eye to the prominent occipital protuberance. The superciliary arches are pronounced, covered with long hair that forms the characteristic eyebrows. The forehead line is smooth, there is a groove on it.
- Muzzle well filled, with a slight hump. The transition from the frontal part to the nasal bridge is quite sharp. The lips are slightly dryish, with brown pigmentation. The flews slightly overlap the lower jaw. Strong full dentition, forms a scissor bite. The coat forms a drooping mustache and beard on it.
- Nose well developed, well open nostrils. The line of the lobe is slightly lowered down. The color is only brown.
- Eyes the Griffon Kortal is of medium landing, round, large. Corneal pigmentation of amber, dark yellow and brown of varying saturation. They are covered with long eyebrows.
- Ears medium in size, set slightly above eye level, drooping, triangular Their anterior margin touching the cheekbones.
- Neck set high, long, muscular, in good harmony with the body.
- Frame stretched, rectangular format, mesomorphic addition. The loin is strong without the waist. The belly is tucked up. The chest is developed, wide. The line of the back is straight, the croup is slightly sloping.
- Tail looks like an extension of the back. It is stopped by one third or one fourth. In working order, it is raised.
- Limbs - Strong, muscular, standing straight, parallel to each other. The shoulder blades are well brought together, the thighs are well developed and strong.
- Paws - in the form of a vault, like a cat. Fingers are pressed tightly together. There are webbing between them. Elastic pads, strong nails.
- Coat of medium length, with a characteristic mustache and beard on the muzzle and above the eyebrows. The guard hair is coarse, slightly wavy, the undercoat is dense and has water-repellent properties.
- Color - Gray with a steel sheen and stains ranging from coffee to dark brown are most common. There are individuals with red spots on the head and brown markings on the body. Uniformly colored brown dogs, rare. There are griffons in red-piebald, brown-piebald, roan color, while their undercoat is light, almost white. Roan is the color when the muzzle is red, and the body is mixed with red guard hair. Black specimens are disqualified, and off-white ones are very rare.
Characteristic behavior of Griffon Korthal
These companion dogs are known for their hunting qualities. Kortal can be kept in an apartment with great success if you provide him with the necessary physical activity. These cops have an independent mindset, so it will be difficult for inexperienced owners to train them.
Indoors, pets behave calmly and unobtrusively. They love not only their master, but all family members. Get along well with other animals. Communication with young children should be limited, as unknowingly the dog can harm them. They are sensitive enough and do not tolerate chaos. If you have noisy children, noisy parties are often held, then such a dog will not suit you.
They cannot be left alone for a long time. The Griffons of Korthals suffer greatly from this, which can manifest itself in prolonged barking, howling, chewing on furniture, doorframes, tearing off wallpaper. It is best when there is an opportunity for one of the family to be at home.
Griffon Corthals health
They, like most cops, have excellent immunity. But due to poor breeding practice, some breeds, including the Kortal, are prone to certain genetic health problems such as hip dysplasia.
This does not mean that each individual of this species will have flaws in the skeleton, it is just that they are at an increased risk of such a disease. If you are buying a puppy, check with the breeder what genetic diseases are common to the breed and check all the health records of your potential puppy's parents.
Recommendations for keeping and caring for a dog
- Wool you need to comb it out, especially after hunting, because thorns, plant seeds and other foreign particles can get there.
- Ears the Kortal griffons are hanging and poorly ventilated, so to avoid the accumulation of sulfur and dirt, which leads to unpleasant consequences, they are regularly checked and cleaned.
- Eyes after hunting, wipe with cotton pads moistened with water.
- Teeth from puppyhood they are taught to clean regularly. So you will protect your pet from dental plaque, and as a result of diseases of the oral cavity. Let him chew on the edible bones from the pressed veins of cattle for prevention.
- Claws must be trimmed systematically. The manipulation is performed with special nippers or a grinder. To prevent the formation of cracks in the pads, lubricate them with a nourishing-healing ointment.
- Feeding working hunting dogs has its own composition and specificity. Everything is selected depending on the age of your dog. Until puberty, the pet is fed several times a day, and then once a day. What your four-legged friend will eat, natural or ready-made food, you choose. But it is better to consult the breeder or treating veterinarian in this matter. This is the best way to determine what food the animal is accustomed to. If you are giving dry food, then clean water should be freely available.
- Walking with the apartment maintenance of Griffon, Kortal must be at least three times a day for up to an hour and a half. But this does not mean that you will just walk with the dog. She needs to run out and provide appropriate physical activity. And it is best to start them for hunters.
Griffon Corthals training
The training of the Kortal griffons begins quite early, at the age of six months. Dogs are brought up in such a way that they believe that their master is omnipotent. If they are convinced of his correctness several times, they will unquestioningly obey the owner. The cop is rewarded for each correctly executed command, which gives her confidence in her actions.
When training the griffons of Kortals, the birds are first seated in a special way, determining the direction of the wind. This is important, because the odor field from the game does not stand still. “Trainer” - a person who trains a dog, must know: where the bird is sitting, from which side the wind is blowing, and how best to bring the “student” to this place in order to clearly control his work.
So that the dog does not get used to one place, the game is seated in different points and terrain reliefs. The teacher must remember where the object of the search is in order to point the dog at it if necessary. When practicing the manner of searching, the hunter moves with the shuttle. First, he gives the dog a run, and then with gestures or with the help of a whistle, he directs his pet to the right and then to the left.
Coaching of cops includes: reinforcing obedience, coaching, stances, search manners, staging. And also, working out the range of flair, its fidelity and manner of smelling. The dog should never get lost after a flying pheasant. But as soon as the game has fallen, at the command of the owner, he must bring the bird. Four-legged hunters cannot always divide the prey and, if not conflicts, then disagreements arise, which are settled directly by the owner himself.
Sometimes two birds are brought in and the smells are mixed. The science of smells is called odorology. People know it only in theory, but dogs, with their excellent sense of smell, can put into practice all the ideas of their owners, and clearly indicate where the pheasant is sitting. In Russia, the training of hunting dogs begins in June-July, and in France, in October-November.
Interesting facts about Griffon Korthal
Griffon Cortal puppies are born white with brown undercoat. As they live, only by the age of one year do animals acquire a beautiful color of noble silvery gray hair. On the body there are spots of different shades from coffee to dark brown. From nose to tail, the tone of the spots gradually becomes darker. They show the virtuosity of their working qualities by the age of two.
In France, there are certain days on which hunting is permitted. There are special grounds in this country where decoy birds are bred. The most beloved and widespread game in this country is the pheasant.
Buying a Griffon Cortals puppy, price
The best specimens of the breed are in the nurseries of France. In this country, they are very responsible for their breeding. They are fed correctly, receive timely vaccinations and antihelminthic procedures. Dogs with genetic defects are not allowed for selection. They try to identify hereditary diseases in the early stages, in the childhood of the animal. For example, hip dysplasia is diagnosed with an x-ray scan.
These puppies are given away as pets at a low cost. "Youngsters" with good hunting tendencies are taken from working producers. The sex of the dog also affects the price. After all, from a good bitch you can get wonderful offspring. When choosing a breed, remember that if you cannot provide it with the appropriate load, then it is better not to start it. The cost can be from $ 300 to $ 1000.
For more about the dog, see this video:
