Best dog food for a German Wirehaired Pointer
A German Wirehaired Pointer does best on a food with a genuinely high protein and fat content, reflecting its background as an all-day working gundog rather than a sedentary companion breed. The right food depends heavily on how active your particular dog is, but as a general rule this is a breed that needs more from its diet than an average medium-sized dog of the same weight.
Feeding a German Wirehaired Pointer
A large breed
An adult German Wirehaired Pointer typically weighs 27–32 kg, so a healthy German Wirehaired Pointer eats a fair amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A large breed is usually done growing at 15–18 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 12–14 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
A high-energy dog eats like one
German Wirehaired Pointers sit at the top end for energy, and a dog working through a couple of hours of real exercise a day burns through the feeding guide faster than a dog on a short stroll. Feed to the dog's condition, not to the middle of the range on the bag.
Joint support is worth looking for
Their size and frame put more load through the joints than a smaller dog carries, so a food with joint support on the label is worth reading for — and keeping them lean does more for their joints than any supplement.
Weight matters more than usual here
A long back or a heavy frame makes every extra kilo count twice. Weigh portions rather than eyeballing a scoop, and reduce the food rather than the walks if the waist starts to disappear.
How much should a German Wirehaired Pointer weigh?
Adult 27–32 kgfully grown at 15–18 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 3.1–3.7 kg | 11% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 5–5.9 kg | 19% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 10–11.9 kg | 37% |
| 12 months | Adolescent | 20.1–23.8 kg | 74% |
| 15–18 months | Fully grown | 27–32 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a large breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a German Wirehaired Pointer
Complete foods from our range, matched to a German Wirehaired Pointer's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Field & Trial Skinner S Field Trial Light Senior
A lower-fat dry food for older, overweight or less active dogs, including working breeds
From£9.85
Autarky Complete Grain Free Adult Turkey
Grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, with turkey and a marine-algae joint care package
£12.79
Autarky Grain Free Tasty White Fish & Potato Complete
Grain-free dry dog food built around white fish meal rather than poultry
£12.99
Lily's Kitchen Lily S Kitchen Dog Lovely Lamb
Complete lamb-led dry dog food offered in two practical bag sizes
From£25.15
Burns Adult Large/Giant Breed Chicken and Brown Rice
Complete large-breed dry dog food with 23% chicken and brown rice
£59.99
Burgess Greyhound and Lurcher Chicken
Complete adult dry food formulated for the specific build of greyhounds and lurchers
£35.35
Naturo Senior Rice Poultry Variety 6pk
Six 400g trays across three recipes for senior dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£10.29
Naturo Senior Dog Turkey with Rice and Vegetables 7pk
Turkey at 65% in a senior wet tray, with brown rice, vegetables and added joint support
£11.99
Vitalin Adult Dog Pork with Apple
Complete dry food for adult dogs of any age, led by pork, with citrus extract for dental support
From£11.99
A working breed's needs, even as a pet
Bred to point, flush and retrieve over long days in the field, a German Wirehaired Pointer has a lean, muscular build and an energy output that most standard adult dog foods aren't calibrated for, even if your particular dog spends more time on the sofa than in a hedgerow.
A working or performance-grade food, with a higher percentage of protein and fat than a typical adult maintenance diet, suits a genuinely active dog of this breed far better than a lower-energy formula built for a less demanding lifestyle.
Matching the food to actual activity
Not every Wirehaired Pointer lives as a full-time working dog, so it's worth being honest about how much daily exercise and mental work your dog actually gets before reaching for the highest-calorie bag on the shelf — a dog getting a couple of walks a day doesn't need the same fuel as one working a shoot.
If your dog is genuinely active for several hours a day, a working-dog formula or a food with a higher fat percentage supports that output better than pushing portion sizes up on a standard adult recipe, which risks digestive upset rather than usable energy.
Coat and skin considerations
The breed's wiry double coat is fairly low-maintenance for grooming, but a diet with a decent fat content, including omega fatty acids, supports coat condition in a breed that spends a lot of time outdoors in all weathers.
Introduce any new food gradually over a week or so if you're switching from a lower-energy formula, since a sudden jump in fat content can unsettle a dog's stomach even when the food itself suits them well long term.
Common questions
- Do German Wirehaired Pointers need a raw diet?
- Not necessarily — raw feeding suits some working dogs well, but a good quality working or performance dry or wet food can meet the same energy needs. The choice comes down to what suits your routine and your dog's digestion rather than one being objectively required.
- How much should I feed a German Wirehaired Pointer puppy?
- Follow the guide on a puppy-specific large or medium-breed food and adjust based on your vet's assessment of body condition, since growth rate matters for joint health in an active breed like this. Avoid pushing growth too fast with excess calories.
- Are German Wirehaired Pointers prone to bloat?
- Deep-chested breeds carry a higher general risk of bloat, and feeding two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, and avoiding hard exercise straight after eating, are commonly recommended precautions worth discussing with your vet.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.