Anyone here own a German Wirehair Pointer?

Is that the same as a german short hair pointer?

If so, my brother had one and it was a mean bastard.

Wirehair (GWP), not shorthair (GSP)

Am I thinking of the wrong breed?

Hold on. I think my friend has one.

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to 26 inches at the shoulders for males and they average 60 to 70 pounds. That's a medium-sized dog.

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I've got a blue heeler that big

I own two GSP's. One male and one female. They are the best dogs I've ever had. Their intelligence level is unreal. Incredibly loyal and great with people and kids. My female is the best bird dog I've ever owned. I take her with me every time I go backpacking. This breed is built for an outdoor lifestyle. The longer the trip/trail, the more she seems to love it. That being said, they aren't for everyone. They're HIGH energy. They can be stubborn and it takes regular training or they will try and dominate you. They are legit escape artists. I've watched my female clear a six foot fence like it wasn't even there. All in all, I would recommend GSP/GWP to anyone who lives a very active lifestyle. To me, they're the best combo of hunting/outdoor/family dog money can buy.

Sorry

I was thinking of a Ridgeback.

Pretty cool history lesson.

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Around 1850, the incidence of political revolt, together with improvements in the shotgun and the cartridge, spurred the business of hunting to such degree that everybody, regardless of class distinction, took to the hunt. The number of sportsmen, as a result, doubled, more dogs were bred, and the hunting breeds became more specialized; continental sportsmen, always seeking the best, sought an all-purpose dog that could hunt in varied terrain and the Pointer emerged. One of these, the Deutsch-Drahthaar (German Wirehair), was native to Germany.
In its early stages, the Deutsch-Drahthaar Club catered to all varieties of wirehaired pointing dogs, separating only later into categories depending on purpose. Most of the early wirehaired Pointers represented a combination of Griffon, Stichelhaar (both mixtures of Pointer, Foxhound, Pudelpointer, and Polish water dog), Pudelpointer (a cross of Poodle and Pointer) and German Shorthair. The Germans preferred an extra-rugged hunter capable of working on any kind of game on any terrain to a specialized hunting breed. They continued to breed the distinctive traits of Pointer, Foxhound, and Poodle until they had created what is today the German Wirehair, a constitutionally tough, courageous breed who pointed and retrieved equally well on land and in water.

Coat has always been one of the most emphasized and important features of the breed, representing the breeds all-weather quality; it is to large extent water-repellent and shields the body from rough cover while maintaining the skeletal outline. Although the GWP had become a favored sporting dog in Germany many years earlier, it was not admitted into the German Kartell for dogs until 1928. The breed was imported into the US in the 1920s, and in 1953, the German Drahthaar Club of America was formed. The breed was admitted into the AKC in 1959, when the parent club was officially changed to the German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America.

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AKC

I've never personally owned a dog, so whichever way I go, it will be a learning experience for me, but I'm confident that I can handle it.

I dig the beard too. I live in the North GA mountains and my GSP's are fine. I wouldn't worry about the cold. You going to hunt him?

Be ready for lessons in frustration. It takes a long time to get a dog like you really want it. Mine is 6 and he's finally 100% trained like I want him to be.