The Münsterländer dog breed has two varieties: the small and the large. A dog that thanks to its character and its peculiar characteristics is making a place as a pet in many homes. At Petlifey, we explain everything about the Münsterländer.
Character of the breed Münsterländer
If you wonder what character the münsterländer has, we must emphasize that it is a very intelligent, docile, skilful dog for learning, with a stable temperament, attentive and friendly with the people with whom it lives.
It is lively, with a constant search instinct for prey, tempered nerves and olfactory acuity, indispensable qualities for hunting.
Thus, the münsterländer is an excellent working dog, intelligent, obedient and courageous, endowed with a highly disciplined character and well proven as a hunting dog.
In addition, it is characterized by being affectionate and loyal, so it is also a great companion animal, loyal, friendly and very attached to its family.
It has an excellent behaviour and likes the permanent company of the family and is an excellent companion of children, regardless of their age. And due to this great affinity with people, it is not considered a suitable dog for guardianship.
Its relationship with other dogs is also usually very good, since it does not present dominance problems that stand out. On the other hand, with other types of animals, coexistence can be more problematic, due to their strong hunting instinct. However, if you get used to it from a young age, you can live with a pet.
The münsterländer is not the most suitable dog for life in the city, because being a very active hunting dog it needs to have open spaces where it can do a lot of exercise.
Even so, a dynamic and active family that has a garden or that has the possibility of going out to the field with relative frequency, will find in this dog a perfect companion who will be happy to accompany them in all the activities they decide to undertake.A dog that is easy to maintain, sociable, affectionate and very attached to the family, the münsterländer gradually leaves its strictly working use to become a great companion dog.
- Energy: Needs a lot of activity Hunting dog and company.
- Temperament: it is an intelligent dog that learns easily. With a balanced and stable character, it is very obedient, docile, persevering and enthusiastic in hunting.
- Adaptability: It is not a very suitable pet for city life.
- Sociability: Very affectionate and attached to its family, it is kind and affectionate with everyone.
- Health: You may suffer from dysplasia.
- Longevity: Live well over 12 years.
- Utility: hunting and company.
- Use: versatile.
Characteristics of the Münsterländer
In either of its two varieties, the münsterländer is an aristocratic and elegant dog, which has a strong and muscular appearance and body structure. Its expression always denotes intelligence and nobility.
The small münsterländer is always brown and white, sometimes simply with the presence of a few small brown specks on a fairly clean white background, and yet the large variety is always black and white.
In terms of temperament, the small variety is somewhat more lively and nervous than the larger one. Due to their faster hunting style and separate from the hunter, and due to the impetuosity of their temperament, it seems evident that the small specimens have a higher percentage of spaniel blood, which implies that with them it is necessary to carry out a more training work. firm to be able to dominate them better.
The large münsterländer, on the other hand, despite being a fast and agile hunting dog, is much more leisurely, and is always more attentive to the indications of its master, from whose presence it does not like to stray too far.
In addition to their ability as a pointer, münsterländers are also known for their special predilection for water and for their great ability to collect, since, as with retrievers (see Golden retriever for example), their mouth it is both strong and delicate so that they can transport large and heavy pieces without causing any damage.
With elastic and harmonious movements, the large variety of the münsterländer has a gallop endowed with a lot of momentum and thrust, as well as a very wide jump. It is, therefore, a good competitor in agility competitions.
The mantle of the great münsterländer is white with black spots, sometimes in the form of splashes or mottling, possibly influenced by English setters or French spaniels.
For a long time, the münsterländer of the small variety was mistaken for the German Shorthaired Pointer, with whom it shares brown and white fur. But let’s look in more detail at the physical characteristics of the two varieties of this breed of hunting dog .
Physical characteristics of the Münsterländer
- General appearance: both varieties present a stylish and harmonious image, balanced proportions and a noble and refined profile.
- Size: medium / large (the small variety) and large (the large variety).
- Height at the withers: the great münsterländer between 60 and 65 cm for males and between 58 and 63 cm for females. The small münsterländer between 52 and 56 cm for males and between 50 and 54 for females.
- Weight: the large 30 kg for males and 28 kg for females. The small 23 kg the male and 18 kg the female.
- Origin: Germany.
- Varieties: there are two varieties of this breed of dog. The small Münsterländer (FCI 102) and the large Münsterländer (FCI 118).
- Body: aristocratic and elegant, it is a dog that has an elongated body structure, strong and well muscled, but at the same time elegant and delicate.
- Head: it is elongated and has a moderately domed skull. It is of noble bearing, it is elongated, with very marked musculature in the chin region and an intelligent expression.
- Skull: thin, shows moderately domed upper part.
- Muzzle: strong and long, it facilitates hunting tasks such as collecting the piece or tracking.
- Eyes: They are of medium size and dark brown in color, with an attentive, lively and intelligent expression. The eyelids are tightly attached to the eyeball, covering the conjunctival membrane.
- Nose: the big one is pigmented black; the little one, in brown.
- Eyes: medium, usually dark brown. The eyelids, glued to the eyeball, cover the conjunctiva.
- Ears: they are wide, medium, are inserted in a high position and hang down. Rounded bottom and high assertion. The hair is long, fringed and protrudes evenly from the lower edge.
- Nose-frontal depression (stop): it is slightly marked.
- Jaws: strong, with large white teeth, and a regular and complete scissor bite. The large variety has remarkable fangs.
- Neck: its length is in harmony with the size of the body and the head. Remarkably arched, it is wider in the area of insertion with the trunk, strong and well muscled. The skin of the throat is attached to the muscles and is very tight.
- Chest: deeper than wide, with very marked ribs.
- Back: strong, short and well muscled. The withers are marked and tall, and the back is short, broad, and powerful. The dorsal line descends gently towards the rump, long, broad and well muscled.
- Forelimbs: they are straight, strong and muscular. Seen from the front, they are parallel. The well fitted muscular shoulders have the shoulder blades close to the ribs. Their forearms have strong, vertical bones; the arms are long and muscular. Its elbows are close to the body.
- Hind limbs: strong and tight musculature and strong bones, seen from behind they are straight and parallel. Its legs are long and muscular, showing very marked tendons. The hocks are strong and well angulated.
- Feet: they are medium, powerful, strong and with the fingers together, and abundant hair in the interdigital spaces. The foot pads are robust and resistant.
- Tail: moderately long, born just in the line of the back. At rest, the dog lets it hang; in activity it is carried horizontally, although never above the dorsal line.
- Skin: very adherent to the body, without forming folds.
- Hair: in the large one it is long, dense and shiny on the body and on the back of the limbs and tail, with good fringes. In the small one it is dense, smooth or somewhat wavy, of medium length, the contour of the silhouette should not be hidden under too long hair.
- Color: in the large münsterländer it is white with black spots or splashes. The head is solid black, sometimes with a small white spot or streak. In the young, the coat may be brown and white or roan with brown spots or mottling, and may have a white stripe on the head, and tan markings on the muzzle, eyes, and around the anus (Jungklaus markings).
- Movement: elastic gait and trot, both varieties cover a large surface thanks to the impulse they receive from the hind limbs; these and the previous ones remain straight and parallel. The gallop is elegant and the jump, wide.
- FCI Classification: FCI No. 8 and 10 GROUP 7 Pointing Dogs Section 1 – Continental Pointing Dogs.
- Color: in the large münsterländer it is white with black spots or splashes. The head is solid black, sometimes with a small white spot or streak. In the young, the coat may be brown and white or roan with brown spots or mottling, and may have a white stripe on the head, and tan markings on the muzzle, eyes, and around the anus (Jungklaus markings).
- Movement: elastic gait and trot, both varieties cover a large surface thanks to the impulse they receive from the hind limbs; these and the previous ones remain straight and parallel. The gallop is elegant and the jump, wide.
- FCI Classification: FCI No. 8 and 10 GROUP 7 Pointing Dogs Section 1 – Continental Pointing Dogs.
Puppies from Münsterländer
If you are thinking of buying a münsterländer puppy, or better yet, if you are considering adoption , you should bear in mind that it is a dog that matures slowly so it retains a puppy attitude for much of its life.
In the same way, its physical development, especially in the large variety, is also very slow, so it should not be subjected to overexertion or excessive training during its growth stage , despite the fact that it seems that the dog always asks for more. as it could present joint problems in the future.
Education and training of the Münsterländer
It is easy to train and train, but your guide needs to be a person who knows how to exercise leadership in a natural and unforced way, with a firm hand and without resorting to overly coercive systems.
If the münsterländer perceives that its owner has a poor capacity to lead the group, or that it incurs continuous inconsistencies in the way of working, it can become stubborn, possessive, noisy, and even destructive.
These attitudes are not in keeping with your obedient and hard-working nature. However, it resorts to them as a measure of pressure, to try to get a higher position than that which corresponds to them within the family Hierarchy.
Since they love to work, it is important that the Münsterländer always have some occupation. If they are dedicated to hunting, it is interesting to know that they adapt to all types of terrain, be it valleys, mountains, forests or swampy areas. Any place seems good to them as long as they can work. And if you choose not to use them for hunting, a good alternative may be to make them participate in other activities such as obedience or agility.
Complete and versatile hunting dog, the münsterländer competes at high altitude with other canine breeds, such as German arms, in different field events. In fact, the performance of specific tests and work trials is considered a fundamental selection measure of the breed.
In the case of females, for the German club to grant them the qualification of suitable for breeding, they must pass, apart from a series of health exams, a work test and a beauty test.
This is intended to satisfy both hobbyists and breeders who only take into account temperament when selecting breeding lines, and those who are only interested in physical appearance.
This requirement is even higher for males, who must not only pass an aptitude test for young dogs, but also an exclusive field test for adult dogs.
In fact, if the females are exempted from this requirement, it is only because they start to breed once they have demonstrated that they possess the natural aptitudes that passing the test implies.
The recovery time between pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding is so long that it is difficult to train them properly. Even so, many münsterländer females work in competition on equal terms with the males.
In countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway or the United States, where work trials are also held for the münsterländer varieties, an international regulation that can be approved by the German club and the International Cynological Federation is usually followed.
Diet of the Münsterländer breed
As the Münsterländer is a dog that needs a lot of exercise, its diet must be in accordance with these requirements. Therefore it is necessary to provide a quality diet rich in protein and healthy fats.
At present it is not a problem to find specific food for this breed in specialized animal stores or online.
Exercise, in addition to helping the animal to be physically healthy, also helps to avoid obesity in the dog , especially in those specimens that are intended for the sedentary life of companion dogs, to which it is advisable to administer a complete but adequate diet to their needs, without providing an excess of calories or fats that make the animal fat
Health and diseases of the Münsterländer
In general, it is a fairly healthy breed that can live well for more than 12 years without suffering from serious diseases.
Apart from the typical conditions of large breeds, such as hip or elbow dysplasia. They occur more frequently, of course, in the case of the large münsterländer.
Fortunately, these conditions can now be prevented with good genetic selection and a balanced diet during the growth phase. In addition to good exercise guidelines conditioned to their age and their development during the first months of life.
When it comes to exercise, it is important not to become obsessed with forcing the animal to perform vigorous and regulated activities. Such as running alongside a bicycle or on a special treadmill. Since, the best way to achieve a correct muscular development, harmonious and well toned, is to make it display its entire range of own movements.
Through the game with races, jumps, changes of direction, and so on. This stimulates them physically and psychologically , increasing its capacities and its training possibilities.
Controlling weight and growth rate is one of the functions that the owner must do together with the veterinarian, a figure that must become basic from the moment it is acquired from the münsterländer.
And, that it has to be present throughout the life of the animal, as a counsellor and reference person to whom to turn with any problem or doubt related to the dog.
It is advisable to visit your office regularly to follow the program of vaccinations, deworming and pertinent controls. Vaccines help to strengthen the immune system, while protecting against some very dangerous viral diseases that can vary from one area to another.
It is also necessary to establish with the veterinarian a follow-up of the growth and general condition of the animal . By monitoring the main health indicators, namely, eyes, teeth, ears, skin and hair.
Specific care for the Münsterländer breed
Regarding hygiene, the münsterländer does not need a specific aesthetic arrangement and their hair is very easy to care for. Of course, you should brush at least a couple of times a week , increasing the frequency is necessary during shedding periods.
For a good brushing, a card or a metal bristle brush is enough . Although a comb can be used to finish the arrangement and tail.
And the bath is reserved for when the animal is really dirty, trying to rinse well without leaving any trace of soap.