Small Münsterländer

The Small Munsterlander is a compact German pointing and retrieving dog, and despite the name it is not a small version of the Large Munsterlander.

History

Long-haired pointing dogs survived in the Münster region of Westphalia with farmers rather than with the aristocracy, and were rediscovered and standardised around 1900 from those scattered survivors. The two Munsterlanders are separate breeds with separate ancestries that happen to share a region and a name.

Temperament

The breed is known for being biddable, affectionate and closely attached to its handler, gentle at home and thorough in the field, with a strong instinct for tracking wounded game.

Care and training

It needs a great deal of exercise and real hunting work — German breeding tests it on performance, and an under-worked one is unhappy. The medium feathered coat needs regular brushing.

Health

Generally sound, with hip dysplasia and ear infections among the known tendencies. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.