Großer Münsterländer

Ein großer münsterlander mit schönem gesprenkeltem fell

Ein schöner junger großer münsterländer mit seidigen schwarzen ohren

Ein munterer junger großmünsterländer mit kunterbuntem fell

Ein liebenswerter großer münsterländer mit herausgestreckter zunge

Ein großer münsterländer, der einen spaziergang durch ein feld mit wilden blumen genießt

Ein jugendlicher großer münsterländer bei einem landspaziergang

Ein athletischer großer münsterländer, der über einen baumstamm springt

Geschichte

The Large Munsterlander originates from the Munster region of Germany. It is thought to date back to the Middle Ages, but this is not confirmed and it was officially recognised in the 1800's. Bred as a hunting dog, it is classed as a HPR - hunt, point and retrieve - and is very successful in Germany when competing. Only liver and white hunting dogs were ever used in Germany, so the black and white Munsterlander was not that popular at the time. It is thought to be derived from the German Pointer and Setters from the Continent. Today, the Munsterlander is highly prized dog in Germany, UK and Canada which excels at field trials.

Verhalten

The Munsterlander is a friendly, alert, affectionate and loving companion. Happy to be close to people, children and content and quiet in the home. They make good pets and get along well with other dogs, cats and animals. Usually fine with strangers in the home if socialised properly. They make good pets for an active family, with the emphasis on 'active'. These are working dogs and need to be exercised. They will happily sleep on your sofa and be calm indoors, once they have received a long walk.

The Munsterlander is highly trainable and has a need to work. They like to carry things in their mouths and this is the best way to start training, using their natural retrieval instincts to get them to fetch and come back to you. They need loving, positive training and no harsh words. They usually learn quickly and love to please you, but can take advantage if they sense weakness in their trainer. Flyball, agility, obedience, HPR trials and therapy are all possible with the Munsterlander. They are an all round dog and with suitable training do well in most areas.

They need to be out and about and love nothing better than a long walk, through woodlands, open fields and dense cover. They rarely stray too far and were bred to stay close to their owner. They have massive amounts of energy and need to expel this when out walking. Muddy puddles are a favourite and when completely caked in mud, they will still want to curl up on the sofa with you. If they don't get enough exercise, they can be destructive in the home. They like to swim and also make good waterfowl dogs. Best suited to a very active person/family who enjoy long walks every day. Also good for joggers, as they have decent stamina.

The longish coat of the Munsterlander protects it from dense undergrowth when out exploring, but does collect burrs and debris. It will need brushing daily after a long walk to remove anything it has picked up. Generally brushing every other day is recommended. Females have a shorter coat than males.

Charakter

Large Munsterlanders have a happy and sociable temperament. They form tight bonds with their family and can fit well into families with other pets and/or children. They need plenty of mental and physical exercise in order to be calm around the house. This can be helped by training them consistently so they understand who is ''pack leader''. These are not guard dogs and are more likely to welcome any visitor in with enthusiasm.