Small Münsterlander
Temperament:
Small Munsterlanders are friendly and affectionate towards people, yet the hunting dog is still in them today. Whoever has a Small Munsterlander in the house, has a lively and active companion, who remains loyal to his human through thick and thin.
Characteristics
Small Münsterlanders are intelligent dogs. They have a lot of temperament and a pronounced urge to move. However, they are not made for keeping in a city apartment. The dogs need the opportunity to run extensively in the countryside.
The hunting dogs also feel particularly well when they have a task and are busy. Merely to be a companion dog, that would like Small Münsterländer only reluctantly. The bright dogs love to run for their lives and not all of them accept the leash without problems. To this day, they are happiest at the side of a hunter.
In a family with children they usually fit in gladly. The animals are open-minded towards both adults and children. Especially young dogs have a high play instinct and like children. Nevertheless, Kleine Münsterländer are not typical family dogs.
When offspring come into the family and the dog has to renegotiate its place, it may initially react with jealousy. Small Münsterländer tend to be territorial. However, they are rarely aggressive towards people. They also usually get along very well with other dogs. Living together with small animals, such as rodents or chickens, becomes more difficult. Here caution is required, because not infrequently the hunting instinct comes through with the dogs in everyday life.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
With proper nutrition and species-appropriate exercise, Kleine Münsterländer are slender dogs. An adult animal weighs about 17 to 26 kilograms, with a height at the withers of about 50 to 56 centimeters.
Breed-typical diseases are not known. Nevertheless, the energetic dogs are only conditionally robust and are often under tension. To keep your dog healthy, you should therefore make sure that the food is of high quality. Good food strengthens the immune system of the animals and keeps their bones healthy.
Small Münsterländer rarely spurn food and are usually unproblematic eaters. They particularly like food with a high meat content and few additives. They prefer food that does not weigh down the stomach and does not make them sluggish. With a chewing bone they can occupy themselves for a long time and extensively. This also gives their owners time to breathe.
Besides wet food, the hunting dogs tolerate dry food well. However, at least twice a week there should be wet food.
Like almost all dogs, they love treats. You can use the treats very well for training or as a reward. Also, always have a filled water bowl ready for your dog. Due to their strong urge to move, the animals are often thirsty.
Small Münsterländer care
Typically, Kleine Münsterländer have long coats, in the colors black and white, brown and white, black or brown. Both smooth and wavy coats occur in the breed. Sometimes also a mixture of both. Generally, the dogs require little grooming. Regular brushing and a healthy diet will ensure a shiny and well-groomed coat.
What not everyone knows: hunting dogs are real water rats. To this day, they are often used by hunters for duck hunting, because they feel particularly comfortable in the water.
The same applies to the bathtub. Here, too, the otherwise so active dogs often feel like poodles and can almost relax. But beware: even in the bathtub, their play instinct quickly kicks in.
When you bathe your dog, you should always use only mild dog shampoo. Make sure that the shampoo does not get into the eyes and ears of your four-legged friend. To prevent the bath from turning into a hairy affair, you should also brush your Münsterländer thoroughly beforehand.
Suitable accessories
The animals prefer a long leash, literally. However, what the temperamental dogs want is not always the best for them. Young dogs in particular like to test their limits. It is not easy to get a Small Munsterlander used to the leash.
When choosing the right accessories, make sure that both you and your dog do not lose the fun of walking. Small Münsterländer like to pull hard on the leash. This is to show you that they would much rather give in to their urge to move.
Nevertheless, the dogs do not need a heavy harness. A narrow leash is usually sufficient. When you take your four-legged friend off the leash, however, you have to be careful. As soon as the hunting instinct sets in, young dogs in particular are quickly over the hill.
In general, Münsterländer get along with few accessories. You should invest in a good quality leash and a suitable collar. If you then get a high-quality brush and enough toys, your dog will be satisfied.
Origin & History
The beginnings of the dog breed go back as far as the 19th century, historical records prove. Around 1870, the Kleinen Münsterländer were mentioned in documents for the first time, before they became an independent breed in 1920. Since 1921, there have been specified breed standards. Breeders still breed according to these standards today.
As the name suggests, the dogs originally come from the Münsterland area. They are a German dog breed. Today, however, the animals are much more widespread in other countries than in Germany. Especially in Scandinavia, especially in Norway, Kleine Münsterländer enjoy great popularity. But also in France they are still frequently and gladly used for hunting.
The German hunting dogs belong to the pointing dog breeds and look back on a long history. Besides their abilities as helpers in hunting, they are also considered excellent tracking dogs. The Kleiner Münsterländer have retained their special character for more than a hundred years.
