Munsterlander Breed Description

An Owner's Munsterlander Description
We're the Kercher family and we are eight in number and those eight are just immediate family members. In terms of chronology, family members four, six and seven are canines; the other five of us are humans. When we were starting out as a young family, we lived next to neighbors who owned Munsterlander dogs. That was too long a name to wrestle with, so we nicknamed the breed Munster dogs. We discovered that this breed comes in two sizes, large and small. Ours is a small.

Our first child, daughter Becky, began requesting that we get a Munster dog for her, so we did. Then we had our second child, and so did our Munster dog, Flora. She had a litter of five, two of which we just had to keep because their personalities and looks were so adorable.

When we first began our dog quest, we had a difficult time finding a Munsterlander breeder that would work with us. Many breeders won't even consider you unless you plan on hunting with your dog. Our neighbors with the Munsterlanders frequently went hunting with their dogs, but it never dawned on them, or us, that it might be a requirement for owning one. So we kept searching since we aren't hunters and we did eventually find a breeder who worked with us.

One of the things we are deeply grateful for was her steering us in the direction of obedience training. One vital piece of Munsterlander advice is this; learn to lead and think like a pack dog. This will be crucial for your happiness and theirs.

When they pick up on the scent of something, they're off! They are so driven tracking a scent that if obedience training isn't deeply ingrained from a young age, they will just totally ignore you once they get into 'the zone and that's both frustrating and worrying. An obedient dog can make your family life happy; an untrained dog can make life miserable. Although obedience has been an ongoing effort, Flora's pups learned by training and by watching their mother respond to our commands. It's an ongoing effort, but it's worth it.

Introduction

Originating in Germany, these dogs are loyal, friendly and responsive to their humans. They are excellent all purpose pointing and retrieving gun dogs that easily adapt to any terrain. Courageous and intelligent, they make wonderful house companions and are very trainable. They love children. These dogs will not run off or let you out of their sight for a minute. They do not like to be alone, and if left on their own, they will get destructive and bark. A firm hand is needed for the first six months of training. Brush the coat every other day to keep it looking nice. These dogs need exercise every day, they love to run and play. Small Munsterlanders weigh 32 to 34 lbs. and stand 17 to 22" at the shoulders. Large Munsterlanders weigh 50 to 73 lbs. and stand 23 to 25" inches at the shoulders.

Colors

Generally white with black patches.

Living Area

Not recommended for apartment life. These dogs need exercise every day, they love to run and play.

Recognized By

LMCNA, FCI, KCGB, NKC, NZKC, CKC, ANKC, APRI, ACR, DRA

Pets4You offers listings of Munsterlander breeders with puppies for sale.