Living with a Munsterlander

The Large Munsterlander is loyal, affectionate and trustworthy. They are very energetic with a love of life. Munsterlanders are "people dogs" and need regular human contact. Being a working gundog they are a breed that needs both mental and physical stimulation. Generally a protective breed they will look after their territory and owners.

 
Regular exercise is a necessity. Obedience training is always recommended. 

Munsterlanders are good with children but, they do grow quite large and being a lively breed they can be a bit rough for toddlers & young children without supervision. 

Generally Munsterlanders are not fussy eaters, however many juvenile Munsterlanders have trouble gaining or maintaining their weight, especially if they are being worked. Their energetic nature often burns up their food with out any weight gain. If this is the case often feeding meals twice a day rather than one big meal can help, especially when the dogs do not eat a lot in one sitting. But beware these skinny dogs often suddenly have a change in metabolism between 2 and 3 years and before you know it they are putting on weight. 

Oakmont Country Belle QC (Imp NZ)

They have an incredible love of water making them excellent water retrievers, being strong swimmers, once you get a Munster in water you will be lucky to get it out. Even on a walk in the park do not be surprised if your Munster takes a dip in the closest deep puddle.

Despite a medium length coat they are "wash & wear" dogs, any dirt they pick up during the day falls out easily. Only dropping coat twice a year with the change of season, brushing weekly and the occasional bath will keep them looking at their best. Unlike Spaniels and Setters which many people liken them to, Munsterlanders require little to no "trimming" for your pet to look like its "show counterparts". 

The colour of Munsterlander puppies can often be deceiving, they are born solid white with black patches. As they get older they develop more ticking (black spots) and flecking (black roaning). Puppies born with pink pads & nose will have a white base coat as an adult dog, pups born with black pads & nose will be light to dark roan as an adult. Roan dogs will have a more dramatic colour change from puppy to adulthood. See below for examples a solid white bitch and the changes to a dark roan dog.

Large Munsterlander puppies are absolutely adorable. They are playful, energetic, and mischievous! Until the end of their teething stage anything chewable of value should be kept out of reach, until then anything is fair game. They learn very fast, being consistent is the key. For example do not give them an old shoe to chew one day then scream when they chew up a good shoe the next! Never scold a puppy for an act earlier in the day, unless you catch them in the act, they will not know why they are in trouble. The more "toys" you give them to keep them occupied the happier they will be.  

During the teenage years, obedience training is always recommended, that way once they reach maturity you will have an obedient socially acceptable canine companion that will make you proud. 

One trait they will never grow out of is their desire to have something in their mouth, the desire to retrieve anything close to hand for a bit of praise from you will always leave you with a pile of little presents.....slippers, tennis balls....their lead if you have forgotten to walk them....fluffy toys......if it can be retrieved you will be given it. 

What to expect from a Munsterlander.

Average life expectancy 8 - 12 years.

Known hereditary problems:

: Hip Dysplasia

Ask to view the hip scores of the parents any dogs with high scores should be avoided. For the score to be accurate the dogs should be at least 12-18 months when X-rayed. ( The breed average in Aust is 19 - source Australian Veterinary Association 1998)

: Cataracts.

Ask to view recent eye certificates - these problems are not common in Australia however all breeders should take care.

: Skin Disorders (rashes and bald spots)

Ask for the history of the puppies’ parents, some lines have more problems than others. A healthy diet with few food colorings & preservatives, and flea control can help, but often the problems are hereditary. If your dog is having problems check with the breeder, they may be able to give you some good advice before you donate your hard earned cash to your vet for tests someone else has had before. Obviously bad cases will need vet treatment so use your best judgment.  

: Non hereditary:

Grass seeds can cause problems for this breed as the have dense fur between their toes and long ears that hang down. During the grass seed season you should check your pets feet & ears daily to ensure that they have not picked up any seeds.

Ears in general because of their coated pendulous nature can cause problems if left unattended. Cleaning with a cleanser you can purchase from your Vet or pet shop will keep their ears clean. Excessive head shaking caused by ear infections can lead to more serious problems, which will need Veterinary care.

The occasional case of bloat has also been reported within the breed, this is common in many deep chested breeds, such as Weimaraners and Curly Coated Retrievers. Your breeder should be able to give you more information on how best to avoid this problem which is often caused by exercising too close to feeding time. 

Pros and Cons of the Breed. (These points are based on nearly 13 years with the breed, and contact with around 75 Large Munsterlanders, of varying pedigrees.)  The majority of Munsters show few signs of the bad points listed, I have only included them as a guide.

Good Points : Very Affectionate.
                         : Energetic.
                         : Protective.
                         : Loyal.
                         : Intelligent. 
                         : Biddable.
                         : Obedient when trained.
                         : Excellent scenting ability.
                         : Natural retrievers.
                         : Very agile.

Bad Points    : They can be timid.
                         : Over-protective.
                         : Jealous.
                         : Boisterous.
                         : Noisy if bored.
                         : Destructive if bored.
                         : Stubborn.  
                         : Dominant. 
                         : Jumpers.

I must stress that the "Bad points" listed are NOT indicative of the breed all Munsterlanders posses the "Good Points", the "Bad Points" usually only surface through incorrect upbringing, eg. not sociallising or allowing boredom by not exercising, or allowing the dog to be boss when you should be pack leader. This is a problem that can occur in most breeds if you do not bring the dog up in a suitable manner for the breed in question. Large Munsterlanders from strong working lines can be frustrating to first time dog owners as their enthusiasm needs to be harnessed, if not the dogs can become naughty, caused by their boredom.  

Taking into account all their good and bad points most Munsterlander owners would agree it is a breed that once you have one you would never want to change breeds again.

I hope all this information has not discouraged you from owning a Munsterlander, but I believe too many people buy puppies without knowing what they "may" be in for, by being only told "best case scenario's". 

If you are still unsure of if a Large Munsterlander would suit your lifestyle there is a "non bias" Web site devoted to choosing the correct pet for you. The large Munsterlander is not a breed featured on the site (they only have 100 "popular recognised breeds") however if you fill in the questionnaire honestly then submit the form you will be given a choice of 4 breeds that would suit you. Should any of those suggestions be the Gordon Setter, English Setter, Irish Setter, Bouvier Des Flandres or Airedale Terrier then maybe a Large Munsterlander is for you! These breeds do not look like a Large Munsterlander, but the answers that best suit a Munsterlander often result in these breeds. 

Another site devoted to finding the right breed for you is the Dog Breed Info site. This site does have information about Large Munsterlanders and with the correct answers the Large Munsterlander could be recommended for you and you family. Give it a try.

Still interested? Send me an e-mail!