Small Munsterlander

F.C.I. Standard N° 102 / 06.12.2004/ GB

KLEINER  MÜNSTERLÄNDER

TRANSLATION : Elke Peper.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : Germany.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 09.11.2004.

UTILIZATION : Versatile working gundog.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 7 Pointing Dogs.  Section     1.2  Continental Pointing  Dogs.  Spaniel Type. With Working Trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The development of the Small Munsterlander is hidden somewhere in the middle of the 19th century. After the change of the German hunting law, with the increasing number of hunters and hunting enthusiasts and the systematic cultivation of the game stock the breeding of new German Pointing Dogs began. There are reports saying that around 1870 longcoated „Wachtelhunds“ (German Spaniels) were well known in the Munsterland region. These dogs were firm in pointing, they had  enormous scenting abilities and were also able to retrieve. In the year 1906 the well known heath poet Hermann Löns took care of the matter: He put a public appeal into the magazin „Unser Wachtelhund“  to give him a report on the still existing specimens of the red Hanovarian Heath Hound. However, instead of that he and his brothers discovered a pointing Wachtelhund on the farms, that they called „Heidewachtel“. Apart from the Löns brothers, well known dog men like for example the Baron of Bevervörde-Lohburg put efforts into getting a reasonable breeding stock in other regions as well. Mr. Heitmann, a teacher from Burgsteinfurt, achieved first success with his line breeding. Several other breeding families, known as the so-called „Dorsten type“, appeared during the following years in Westphalia. On March 17, 1912, the „Verband für Kleine Münsterländer Vorstehhunde“ (Club for Small Munsterlander Pointing Dogs) was finally founded. At that time this Club expressed its aims as follows: „ The Club pursues the purpose to promote the purity and the true breeding of the longcoated small pointing dog that has been bred in the Munsterland for many decades.“ The lack of the fixed breed characteristics at that time inhibited the breeding activities as well as the Club activities. From 1921, the breeders finally followed the breed standard that had been drawn up by Mr. Friedrich Jungklaus. Nevertheless, the true origin of the dogs of that time is not exactly proved.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Strong and harmonious build of medium size, showing balanced proportions with a lot of quality and elegance. Distinguished head. In upright posture the dog displays flowing outlines with horizontally carried tail. Its front legs are well feathered, the hind legs with breeches, the tail has a distinct flag. Its glossy coat should be straight or slightly wavy, dense and not too long. Its movement is harmonious and far reaching.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS : The length of the body from point of shoulders to the buttocks should exceed the height at the withers by not more than 5 cm. The length of the skull from the occiput to the stop is equal to the length of the muzzle from the stop to the nose.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : The Small Munsterlander is intelligent and capable of learning, full of temperament but even, with steady character; its attitude towards people is alert and friendly (suitable for family life), with good social behaviour and keeps close contact with his master (team spirit); with passionate, persevering predatory instinct, versatile hunting aptitudes and strong nerves and keenness for game.

HEAD : The expression of the head is part of the type.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Distinguished, lean, flat to slightly arched.

Stop : Only slightly pronounced but distinctly recognizable.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Wholecoloured brown.

Muzzle : Powerful, long, straight.

Lips : Short, tight closing, well pigmented – wholecoloured brown.

Jaws / teeth : Large white teeth. Powerful jaws with regular and complete scissor bite with the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. 42 teeth according to the dentition formula.

Cheeks : Strong, well muscled.

Eyes : Of medium size, neither protruding nor deep set. As dark brown as possible. Eyelids tight fitting to the eyeballs, covering the haws.

Ears : Broad, set on high, lying close to the head, tapering towards the tips, ear leather should not reach beyond the corner of the mouth.

NECK : Its length in balance with the general appearance; gradually widening towards the body. Napeline slightly arched, very muscular. Tight fitting throat skin.

BODY :

Topline : Slightly sloping in a straight line.

Withers : Pronounced.

Back : Firm, well muscled. The spinal processes should be covered by the musculature.

Loins : Short, broad, muscular.

Croup : Long and broad, not short slanting, only slightly sloping towards the tail; well muscled. Broad pelvis.

Chest : Rather deep than broad, breastbone reaching as far backwards as possible. Ribs well arched.

Underline and belly : Slight tuck-up towards the rear in an elegant curve; lean.

TAIL : Set on high, with long flag, strong at the base, then tapering. Of medium length. Carried downwards in repose, horizontally and  not too high above the level of the topline with a slight sweep when in action. In the lower third it may be curved slightly upwards.

LIMBS :

FOREQUARTERS : Viewed from the front straight and rather parallel, viewed from the side legs set well under the body. The distance from the ground to the elbows should be approximately equal to the distance from the elbows to the withers.

Shoulders : Shoulder blades lying close to the body, strongly muscled. Shoulder and upperarm forming a good angle of approximately 90 °.

Upper arm : As long as possible, well muscled.

Elbows : Close to the body, neither turning in nor out. The upper arm forming a good angle with the forearm.

Forearm : Strong bones, perpendicular to the ground.

Carpal joint : Strong.

Pasterns : Very slightly sloping.

Front feet : Round and arched with well knit toes and sufficiently thick, tough, robust pads. Not too heavy coat. Parallel in stance or in movement, neither turning in nor out.

HINDQUARTERS : Viewed from the rear straight and parallel. Correct angulation in stifles and hocks. Strong bones.

Upper thigh : Long, broad, muscular; forming a good angle with the pelvis.

Stifle : Strong, upper and lower thigh forming a good angle.

Lower thigh : Long, muscular and sinewy.

Hock joint : Strong.

Metatarsus : Short, perpendicular to the ground.

Hind feet : Round and arched with well knit toes and sufficiently thick, tough, robust pads; not too heavy coat. Parallel in stance or in movement, neither turning in nor out.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Ground covering, with good drive and appropriate reach, straight forward and parallel coming and going, with well upstanding posture. Pacing gait is undesirable.

SKIN : Tight fitting, without folds.

COAT :

HAIR : Dense, of medium length, not or only slightly wavy, close lying, water-repellent. The outlines of the body may not be hidden by too long coat. By its density it should provide as good a protection against weather, unfavourable terrain conditions and injuries as possible. Short smooth coat on the ears is faulty. Forelegs feathered, hindlegs with breeching down to the hocks, tail with a long flag and white tip, abundant coat on the forechest is undesirable.

COLOUR : Brown-white or brown roan with brown patches, brown mantle or brown ticking; blaze permitted. Tan coloured markings at the muzzle, the eyes and around the anus are permissible („Jungklaus markings“).

SIZE : Height at withers: Dogs: 54 cm. Bitches:  52 cm.

A deviation of +/- 2 cm is within the standard.

FAULTS : Any departure of the foregoing points must be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

SEVERE FAULTS :

•  Deviation of the size limits between +/- 2 cm and +/- 4 cm.

•  Clumsy, big-boned conformation.

•  Serious deviations from the correct proportions of body, neck and

   height and withers.

•  More than 50 % of the nose flesh-coloured or spotted.

•  Pointed muzzle. Dished nose bridge.

•  Eyes too light. Light yellow hawk eyes.

•  Serious lack of depth of chest or too flat sided brisket. Barrel

   shaped brisket.

•  Elbows heavily turning out or in.

•  Steep pasterns.

•  Strongly cow hocked or barrel legged, in stance as well as in

   movement.

•  Splayed toes; flat feet.

•  Clumsy movement.

•  Coat too curled.

•  Smooth hairless ears or too long and curled fringes on the ears.

ELIMINATING FAULTS

•  Fearfulness, aggressiveness, game or gun shyness.

•  Size deviations of more than +/- 4 cm.

•  Untypical sexual characteristics, sexual malformations.

•  Completely depigmented nose.

•  All deviations from the correct scissor bite except the lack or

   excess of two P1.

•  Split jaw or split lip.

•  Ektropion, entropion, distichiasis, bird’s eye.

•  Pronounced dewlap.

•  Distinct roach back, swayback; crooked spine.

•  Malformation of the ribcage, such as sternum cut off.

•  Kinky tail, ring tail, other tail abnormalities like too short or too

   long tail.

•  Wholecoloured dogs.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals must have two apparently normally developed testicles fully descended into the scrotum.