History Small Münsterländer

löns statue bronze

originally dog bred exclusively noble families , work families falconers before guns used in bird , small game hunting, ancestors of small münsterländer (formerly kleiner münsterländer vorstehhund) had work in upland areas flush prey falcon, allow falcon keep prey until falconer retrieve while dog pointed @ catch. day small münsterländer has excellent close searching , pointing drive. privileges , immunities of german nobility legally defined class abolished on august 11, 1919 promulgation of weimar constitution, recognising germans equal before laws of country. wider availability of guns , land use commoners, hunting became more popular, , breed further developed retriever worked equally in field , water. breed considered uniquely effective in working team huntsman in phases of hunt, akin close cooperation between sheep herder , border collie. elite hunter within versatile hunting dog arena , trained retrieve, hunt, , track following: woodcock, rails, grouse, dove, partridge, chukar, quail, pheasant, ducks, geese, rabbit, deer, , fox. small münsterländer not far ranging dog hunting close in heavier cover , ranging 100-150 yards in light cover in effort maintain hunting partnership owner.

the small münsterländer 1 of 4 oldest versatile breeds , long haired versatile hunting dogs evolved small münsterländer , flat coated retriever. small münsterländer thought on 500 years old, originating munster region of germany not related large münsterländer, , documentation of ancestors around 13th , 14th centuries. 1800s breed had fallen obscurity. small munsterlanders little known, kept few families on farms around munster. half century few dogs bred companions, , used when hunting feed family rather sport. developed local reputation dog have when hunter s success or failure determined whether family have enough eat. @ end of 19th century, concerted effort made re-establish breed remaining lines in munster region. fortunate outcome of companion phase in small münsterländer history excellent in-home personality. cultural , wildlife use changes put end bread hunting , replaced recreational hunting. advance in firearms, falconry became outmoded. @ turn of century, edmund lons, brother of famous hunting , nature poet hermann lons, discovered small münsterländers in 2 towns in lower saxony. lons obtained dogs 2 lines. 1 line consisted of fine boned, agile, lively , intelligent dogs, known track sound on trail. dogs of other line slow in search, of strong build, , excellent in use of nose. background , breeding of these dogs traced several generations.