Orlovia
The traditional medieval names Wachtelhund, Habichtshund, or Vogelhund, like the terms Spy and Stöber, provide information about the origin of the smallest German pointing dog.
Interesting Facts about the Breed
Small Munsterlander – a German dog breed with euphonious alias names. Especially in the Netherlands, people still talk a lot about the heath quail. Foraging and hunting are the cornerstones of breeding, which began in the Münsterland at the end of the 19th century. The Small Munsterlander carries out his hunting assistant work with brains and great attention.
Coupled with a pronounced joy for retrieving and a great affinity for water, the animal is characterized as a retriever for the shot feathered game and as an extremely versatile working dog. The spy in the Small Munsterlander picks up the scent of birds, for example, in order to then clearly indicate this to the hunter in the manner of the pointing dog.
In the so-called pointing position, the dog remains calm in front of the prey. Headfirst with neck stretched out, tail slightly lowered, and at the same time often one front paw raised, this signal gives the hunter time to prepare his shot.
After this, the hunting assistant observes the whereabouts of the game and starts retrieving it on command. He always stays in contact with people. Regardless of the terrain, the dog goes about its tasks quickly, agilely, and tirelessly. Well protected even in thorny bushes and hedgerows thanks to a medium-length, plain coat with smooth or slightly wavy hair. The dog is conspicuously feathered on the front paw, and the coat has a white or roan base color.
Small Munsterlander Creature
And the hunting dog loves this job – sometimes representatives of this breed take every little puddle with them in order to be able to establish contact with this element. The hunting dog from the past is still a lively animal with a lot of movement. The Small Munsterlander has pronounced sociability and quickly becomes a dear family member, extremely child-friendly and suitable for the apartment.
Its size does not stand in the way: the males of this breed have a shoulder height of 52 to 56 centimeters, bitches are only two centimeters lower. The FCI standard with the number 102, which is based in Germany, does not show any weight – appropriately fed, the Small Munsterlander weighs 18 to 27 kilograms.
Nevertheless, no rose is without a thorn – the Small Munsterlander is and remains connected to the hunt in its nature. Many breeders make sure that their offspring are only given to hunters. With good reason. Retrieving, water, and tracking work in dog sports only insufficiently replace working on the game. Boredom is poison for the Small Munsterlander and he quickly fills free spaces as he sees fit.
The intelligent dog is looking for a varied life, it is a working dog that cannot be satisfied if it is not busy. Barking is also part of it because it demands dead barking and vocalization as orientation for the hunter.
Small Munsterlander Character
The Small Munsterlander is a dog with a character that knows what it (doesn’t) want. Relevant experience with dogs helps with the necessary consistent training. Experienced Munsterlanders and hunters or dog owners with hunting dog experience have a clear advantage.
Because they exist, the challenges with the Stöberer, are highly valued by Edmund Löns (the brother of the poet Hermann Löns). Pulling on the leash is not a sign of disregard, but it should be stopped early on. In the field, the dog searches persistently with its nose and ears – it is just as persistent when waiting at home as when out and about in the beer garden. He wallows in many kinds of animal excrement with equal devotion as he chases away birds, stalks ducks, or barks at cows and sheep.
Training can never completely eliminate its hunting instinct, although the Small Munsterlander’s intelligence and ever-present willingness to learn to make it easier to manage. The ingenuity of the owner is challenged every day to keep the lively helper busy. Involved in work and family in this way, a very harmonious coexistence can develop.