YOUR PET MUNSTERLANDER


CONGRATULATIONS!! If you've got this far it means that you are seriously considering getting a Large Munsterlander to join your family. You will of course have discussed it with your nearest and dearest and have reached a unanimous decision? Good. Now you need to start the search for a suitable puppy. Before you take this final step, however, perhaps you ought to read this page first.

In the countries of mainland Europe finding a Large Munsterlander puppy should not be a problem : the Large Munsterlander is a familiar and popular breed and a breeder with pups for sale should not be too hard to track down.
In the UK and also Australia and New Zealand the Large Munsterlander is seen as a show dog and also as an excellent working gundog and pups are usually available to be sold to suitable family homes, but the Large Munsterlander Club of North America is pledged to only register dogs with proven working ability and will (allegedly) only sell pups to homes where they will be trained to the gun. So, if you're Across The Pond and you would dearly love a Large Munsterlander as just a family pet - good luck!!

The most obvious people to contact for information as to the availability of pups are the Breed Clubs - in the UK, contact the National Gundog Association for details, in the USA and Canada there is the Large Munsterlander Club of North America and for Australia and New Zealand, try Dogz Online for lists of local breeders. But be aware that they are not a common breed and you may well have to wait for a litter to be born to find a pup - if you find a breeder who is proposing to have a litter of pups in the reasonably near future, contact them as soon as you hear about it, as if you don't you could miss out for the pups could well be booked up and sold before they are born.

So, you have found yourself a litter of Large Munsterlanders and, amazingly, there is actually a choice of puppies for you to go and look at! They will be cute little black-and-white bundles - but take a look at Mum, and Dad if at all possible : still sure it's the breed for you? Good - now turn your attention back to those puppies. If you're not planning on showing your dog at some future date then its markings and conformation are not a major consideration : because Large Munsterlanders are not bred indiscriminately they should all be good physical specimens. Instead you should be looking at the personalities of these little bundles of fun - because they will very soon be BIG bundles of fun! I personally like a puppy that is inquisitive and friendly enough to want to come and meet me, and would not choose the sweet little shrinking violet sitting quietly in the corner, but this is something you have to decide for yourself and you must choose the puppy that appeals to YOU.

Once you have chosen your puppy and it is now old enough to leave its mother and litter-mates, and money (not a small sum!) has changed hands, you will be taking your new friend home. It is my experience that Large Munsterlander puppies settle down remarkably quickly in their new home; they make friends quickly, especially with the children but also with resident dogs, the family cat and any neighbours' pets. They are also easily house-trained - in fact, if the puppy has stayed with Mum for eight or nine weeks she will have just about done the job for you.

Bringing up a Large Munsterlander puppy is the same as for any other large-breed puppy. They need regular meals of good-quality food, daily exercise - but not TOO much as this can permanently damage the bones of a growing pup - plenty of company, and most important of all, vaccination against all the canine diseases prevalent in your part of the world. Do not hesitate to consult your local veterinary surgeon for advice at any time and if you are at all concerned about your dog, and in any case take your new pup along for a checkup soon after you get him home - however impeccable his pedigree, it is far better to be safe than sorry, and your vet will give you advice about worming, vaccinations, feeding etc.

If you intend to keep your dog as a family pet, whether it is male or female, HAVE IT NEUTERED!! Unneutered male dogs can be a nuisance if there is a bitch in season anywhere within a radius of a few miles - they will pine, go off their food, howl, and try to escape at any opportunity, and they may object to the presence of other male dogs on "their" territory. Unneutered bitches come into season twice-yearly, and you will have to keep a close eye on her to ensure that she does not end up with a litter of unplanned mongrel pups; even if you are super-vigilant, you will be subject to the local stray dogs camping on your doorstep and making a thorough nuisance of themselves. Additionally, as she ages, the unneutered bitch is far more prone to life-threatening diseases and infections which can be entirely prevented by having her spayed. ASK YOUR VET for advice.

As your Large Munsterlander grows you will need to increase the amount of exercise he gets. As befits a dog with such a recent hunting ancestry, the Large Munsterlander is tireless and you will start to flag long before he does! He will LOVE to go for long rambles in the country and will happily rummage around, dashing backwards and forwards while you take a more sensible path; if there is any WATER around, don't expect to take your Munsterlander home dry!

If your lifestyle can cope with the needs of a Large Munsterlander you will have no regrets about choosing to take one into your life. The rewards far outweigh the disadvantages and you can be assured of a faithful, affectionate companion for the rest of his life.

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