Breeds / Large
Large Munsterlander puppies
Affectionate, biddable and quiet in the house, a versatile German gundog that hunts, points, retrieves and tracks and needs work to match.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Germany
- Adult weight 22.7 to 31.8 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 50 to 70 lb
- Adult height 58 to 67 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Not published
- Typical lifespan 12 to 14 years
- Good with children Usually good
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
No published figure for coat type, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.
About the Large Munsterlander
The Large Munsterlander is a German gundog that split off from the German Longhaired Pointer when black and white dogs were excluded from that breed's register and enthusiasts carried on with them as their own. It weighs 22.7 to 31.8 kg and stands 58 to 67 cm. It is a genuine all rounder that hunts, points, retrieves and tracks. At home it is affectionate and quiet by gundog standards, and it carries the top trainability rating for good reason.
The catch is how much work it needs. Without daily hard exercise and something for the nose, a Munsterlander goes self employed, wandering off to hunt on its own account, so recall training and a secure boundary come first. Grooming is occasional brushing, with more attention in late spring and early autumn when it sheds. It rates well with children, with supervision and socialisation. The mistake is buying one as a family pet and offering it a walk round the park.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Large Munsterlander puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, screened by x-ray evaluation of breeding stock
- Inherited eye disease including cataract, screened by an ophthalmologist examination
- Ear infections under the drop ear, found by regular ear checks
From Large Munsterlander breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/large-munsterlander/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Large Munsterlander puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Large Munsterlander.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 22.7 to 31.8 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.