Before beginning our search for our first hunting partner and home companion, we explored all the different breeds that had attracted us earlier in life, then considered how each breed suited our intended purpose. Interestingly, we ended up choosing a dog from a breed we'd never heard of before. Then we talked to several breeders, and we were very fortunate, both with the breed and in our breeder selection. At that time, there were fewer breeders, and our wait was roughly a year and a half. If we were to buy another today, our process, however, would be entirely different. In fact, it may even take longer. Being in a hurry to bring any puppy home is never in your best interest.
As late-onset hunters, trainers, hunt testers, individuals who have shown their dogs in confirmation and now breeders of Small Munsterlanders, we possess a broader and deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the breed, especially as it relates to form and function or confirmation standards. We know more about training and testing and how to use resources available through the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) and other breeders to help both ourselves and even our buyers in the decision-making process. This knowledge didn't come overnight either. It took time and research. It's involved talking to breeders in both Small Munsterlander clubs. It took networking and mentorship. Most importantly, we know what we're looking for, which is critically important to finding the right fit, though there are no guarantees even when you've done your due diligence, especially when one is looking for a breed prospect to grow or replace an existing breeder-stud or bitch. To be honest, we've struggled choosing the best puppies from our own litters to enhance our breeding program. This isn't unique to breeders either. There are myriads of books on puppy selection but there's no crystal clear path.
Why take the time to write this blog? What's benefit does it offer? First, we wish to share objectively what we've experienced and to support buyers in their process, maybe even folks who aspire to start their own kennel. Second, it's simply good for the breed-actually any breed. It has been, and remains, an amazing but deeply complex journey. Funny thing too, this article could be applied to researching any breed and/or breeding program. As far as we know, there's no current blue print for this either.
What makes the Small Munsterlander unique?
"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground."
Theodore Roosevelt
Instead of trying to reinvent the breed's history, which is widely available online, we decided it would be more helpful to connect you with sources that offer a reliable history and account of the breed. Several sources are provided in the links below.
The initial link is from a Dutch owner of Small Munsterlanders who previously bred these dogs and now works as a trainer and enjoys hunting with them. She is currently employed as a dietitian in Holland.
The second link is from the Kleine Munsterlander Club Group North America, which is a member group of the original club in Germany.
This third account touches on the history but delves a bit into the standards and how it applies to form and function of the breed. It was published recently in November 2024 in the American Kennel Clubs (AKC) Showsight Magazine and was written by Bill Tomlin who also started the Whoa Post podcast and is an aspiring Small Munsterlander (SM) breeder. He's done an amazing job in the article, capturing how he sees the breed, the history and how form and function relate to the standards from his own personal perspective.
Beyond the historical accounting of the breed and a brief look at form and function, we felt it might add value to share characteristics and traits we observed in our adult breeding dogs and our puppies that are often less known to folks just starting their research. They are not arranged by importance or priority and our from direct observation and experience with them over the last 10 years. It is not a complete list either, just things we've found interesting about the breed and that came to mind as we were developing the article; they're a piece of the puzzle as we looked at attempting to put this together:
Some Small Munsterlanders exhibit site and/or scent laut, though not all do. This characteristic, still present today, aligns with historical descriptions of the two distinct lines credited as the breed's origins. In German, "laut" as an adjective means "loud." When Small Munsterlanders with this trait see or scent fur game animals like deer, hare, or cottontail rabbits, they bark or become loud on the fur. This behavior can be undesirable for some North American foot hunters who specifically target feathered game. In South Dakota, a dog barking at the scent of a fast-moving jack rabbit—one of North America's swiftest mammals—can quickly clear a field of feathered quarry, particularly late in the season! We were unaware of this when we began our research. Our kennel has three dogs that inherited this trait. The history underscores its significance, especially in early Germany.
In roan dogs, the puppies' colors white or salt and pepper color, darken during their first two years. Ticking on brown and white pups becomes more pronounced during this same time frame. The pad colors at birth assist breeders in informing buyers whether the pups will be brown and white or roan. Predominately pink pads equals brown and white. Dark pads or mixed pads speak to roan.
The Small Munsterlander is indeed a versatile hunting dog, excelling in field, forest, and water environments. While some may have preferences for certain settings, all are capable of excelling in the aforementioned areas. What's conditioned during the first 6 months to a year will draw out these traits to their fullest. This is extremely important too. If you do all your due diligence but don't stimulate the pups during these developmental windows, they may never blossom to their fullest capabilities.
Pictures can often be misleading relative to the breed's size, both in male and female dogs. Our experience has been that they always appear larger in pictures than in real life. We strongly suggest visiting a breeder in person or attending a hunt test to see the dogs in action while hunting, testing, and/or training where and when possible. This will provide a clearer understanding of the breed's physical size, demeanor, and how their size meets the field and/or your personal goals.
History shows that they are highly adaptable hunters. We've experienced this firsthand as we expanded into different quarry afield and on the water. Additionally, they excel in domestic home settings, settling into amazing family dogs as they mature. They indeed have an off switch and can be wonderful companion dogs for the entire family. We have also been informed that they can be trained not to hunt birds of the farm like chickens and ducks or even furred farm animals.
While not a new observation, it's crucial to recognize that each Small Munsterlander has a unique personality. Some are more affectionate, while others are more reserved. Our dogs display both of these traits. Additionally, we've noticed that males tend to be easier to train and show more affection. Although we only have one male, other breeders have shared similar experiences.
Females can be harder charging in the field, but this isn't always the case. In our experience as developing handlers/trainers, we've found females more challenging to unlock. This also aligns with historical testing results through the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association's (NAVHDA's) registry since being brought into the country. There are very few female Versatile Champions (VCs), while males more commonly attain advanced hunt test titles and VC titles more frequently.
Not all Small Munsterlanders have the same level of agility. The dogs' differences in physique, referenced in the historical accounts above from the Heitman and the Wolberg lines, can still be seen today in North American Small Munsterlanders. This is an important consideration in breeder selection, which we will discuss below. We have both physiques represented in our breeding females and a blend of the two as well. Our male has more bone and muscle mass, representing more clearly the Wolberg ancestry. He also has both scent and sight laut on fur, again pointing toward Wolberg ancestry.
We believe the hallmark of the breed is their capability to blood track downed game. This trait has the potential to conflict with steadiness and pointing quality, making their propensity to want to track a crucial trait to consider when choosing the breed. It's important to ask yourself about this characteristic as you decide if the breed aligns with your hunting ideals. If a staunch point is your number one priority, ensure you discuss this with potential breeders. Our experience is that pointing is more staunch when in pursuit of wild game too. While hunt testing, there is more chance the dog may flag. They're so smart, they know the hunt testing game, pun intended.
Small Munsterlanders are not typically seen as exceptional pointers, although some possess this genetic trait more than others. This can affect testing evaluation. We've always felt the evaluation of the point should align with "the breed standard" rather than the standards of other pointing dogs or how they present. Not all pointing dogs exhibit the same style when pointing or, for that matter, even search the field with the same vigor. Another thing impacting this is the long tail and furnishings—it's extremely noticeable. A number of other versatile breeds of dogs have short hair and docked tails, making this less magnetic or eye-attracting. The two breed standards currently in use, which largely mirror each other, are attached below. One is used by the German club and its sister here in North America, while the other is used by the SMCA, the parent club of the AKC standard. Study them to ensure understanding!
SMCA/AKC standard:
German standard:
http://www.fci.be/nomenclature/Standards/102g07-en.pdf
Small Munsterlanders have a double coat and shed, but they don't tend to emit the same musty odor that a typical Lab does when wet. We believe the brown and white dogs shed more than the roan ones, although this might be an illusion because white fur is more noticeable in our home's typical off-white settings.
Small Munsterlanders possess webbed feet. They love the water!
The breed standard does not require a docked tail. The Small Munsterlander and similar breeds, like retrievers, use their tails for steering in water. On two occasions, in extremely hot weather, multi-day hunting, and preparing one of our dogs for water test elements, we have observed limber tail or drop tail in two different dogs. Limber tail or drop tail is an injury caused by overuse coupled with extreme temperatures. This issue affected our male and one of our females—each one time. We believe it was linked to excessive heat during a multi-day upland hunt in one instance. The second occurrence was due to excessive water work in preparation for the water portion of an advanced hunt test. Again, both instances involved high temperatures.
The density and type of a dog's coat differ from one SM to another. Coats may be soft, medium soft, or coarse, and can be straight or wavy. The coat's density is usually categorized as open, medium dense, or dense. This is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a hunting dog, as the coat shields the dog from environmental conditions—briar, cold, heat, etc. Knowing this can aid your breeder selection process as well. Do you hunt in cold or warm environments, water, or in areas with lots of burrs? If so, you could ask about or research testing write-ups specific to the pairings being considered. We prefer the coarser, dense coats with minimal furnishing.
Coat furnishings differ among individual dogs. This is an important factor to consider, as the Small Munsterlander is a long-haired breed, and hunting them in areas with burrs can significantly affect your post-hunt tailgate checks if they have an abundance of soft, inviting fur. Coarser fur with less furnishing normally equals fewer burrs. Products like Showsheen can help manage this, but it's part of owning this breed.
Puppies' coats evolve over the first two years, making the coat challenging to predict in final appearance and texture until mature. Recognizing this and aligning your expectations with the genetic factors of parents and grandparents can potentially help you achieve your desired outcome. Breeders should be knowledgeable about coat types of their lines and should be able to discuss this with you.
Small Munsterlanders usually shed twice a year, in the fall and spring. We've observed these two coats can vary slightly. For example, one of our females is brown and white with very light ticking. Her spring coat ticks are significantly darker compared to her fall coat ticks.
Some coats appear to accumulate more dead fur than others. We have a brown and white dog whose dark patches accumulate more dead fur than her white areas. The best way to remove this dead fur is to hand strip. Brushing won't achieve the same outcome and, depending on what you use for its removal, could actually damage the coat.
There are two distinct clubs representing the Small Munsterlander in North America: the Small Munsterlander Club of America (SMCA) and the Kleine Munsterlander Club Group North America (KLM GNA). Each club adheres to its own breed standard and has unique testing and conformation evaluation requirements. Below, I have provided links to both clubs so you can conduct your own research on their differences. Click on the logo to be directed to their sites. We are more familiar with the SMCA and NAVHDA, less with the KLM GNA and JGV testing organizations.
Small Munsterlanders are currently considered a rare breed in North America. Due to this, they haven't developed into distinctly different show and hunting lines. Though people often credit the AKC for the ruin of breeds by making them more popular, it is our opinion that registries have nothing to do with dividing breeds into show and hunting lines. We believe breeders control this destiny. Those placing dogs with open registrations aid the development of these factions along. The AKC does make the breed more visible, but we see this as a good thing versus the beginning of the end.
How To Match Intended Use to Achieve Right Fit?
Any fool can know. The point is to understand.
Albert Einstein
By exploring your intended use and matching breed traits and litter pairing to this use, buyers can align breed to need. We've provided common ways Small Munsterlanders are often employed below. Only you, however, can match the breed to intended use and thus to a breeder who offers what you're looking for.
Common uses:
Upland hunting
Waterfowl hunting
Mountain hunting
Forest hunting
All hunting venues upland, water, mountain, forest
Shed hunting
Blood tracking
Scent work
Search and rescue
Agility
Obedience/Rally
Confirmation
Hunt testing
Breeder prospect
Companion dog
Therapy or working dog
When we were considering the purchase of our first Small Munsterlander, we hadn't gone through this exploration process. Remember, we were late-onset hunters. Our interests have evolved over time too. Furthermore, we didn't know the traits we were looking for in a Small Munsterlander either. In fact, we knew very little about the breed. Honestly, we were like most buyers who call us today. Additionally, we didn't know how these traits would impact our goals—we didn't have any other intended use other than hunting with our dog—but on what... We just knew we wanted a hunting dog. Because we were not looking at him as a breeding prospect or stud, we limited ourselves before even starting too.
Worth knowing, breeders often give preference to buyers who intend to develop a stud dog or bitch for breeding. This often leads to early selection in pick order and to dogs who appear to have the most promising conformation at roughly 7 weeks. Buyers that understand the reciprocal nature between both the buyer and breeder commit to giving back to the breeder and breed itself. It takes a community or alliance to rear and develop good breeding lines and/or breeding programs. As we started to see what Cedar was capable of as he grew and developed, everything changed for us. As much as he's grown and developed, so have we, or at least we'd like to think we have... We now hunt him in all the wilderness venues detailed above—though waterfowl hunting isn't our passion, we've hunt tested him beyond the minimum standard, and shown him. He's a SMCA stud and has produced eight litters. The same applies to three of our girls. They too all exceed current minimum standards for the SMCA. We probably couldn't say this if we belonged to the KLM GNA whose standards are different and more stringent. Had we known what we were looking for as detailed in this section of the post before our selection of a breeder, it may have impacted where we chose to go for our selection of a breeder—maybe not. It would have informed our process to a greater degree without doubt though. This is the reason for this blog's development. It's another way we can contribute to its development and betterment. We hope people find value in the perspectives.
This article is aimed at helping buyers learn more about the nuances of breed selection prior to making a selection of a breed and breeder, and less so the actual pup, in hopes of stacking the cards to favor achieving one's goal with the pup. By doing your personal due diligence and knowing in advance what you desire, you are more likely to realize your goal. As stated at the onset, we were simply lucky. Could we have done better? Hard to say... genetics and breeding are an incredibly involved crap-shoot. Well-intentioned breeders do the best they can to provide the tapestry; buyers are equally important to overall success too. They bring the paint and vision. Good buyers and breeders, though, are very thoughtful and intentional in their well-informed choices. The rest is up to Mother Nature and, to a far lesser degree, luck.
Let's talk now about Small Munsterlander traits, both heritable and trained, and how they might influence the selection process of a breed and breeder. Heritable traits are inherited from parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. They're genetic and come from the lines paired. In fact, they can go farther back than just a 10-generation pedigree, though they have less of an impact the further back in the line found. Non-heritable traits are often looked at as trained. For instance, steadiness isn't a genetic, heritable trait. Some may argue this point, pun intended, but steadiness happens to be very unnatural for dogs. It's easy to confuse steadiness with the point too. Even judges are challenged by this. Steadiness is to be evaluated after the dog points and acknowledges the handler. Once the acknowledgment has been observed, we are now looking at steadiness. Dogs don't point then remain steady forever naturally. Otherwise, they'd have gone hungry and died out long ago. To be steady to wing, shot, and fall is something trained and developed. Pointing, on the other hand, is genetic. It's not taught; it is inherited. It could have a trained component, but this is arguable. We teach a dog to be steady to protect them and to allow the foot hunter to ready themselves for the shot. It helps the hunter focus on the quarry; the dog typically is now behind them as they've "stolen the point" and are now flushing the bird. One could also argue it is trained to reward the team's more likely success in bagging the game. The dog's reward... the retrieve. The hunter's reward, a tasty meal. Wild dogs never did this naturally or genetically.
Let's look at different heritable traits (H), traits that have both (B) training and inherited likelihood, and ones that are considered (T) trained.
Traits:
Temperament/Overall Behavior | H-though can be influence by training |
Eye Color and Shape | H |
Front and Rear Assembly Angles | H |
Topline | H |
Tailset | H |
Furnishings | H |
Coat | H |
Nose | H |
Tracking | B-can be influenced by training but highly dependent on nose or genetics |
Pointing | H |
Retrieving | B though likely influence by genetics |
Steadiness | T |
Water Work | B though highly influenced by genetic |
Field Search | B though likely influenced by genetics and training |
Desire to Work | B though likely influenced by genetics and training |
Cooperation | B though likely influenced genetics and training |
Obedience | T though directly related to temperament |
Stamina | B though has genetic component related to body type |
With all these traits in mind, both heritable and trainable, or ones considered to be influenced by both, where could one go to obtain information about each of them? Obviously, breeders for one. Breeders should be well-versed in their lines and what traits their dogs possess. But what about the dogs they produce and their grandparents and great-grandparents? They're going to know less about these dogs naturally unless the parents, grandparents, and progeny are tested. How would anyone know whether these traits are passed on or if they are learned and developed easily? Hunt testing is a great source for this information. How does one obtain this hunt testing information?
For dogs in the SMCA, the go-to for testing information is the North American Versatile Hunting Association. Of recent, we are starting to see more involvement with the SM in AKC events as well. For dogs in the KIM, the Jagdgebrauchshundverein-USA is their go-to testing vehicle, though some KLM GNA dogs may also test with NAVHDA. How about information or confirmation results? Show results are typically a non-biased source. Depending on the show or other testing venues, most can be sourced through letters before or after a dog's name—for instance, IntCH or NaCh with the International All Breeds Canine Association (IABCA). Titles in shows are more complex for us to understand due to our limited background in show. We have included a link to AKC and IABCA title abbreviations below. Knowing what the abbreviation stands for is less important than knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the dog from our opinion. We've chosen the IABCA as our show venue because the judges will sit down with you after each show ring event and share with you their critique of the dog and evaluate your dog based on the breed standard. We've found this non-biased and very valuable. It's less about competition for us and more about being able to use their feedback in refining our pairing searches to help improve where weakness is present. Video of dogs showing tells too. Seeing a dog move and knowing what to look for is an art. Hence the reason we see value in show.
Are dogs produced from one breeding kennel recommended and evaluated or breeding more than another? One need be careful with this as an assessment tool. Some breeders, breed more litters than others, so this might not be as reliable data point for smaller breeders who have less litters each year or are just getting started. Pairing changes will also change results too. This same concept applies for recommendations from buyers about breeders on social media. What if breeders sell dogs to buyers who don't use Facebook? Or vice versa, some breeders sell more dogs and there may be a higher percentage of these buyers on social media for instance. Also remember what we knew when we started out-very litter, so be careful about placing to much credence in buyers themselves who recommend breeders. We would be more inclined to talk to buyers and vet them just like the folks who are considering us as a prospect kennel. Then we can determine the value of their recommendation by asking them questions to elicit how grounded their knowledge appears. Video or personal observation is our preference for seeing a dogs movement and further how it conforms to the standard. We're going to explore this during the next section of the post. Just wetting your whistle. Further, we wanted to express how complex this topic really is and that again time taken on the front end will help you achieve your goal more than anything else, SM or not.
From Traits to Breeder and Breeder to Pup
"Every artist creates with open eyes what she sees in her dream."
Marge Piercy
Narrowing down a breeder is not an easy task. We often speak with prospects who have identified the breeds' fit base on two maybe three things-hunting ability, size and off button, but don't even know how to pronounce the breeds name. Hmm.... They want to know if we have a litter on the ground and if they can buy a brown and white, female and the cost, nothing more. This is a red flag to a breeder. Understanding this can provide you as a buyer with valuable information too. Speaking with candor we seek informed buyers, ideally hunters or prospects who have a job for their canine partner in mind already. Ones who are willing to take the time to condition and train their pup into the best partner and companion possible. Ones that are willing to invest in the breed and help breeders with determining if their pairings have the goods to become a proven versatile hunting companion and family friend. Ones who have done their due diligence, who have actually looked at our website and have insightful questions for us. Ones who have talked to others, and other breeders. Good breeders will coach too. They will ask you insightful questions about your what you are looking for and why. They will ask if you've had other conversations too. Good buyers will ask breeders what they're breeding for in an attempt to become more familiar with differences in each pairing. Good breeders will guide you through the process, not just sell you a dog. It goes both ways ideally.
Buying a dog is a huge investment in time and energy, especially if you want the dog to hold up over time. It should start well before the purchase too. So what's available to you to help you in this endeavor, and how can these resources inform your process? We've listed immediately below places to seek out this valuable information about breeders, litter availability, club standards, testing standards, and how to vet proposed litter pairings in an effort to obtain the best possible fit for what you intend to do with your pup/dog. This takes time, research, and understanding. It takes time on the phone talking to people and, more importantly, listening. It takes being honest with yourself and those you are considering. You aren't just buying a dog; you're investing in a relationship that can help you before and after the purchase, one that ideally will last 12 to 14 years, maybe beyond. You're looking for a relationship built on mutual respect, mentoring, and availability. Here's a list of resource tools we've used. We will elaborate on each and how we use them and their limitations next.
Sources of information we've used:
Small Munsterlander Club of North America Website
Kleine Munsterlander Club Group North America Website
Approved Breeders Personal Websites or Social Media Pages
Talking with or Meet with Small Munsterlander Owners
North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association and Jagdgebrauchshundverein - USA Websites
American Kennel Club
The World Wide Web as a General Source
Breed Standards
Visit Breeders Kennel and Interview Where Not Possible
Hunt with Small Munsterlanders from Prior Litter(s) or Breeder Directly
Hunt with Prior Litter Owners and/or Ask Breeders for References
Before we dive into each source, we want to reiterate that we've been in your shoes. In fact, we may end up there again, and soon, as necessary to move our kennel and the breed forward. The complexity increases the more specific your needs become too. Being in a hurry is never to your advantage, though culturally the message is often that faster is better than slower. First pick is better than last; these cliché assumptions are often misguided. Keep all this in mind going forward. If you've read to this point, we want to thank you too. We hope you've found value in what we've learned. And remember, even as a breeder of 10 years, we personally are not there yet. We are constantly striving for excellence in all we do.
How to use the aides listed above and learning about limitations:
The Small Munsterlander Club of America Website:
This site was develop to aid breeders and buyers alike.
The club was established in 1993 and has been serving people on both sides of the relationship since then. However, it has its limitations. One is that it is sorely out of date. The club is run by volunteers who often work full-time jobs and breed. Most are not website developers, savvy enough to build, maintain, and keep current a functional website to convey complex topics and provide current and accurate information. For this reason, it should be used together with the other resources suggested. It also lists only SMCA member breeders and clearly explains why. This is important too. There are other clubs and breeders out there and new ones attempting to get on the site annually. The links to the SMCA Pedigree Database, we believe, are only available to breeders/members of the club.
The homepage provides prospective buyers with an "Available Dogs" tab, which lists puppies by litter pairing that are about to be born and have been confirmed, or that are currently available. There's an "Approved Breeders" tab, which lists Cooperative Breeders and Cooperative Stud Dog owners. It also defines what it takes to be added to the list(s). All breeders and stud dog owners on the list follow the requirements of the club and have been vetted to ensure their offerings meet minimum standards.
The "Available Litters" tab is a great resource for buyers who are looking and ready to consider a purchase. The listing provides current litter pairings available and their expected whelp date, the kennel producing the litter, the pairings' accolades, their parents' accolades along with minimal conformation and traits data, the due date, and the breeders' names and contact information. The listing also provides two pictures of each pairing partner. These pictures are limited in usefulness, however, as they are often not stacked and/or the dogs are hidden by cover. The formatting of these listings can also be varied and hard to connect with the male or female without looking closely at the layout-it also can change from pair to pair. If you use this source and go to the breeder's website, should they offer one, this can be a more useful tool to begin a dialogue with the breeder about the pairings and their availability.
It also provides tabs for general information "About the SMCA," "Breed Info," "Buying a Small Munsterlander," "Testing," "SMCA Merchandise," and "Contact" information for the current Board.
This site is packed with information that can be considered useful to your process as a starting point. It should be used in conjunction with other sources provided as well.
The SMCA is growing, and this is placing great demand on those volunteering. The Board is seeking volunteers to become more involved. The homepage also provides a way to become a member. Breeders would be a great source to discuss their experience with being members of the club and the value added to them and others through membership. We'd suggest talking with them first before blindly assuming value added by membership. The club also offers regional events and an annual conference. As you will see, at the time of this writing, last year's national conference is still listed. The current board is working on solidifying the 2025 venue presently. We've been members of the club since we purchased Cedars, our stud, in 2015.
The Kleine Munsterlander Club Group North America Website:
The KIM GNA website is set up very similarly to the SMCA website and provides a number of the same resources; however, the KIM GNA and the SMCA are two separate entities following two different breed standards, two different testing standards, and evaluate breeders' dogs by different means. We are much less familiar with their site and their club standards, so we would suggest exploring their site and reaching out to their officers/breeders to find out if they are a good fit for your interest in a SM. Again, this site is a wonderful starting point to begin your due diligence on what their club has to offer and what the differences are between the two clubs. After we were established as a SMCA breeder, we reached out to two different officers in the KIM GNA, who were breeders, to see if we might be able to obtain a KIM GNA puppy to add to our breeding program and found out that unless we were to spay and neuter all our breeding stock and leave the SMCA and join the KIM GNA club and follow their guidelines, we would not be considered as buyers. This highlights how strict the club adheres to the KLM in Germany and their standards.
The KLM GNA has fewer breeders and likely fewer members. Their standards mirror the original breed club in Germany. Their site is better maintained and more current likely as a result.
Look very closely at their standards and requirements, especially if you intend to become a breeder. They are very strict in maintaining the original breed standards, which should be seen as positive in terms of preserving the breed's original form and function. This group was originally a part of the SMCNA (originally the Small Munsterlander Club of North America). When the clubs split, the KLM GNA was adopted by the parent club in Germany. The SMCA changed their name and eventually became the parent club of the AKC standards in the United States. We've always felt that the negotiations which took place before we became involved with the breed were a finger in the eye of what is actually best for the breed in North America. Two different clubs for the same breed isn't, however, uncommon with breeds coming out of Europe. This is an age-old and extremely political stage. From our perspective, the KLM GNA breeders maintain very nice Small Munsterlanders that are exceptional in representing the breed standards. We wouldn't have reached out to them to explore possibilities for any other reason.
Approved Breeders Websites:
Breeders who have websites make immediately valuable information about themselves and their dogs available. Websites take time and money to build and can provide you with immensely tangible information about their dogs, program, and the breeders themselves. Websites show investment in the breed and you as prospects. Is it required by club standards? Absolutely not. Can exceptional dogs be found from breeders without websites? You bet. It just may take more effort on your part. Oftentimes, sites will provide links to NAVHDA testing results, litter announcements, show critiques from judges, video footage of their dogs hunting, progeny reports of producing dogs, and additional resources like training books and online resources for training. This can make vetting their offerings much easier. We've put a great deal of time and effort into ours, and the site reflects what we've learned and are sharing here. We didn't pay someone to put it together either; we learned how to build it, and this blog is another example of our investment in potential buyers and the breed. The quality of a website and the information shared may have no impact on your end result too. Be discerning in your process.
Talk or Meet With Small Munsterlander Owners:
Small Munsterlander owners love to talk about their dogs and the breeders they forged their relationships with-who wouldn't. Facebook has at a minimum four pages that Small Munsterlander advocates love to post on. Two of them are associated with the breed clubs. We have provided a link to at least these four below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/344122862746512
https://www.facebook.com/groups/4966668404
https://www.facebook.com/klmgna
https://www.facebook.com/hunthill1
All of these sites are very active and are used by buyers and breeders alike. They are an amazing resource. Understand they have limitations too. We will leave it up to you to discern what they might be. People use them for all kinds of reasons: promotion, breed-specific questions, litter announcements, dogs recently approved for breeding, general fun, education, and much more. We used to have a Kennel page but now use Facebook for private groups for Litter Families to keep current on what's going on with buyers from their chosen litter. After the recent change to Meta, we decided it was time to move on. Facebook has changed so much from its original presentation, and how slanted it became during the time of the recent election helped us make our decision. It's also very addicting.
Meeting with owners, asking to hunt, train, or just being present when they take their dogs for an off-lead run is another way to network with owners and breeders. The biggest advantage of meeting with folks is that you get to see their dogs in action. We'd highly recommend this where possible. Seeing Small Munsterlanders hunt tells wonders of the dog's bond with their handlers and how they operate under hunting or off-lead conditions. How they handle hunting quarry is valuable to see firsthand. The next best thing is video of the same. It never captures the real scenario accurately though. Who posts a video of a dog busting a bird on Facebook or their website? Even seeing SM's in buyers home can provide insight.
North American Versatile Hunting Association (NAVHDA) and Jagdgebrauchshundverein (JGV) - USA Websites
NAVHDA and Jagdgebrauchshundverein - USA offer buyers and breeders powerful tools. Breeders can register their kennel name with NAVHDA and obtain a pedigree. This aids in the uniform registry of all their dogs. I'm not sure if JGV offers such a registry. When I went to their site, I couldn't find this option, though we are not members. This may impact our ability to see it, if a registry is available it may be behind the public page on the private site. The NAVHDA registry can be used by prospective buyers too. An image of the NAVHDA Registry data Search page and options is shown below. If you click on the plus sign on the right of the page for each search—Pedigrees, Litter Registration, Test Results By Breeder or Kennel, etc.—it will take you to data fields to enter and refine search criteria on the specific query. A link to the page is provided below the image. This registry has amazing tools to help you find specifics on dogs, kennels, testing, pedigrees, and so forth.
https://www.navhda.org/search-the-registry-database/
Search queries include:
Pedigrees
Litter Registrations
Test Results by Breeder or Kennel
Progeny Test Reports
Breeder Awards
Number of Dogs Registered by Kennel Each Year
To be honest we are extremely unfamiliar with the JGV system and what the organization offers to members and the public in terms of query such as this.
Both organizations offer venues to test dogs against their standards. Both testing organizations offer reporting and networking. NAVHDA appears to offer National and Chapter members much more, though. They also publish a monthly Versatile Hunting Dog Magazine, which offers immense value as well. NAVHDA is growing too. The reason for both National and Chapter membership revolves around insurance. The National organization offers local Chapters insurance to run tests and has judging teams that support Chapter Executive Committee organizers, handlers, and breeders in the development of their companions. JGV follows the German testing standards and is comparable to NAVHDA; however, it is much smaller. Its test offering is much more limited in numbers each year and locations. The testing standards are said to be one of the reasons behind the split of the SMCA and KLM GNA. We would suspect that JGV is growing too, but at a much slower rate. We've listed links to both organizations' sites below. By clicking on the logo, they will land you directly on their webpages:
The SMCA uses NAVHDA as the most common testing venue for Small Munsterlanders in North America, especially those who have only North American pedigrees. Dogs with Fédération Cynologique Internationale pedigrees can run their dogs in either testing organization, though the standards of the tests differ. We've never run a JGV test, so again, our knowledge of the organization's testing standards is extremely limited. There's another testing venue that's an offshoot of the JGV, but it is even smaller yet. The Versatile Hunting Dog Federation (VHDF) is yet another testing organization that provides versatile dogs a testing standard to pursue. We've run our stud dog in this test system, but because of its size, it has limited value to buyers and breeders, though it does provide another data point. We know few dogs that have pursued testing at this standard. We've provided a link to their site below if you want to look into them. Click on logo and the site should open in a separate tab on your browser:
NAVHDA appears to offer breeders and buyers the most in terms of resources to make informed decisions about any versatile breeds or breeders. We have enjoyed involvement with NAVHDA and have tested all breed stock up to the Utility Test (UT) level. We encourage buyers to consider running their pup in the NAVHDA Natural Ability (NA) test at the least. This test provides valuable information to breeders and buyers alike as to the natural, or better yet, inherited instincts of their dogs. Hence the name Natural Ability. A link to the page which provides information on the testing system is provided below. If you click on the actual tests, it will offer you a short video that they've put together for the NA and UT tests. A description is available for the Invitational test as well. This year they are offering a new test which is called the Gun Dog Test (GDT). The GDT took the place of the former Utility Prep Test or UPT. They appear to have yet to update their Aims and Testing book but have a link to the insert which will be added to the Aims, Programs and Test Rules Book. The Invitational is the premier test serious members of NAVHDA aspire to. A link to their testing system is provided below by clicking on the image of Jeff running Riavas Miss Dakota in her field portion of her Utility Test:
How can one use NAVHDA's registry to aid their buying consideration? First, you can search a dog by pedigree. Then you can search the three generations further to see how they performed and where their lines came from. Pedigrees list owners, breeders, whelp dates, breed type, awards, and testing results for at least the first two generations. This information paints a picture, but again it has to be couched in what we discussed earlier—breeder tapestry and owner/handler paint. Let me give a more specific example. If a dog is owner or professionally handled, it makes a difference. If a first-time handler takes his dog all the way to the Invitational and achieves a Versatile Champion title, the dog probably had a much more forgiving tapestry to receive paint on for the handler. Its temperament was likely extremely forgiving of the handler. Professionals can achieve more with far more imperfection in genetic makeup or tapestry. Knowing this is important too. Test scores can also be misleading. Have you ever had a bad day? Well, so do handlers and dogs alike. The weight you place on testing has to be tempered. Testing, we might suggest, is just one data point. It cannot and should not be the basis for your sole decision. First-time handlers don't read dogs the same way professionals do either. They also have fewer tools in their toolbox. Pros, at the same time, might have one way to do things, and not all dogs respond to the pressure of obedience handling the same way. All this plays out in test results too. Some people believe the NA test provides more raw data than UT level testing for this reason. Puppies who aren't even mature aren't able to take obedience level pressure, and so a puppy running NA is hopefully running on tapestry alone, maybe with only the initial bond of handler and a recall in place. Puppies aren't asked to be steady to wing, shot, and fall. They aren't asked to retrieve shot game. As noted in the traits section, these are obedience level tasks and are impacted by temperament and bid-ability. Hopefully, they haven't been exposed to such pressure as of yet. They've just been allowed to explore and develop their natural instincts or ability. The NA test is designed as a way to give breeders and owners early feedback as to the usefulness of the pup for a breeding prospect. The GDT and UT further prove this as the pup matures. Keep this in mind as you look beyond pedigrees and into testing results. The other thing test reports detail is coat, teeth, and temperament evaluations. They also highlight gun sensitivity. This is across testing levels too. You can then look at all the test elements and look for patterns in breeding dogs' results and their progeny. How were all the progeny relative to Use of Nose, Pointing, Tracking, Field Search, and their water work? Were progeny of the litter even tested of your prospect breeder's pairing? How deep you want to dive is up to you. Were breeders recognized with award litters? What does it take to achieve this accolade? It's all there if you want to do the due diligence. Some breeders even require owners to NA test. We only highly encourage buyers to consider the NA test. The reasons we give to buyers for testing NA are listed below:
NAVHDA promotes preservation of land-by being partnered with organization that are involved with land preservation ie., Ruffed Grouse Society/American Woodcock Society, Pheasant Forever, etc.
NAVHDA promotes game preservation by offering testing that develops and tracks dogs that retrieve to hand.
NAVHDA promotes the preservation of the versatility in dogs-their registry is the best in North American and breeders and buyers alike benefit from it and use it to advance their breeding programs.
NAVHDA promotes stewardship of these values to youth-they have an amazing youth scholarship program to support youth handling and involvement with dogs and bird hunting.
Lastly, by running a dog in the testing system you end up with a better and more bonded with handler companion-nowhere else can a dog experience a comparable level of exposure to dogs, people, guns, birds, and hurry up and wait like test training or testing itself. It simply adds value to both handler and dog alike. We've built amazing friendships through NAVHDA as well.
American Kennel Club (AKC)
The American Kennel Club is a long-standing and deeply trusted organization. With candor, we've never been a big fan of their testing, or like opportunities, and there are many. We register our litters AKC, but beyond that, presently we don't look to AKC for much. We do know people who judge for the organization, run hunt tests, fast cat, agility, and who show with them. We also attended some breeding clinics with them and have incorporated some of the information gleaned from the clinics into our puppy-rearing protocols; however, beyond that, we're not sold on their organization. They seem more interested in procuring money from us and others versus helping move us further along. To give some specific examples, hunt tests are too specific—pointing and retrieving rather than a full package of versatile evaluation. This can be helpful in proofing or refining a point, steadiness, or a retrieve in preparation for advanced NAVHDA testing, which is what we've often seen folks test their dogs for, but beyond that, it appears they're more interested in taking your money than furthering a dog's well-rounded skills. Showing with them appears to be similar. Judges won't sit and share with you after a show ring run. For this reason, again, we see them grabbing for money rather than showing genuine interest in adding value to the handler or breeder. Their monstrous too so slow and unwieldy. Maybe we're missing the boat, but we just haven't seen the value. Additionally, we want to see the breed remain as it was intended, and with the bad rap AKC gets for ruining hunting breeds, we've given it wide berth. We've also had some honestly odd experiences registering litters with them. Even their fee structure for the same reeks of a money grab. There are seemingly amazing information resources on their website about dogs in general, though. For instance, research information on grain-free dog foods and its suspect link to cardiomyopathy in dogs, so browse away. Interesting though, this information is all over the web too.
The World Wide Web as General Source
This speaks for itself as a tool. In fact, our hope is that you used it to find this blog or article as a valuable resource. It's powerful to aid your process, enough said.
Breed Standards
Breed standards for SM's in general are an incredibly valuable tool. Their value does require knowledge of the different parts of the dog and how they relate to form and function, though. It is more important to those who are serious about giving their dogs a job, whether it be hunting, show, or agility. Form and function are directly related to how well the dog conforms to the standard. This is very important to consider in breeding. Not all dogs have good form or temperaments. Dogs that don't possess these genetic or heritable traits from their parents won't hold up the same in the long run in repetitive pursuits, whatever they may be. So knowing this is very critical for buyers that are going to ask the most of their companions. The color of the eyes isn't as critical unless you're showing in a competitive venue. However, front-end and back-end assembly of a dog will be tested with multi-day hunts again and again. How the feet are knit is too. The looser knit feet attract more burrs and snow, and this affects gait, like nail clipping, and over time dogs that don't possess the best front and rear assemblies, a properly knit feet can deteriorate more quickly as it impacts their movement and eventually their joints in the long run. We for this reason we stress to puppy buyers to make sure nails are clipped regularly. If they are not, while the dogs growth plates grow and form due to improper length nails this. will impact joint development and even predispose a dog to poor hip development over time. Additionally, dogs that aren't well conformed don't make the most obvious breeding prospects. Knowing the standard is one thing, being able to see it and how it applies to dogs is another. It is something that requires a critical eye too. Just because a dog hunts like no other isn't a good enough reason to breed them. Remember this as you're talking with breeders and owners alike.
Visit Breeder Kennel and Interview Where Not Possible
Physically visiting a breeder is something that can add an amazing amount value to your selection process. We've touched on it in several places in the article thus far but we'll go into greater detail here. There is an amazing amount of information that can be gleaned from a simple visit or interview, especially one where you are able to see them and their dogs face to face. If you can't visit here are some things you might consider along these same lines:
Where is the breeder located are they in a country, rural setting or residential area?
Are there wild birds in the state where the breeder is located, if not, do they travel to hunt regularly? Are they hunting their dogs in wild or game preserve settings?
Are they willing to entertain a visit or hunt with you?
Does the breeder have a family and children?
How old are they and are they fit along with their dogs?
Do they have immediately available training and exercising grounds, if not where do they go to train?
How long have they owned, hunted, tested and shown their dogs?
Are they willing to provide video of all the immediately above if asked?
When do they breed-year round or only during certain times of the year?
What kind of facilities do they have? What kind of shape is their kennel in?
Where do they rear their litters?
Is their home clean and well kept? What kind of yard to they have?
Do they belong to a club or are they breeding outside the club environment?
What standard to they follow and what can they offer relative to their dogs qualifications-do they test hips, hunt, hunt test, and show?
What are they breeding for in each pairing? Good breeders should be able to answer this question without having to think about it.
How did they get into breeding and did they grow up with animals in their home?
What food do they feed and why?
Are their dogs well conditioned and what kind of coats do they have? Are the coats shiny or dull? Is their dead fur in the coat that hasn't been stripped? Are their nails the appropriate length? How about the dogs teeth, are they clean? Do the dogs have fresh breath or pungent?
Is their fresh water available and are the bowls clean?
Will the puppies be sold papered, on open or restricted pedigrees and with what organization and why? If the dogs pedigree is restricted what would it require to lift the restriction? Do they pay for this or do you?
What blood lines are in the pedigrees? The breeder should know this off the top of their heads. Most SM come from four or five long standing kennels in North America, unless their being purchased from a breeder in the KLM GNA or import often?
How many litters has the breeder had and do they provide any health guarantee, or repeat buying benefits to buyers?
Do they sell the dog on a contract and would they be willing to provide you an opportunity to look at it?
Do they provide any services post purchase and what does that look like?
What is offered as part of the purchase beyond the pup: toys, clicker, transitional food, information on health history along with vaccination records, etc.?
Who's done the health check and immunization? Are the dogs micro-chipped and is this preregistered and with what registry?
Is genetic testing offered on puppies? Have the parents been genetic tested with Embark?
How do the breeders rear the litters and can they describe their rearing protocols?
What are the strength of the dogs in their kennel or pairing being considered? Is the stud theirs or another owners? Are they willing to provide contact information on the stud dog owner and where is the stud located?
Is the litter being considered the dam and studs first or have they been bred before? How many times and when was the last litter? NAVHDA's registry can help you in this regard too, especially if the breeder isn't seeped on the studs past.
How often do the breeders breed their dams? Do they own both male and female SM's or just females?
Are the breeders willing to provide references?
How are deposits handled if there's an issue on either side of the relationship?
What happens if buyers misjudged owning a SM? How do you handle re-homing of the dog?
The above is a pretty exhaustive list of things buyers can do or questions they can ask while vetting a breeder. Some items may be more realistic than others but it does give you some direction to pursue in your process.
The Final Score
"There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less."
Kurt Hahn
Crafting this article took much more time and thought than we realized at its onset. We hope within the words or maybe even between them value is added...
It will be entirely incomplete however, without your comments and criticism too. Please take the time to bring forth what we've failed to articulate. This topic is deep. Your gifts will round rough edges. With ten years under our belt we're still starved for additional knowledge and experience. We've always believed that an open mind affords the opportunity of a worthwhile thought to fall into it. We love the breed, but are obviously biased. This year we stretch our hunting out into Montana, Wyoming and California and pursued a variety of birds we'd never hunted before. The dogs amazed us with their ability to learn and adjust. We're proud of them and what we've accomplished thus far as breeders.
If you'd like to discuss anything unclear in the article with us feel free to reach out. A link to our website, phone number and email is below. We do believe this article could be used to help anyone find the breed that would best fit their intended use. Obviously most of the links would be different but conceptually the process is the same.
If you're a Small Munsterlander owner we'd like to invite any comments that might cover ideas or subject matter that you've used or that was left unexplored. Do you have other topics you like to see developed? Let us know and we will see about taking a stab at it.
Happy hunting, a best of luck in your pursuits.
Jeff Mizenko
Cedars Point Kennel
Summerset, SD
425 241-7788
Jeff Mizenko is the owner of Cedars Point Kennel in Summerset, SD. He's a late onset hunter, aspiring trainer, husband, and breeder of Small Munsterlanders. He loves adventure and acquiring life experience.
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