Kleiner Münsterländer
FCI:
Kleiner Münsterländer - Group VII - Pointing Dogs, Section 1.2. Continental Pointing Dogs, Spaniel Type.
General Appearance:
Its behavioural foundation is an intelligent, perceptive, lively and balanced dog, fixed nature, attentive and friendly to people, kind-hearted, always friendly and absolutely trustworthy. Lately, it becomes also a nice social breed. It is never nervous and grumpy.
Training/Behaviour:
Its education or training does not make any problems. The principle of gentle but relentless consistency it is suitable for it, as with most other hunting breeds. No hard and drastic training methods it does not deserve.
It is socialized easily, so it gets well with other domestic animals despite the fact that hunters from this breed strictly require to be properly "sharp" called varmint. It has a positive relationship with children, and almost it is always in a good mood.
It is socially based, it likes taking part in full family life and it is willing to bring to its master newspapers, slippers, etc.. It has all the potential to be an excellent guide dog. It can handle the role perfectly as a social dog and hunting dog too. If the owner does not go hunting it needs regular, preferably daily, and long walks in the countryside.
If it must spend all its life in outdoor pen, it is unhappy. It is satisfied if it can live with the owner and its family together, no matter if it is a city apartment.
Body:
This is a medium sized dog harmonious construction, powerful, noble and elegant and well proportioned. The height at withers male is about 54 cm and female is about 52 cm, with a tolerance of ± 2 cm.
The head should be noble, typical facial expression. The skull must be dry, above flat or only slightly arched. Its length is the same length as the muzzle. Muzzle should be thick and long, nasal bridge straight. The nose must be monochromatic, always brown. Lips should be short, perfectly adjacent to each other and the edges are ticked, monochromatic and always brown.
Jaws must be strong. The teeth are large, white, vertically embedded in the jaw, teeth are required to complete bite must be scissors. Cheeks should be muscular.
The eyes should be of medium size, not protruding or sunken in orbit if possible dark brown. Eyelids are tight fitting to the eyeballs, so that the conjunctiva is not visible. The earlobes are set high, wide, and hanging close to head. The tops are pointed forward and stretched exceeding mouth corners.
Neck length aligns with the overall appearance, towards shoulders slowly expands, muscular and slightly arched in the nape. Skin on it is flush with the muscle and skin. Topline body should be straight, slightly sloping. Withers pronounced, back firm, muscular. Tops spinous processes of the vertebrae must be hidden by the muscles. The chest should be deep rather than broad. Breastbone should interfere as far as possible backwards. Ribs are well sprung. Belly is dry, when viewed from the rising lower line of the body slowly toward the rear of the elegant curve. The loin is short, broad and muscular. The tail is long and wide, muscular, rather than short and sloping, but very slightly sloping towards the base of the tail. The pelvis is wide.
The tail should be set high up, long hair on its underside forms a "flag". It is medium length, thick at the base and toward the end of a slowly narrowing. In repose carried hanging down, in a motion to be carried roughly horizontally, not too high above the topline of the body, in the last third may be slightly curved upwards.
The forelegs are seen from the front straight and parallel, if possible. When viewed from the side of their free part just below the body. Blade lies close against the ribcage and is heavily muscled. Shoulder bones should be as long, very muscular, elbows close to its chest and must not be turned in or out. Forearm strong bones are in the position perpendicular to the substrate, the wrist should be strong, pasterns when viewed from the side slightly askew. Feet should be round and standing and moving pointing straight forward, they should not be turning in or out. Toes arched, well-knit, the interweb not be too much hair. The pads are high enough, solid and durable.
The hindquarters must be boned, viewed from behind straight and parallel when viewed from the side properly angled at the knees and hocks. Thighs are long, wide and muscular. The knees are strong. Legs should be long, muscular and sinewy. Hocks must be firm, insteps short, perpendicular to the substrate.
Skin taut the subcutaneous tissue and skeletal muscle, does not form folds or wrinkles. The coat is thick, moderately long, smooth or slightly wavy, but not excessively long. It must be closely adjacent and waterproof. An outline of the body must not be obscured by too long coat. Rear forelegs form a coat "feathering" on the thighs and "pants" reaching to the hocks. Hair must be dense as to ensure the dog the best possible protection against adverse weather conditions, terrain and, if necessary the injuries, smooth and short hair on the earlobes is a defect. Too rich feathering front chest is considered undesirable.
Discolouration can be brown-and-white or brown roan with brown patches, jacket or stippling. Bald head is admissible tan markings may be on the muzzle, above the eyes and around the anus.
