The studbook begins with 83 dogs. This was the original register of the association that began systematic Large Munsterlander breeding in 1922. It had gathered the survivors of a black-and-white long-haired type excluded by the German Longhaired Pointer association in 1909 because of colour.
| FCI | Group 7 (Pointing Dogs), Section 1.2 Continental Pointing Dogs, Spaniel type, Standard No. 118, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Size (height at the withers) | males 60 to 65 cm, females 58 to 63 cm, tolerance up to 2 cm above |
| Weight | around 30 kg |
| Life expectancy | median 14.1 years in a UK analysis of 584,734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024), only 139 of this breed |
| Coat | long and dense, straight, not curly or stand-off; well-feathered legs, long tail flag, fringed ears and short head hair |
| Colours in the standard | white with black patches and ticking, black roan or solid black; black head, possibly with a white snip or blaze |
From bird dog to pointing dog
The standard traces ancestry from medieval parti-coloured bird and falconry dogs through flushing and quail dogs to the 19th-century pointer. This belongs to the family of long-haired German pointing dogs alongside the German Long-haired Pointing Dog and Small Munsterlander, separately recognised by the FCI. Surviving black-and-white dogs were found chiefly in western Münsterland and Lower Saxony.
Work after the shot
The standard requires a versatile hunting dog for field, woodland and water, useful before and after the shot. Responsiveness, trainability and hunting reliability are the key qualities, alongside liveliness without nervousness. Gun-shyness, fear of live game and fearfulness towards strangers are disqualifying.
Demanding without hunting grounds
Non-hunting owners must provide alternatives: laid trails and tracking, water retrieving, mantrailing or dummy work, regularly. A long walk alone is insufficient. Allow several hours daily and start controlling hunting drive early, because this is a dog bred not to back away from game.
The long coat day to day
The straight, dense hair is robust, but feathering on legs, tail and ears mats if neglected. Brushing once or twice weekly and removing burrs from feathering and ears after woodland usually suffices.
Health: few figures, one clear signal
The UK median of 14.1 years sounds good but rests on only 139 dogs and 26 deaths; an upper limit could not be calculated (McMillan et al. 2024). A Swedish insurance study of over 600,000 dogs gives a clearer concern: among all breeds, female Large Munsterlanders had the highest risk of death from mammary tumours, with relative risk 40.3 and substantial statistical uncertainty (Engdahl et al. 2025). Check your female’s mammary glands regularly and have every lump examined early. The breed also carries a variant for urate stones, with an available genetic test (Karmi et al. 2010).
In the right place
With hunters handling a versatile working gundog, or highly active people seriously committed to lasting substitutes for hunting work.
Less suitable
For beginners without hunting experience, limited daily time or anyone seeking a family dog without pronounced hunting drive.
The breed quiz helps establish whether a working gundog or a calmer breed suits you; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) explores the question thoroughly. For the first weeks with a puppy, the free Puppy Starter Pack is downloadable. For your Munsterlander on the wall, explore dog portraits from your own photo or a portrait in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Weimaraner: the beautiful hunting dog who never clocks off
- Puppy training: the 5 rules that really work
- Is my dog overweight? Assessing body condition and ideal weight
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 118 Großer Münsterländer Vorstehhund (fci.be, German version dated 05.03.2014, valid standard published on 29.10.2013); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Engdahl K et al., The epidemiology of mammary tumours in insured female dogs in Sweden, Veterinary Journal 2025; Karmi N et al., Estimated frequency of the canine hyperuricosuria mutation in different dog breeds, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2010.
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