Last Friday evening, I shot a Roebuck just after sunset. The buck folded down from a heartshot. Mabel, my Münsterländer bitch was near me and we moved towards our prey. She didn't see the buck hidden by the grass but soon picked up its scent, which she followed until stopping to point, a few steps from the fallen animal. While we stood above the latter, a shiver went through the carcass, though the buck looked really dead (post mortem myotatic reflex ?). Anyway, it spurred the dog to plunge forward, closing its jaws on the deer's throat to crush the windpipe. Mabel held on, giving me ample time to recover my camera from my rücksack and snap a photo (rather dark as night was falling). The bitch wasn't kidding and I had to insist to make her let go. I was truly amazed, Mabel is nearly 2 years old and she never acted that way, having been exposed to several deer so far. True, last year, I shot a fox -the 1st one she met- and after sniffing it profusely, she ripped pieces of skin from the carcass, growling furiously all the time.



Instinct, behaviour legacy ? I'm puzzled because she's such a sweet and obedient dog.

Hi Andre,

I would say instinct. Some things are just bred into dogs, it may never come out until something clicks in the dog. Maybe the smell of blood, an another animal the dog has never seen, an animal that has threatened the dog or who knows what.

I have two Giant Schnauzers. They are as laid back as any dog I have ever known. If a stranger comes around, they are on full alert, not threatening. If someone were to make a move toward me or my wife, those dogs would tear them apart. I had an Airedale once that was fearless, but otherwise very friendly unless something clicked in her mind she needed to take care of.

All of my dogs thru the years have has basic training. Never any attack training or anything like that. But if they felt I was being threatened, you would have to kill them to get to me.

Andre,

In Germany the Small Munsterlander was bred to hunt down wild boar. They have the killer instinct for furred game. My three will kill any cat, squirrel etc. they can get to but retrieve unmarked birds all the time. The Germans have developed the SM into just the hunting dog that they wanted.

465H&H

Mabel likes to come along on deer hunting. She clings to my shoulder up and down the ladder to the high seat and is very quiet inside the mirador while she watches trough the shooting window. I may be absent minded at times but she never drops attention. In fact, even when I'm not watching, I feel her stiffen when an animal comes in sight.

Great hunting partner!

465H&H is absolutely right (not that I doubted, having been convinced in previous exchanges that he was a connoisseur in Münsterländers, having 3 at home). I questioned Mabel's breeder and he was pleased to hear that she demonstrated the right instinct for her race. He personally has trained one of his SM for blood trailing, specializing in Roedeer. During drive hunts, it happens that a misplaced shot wounds the running animal in a less incapacitating way, so that he keeps on. Then the SM comes into play ; the dog picks up the spoor and his speed allows him to catch up the game, which is seized at the throat and strangled quickly! Also, in Germany, at the highest stage of gundog training, is a test called "varmint destruction" where the SM is confronted to a live fox, which he must catch and kill within a time limit ! So, under his looks of a distinguished pointing spaniel and behind his gentleness and sociability, lurks a genuine killer...

What a great breed..under appreciated in this country. I experienced something similar years ago with a DD male. After a 150yd track on lead, he discovered the deer in thick brush and had latched on to the throat before I knew what had happened. The doe was still alive but not moving. That's what these breeds are bred to do....good to see it in action.

Waidmannsheil!!

I had a Drathaar which was 'man sharp' as they say in Germany. Turned out to be a very good thing for me. How are Munsterlanders in that regard?

beautifull dog