Sussex Spaniel

Although it originated in England, the Sussex Spaniel is more commonly found in the United States today than in the United Kingdom.  The Sussex Spaniel is a small breed of gun dog that specializes in flushing out prey in deep undergrowths or other difficult terrains.  There is no distinction between the breed that works and those that are for show and crossovers occur all of the time with this breed of dog. 

 

History of the Sussex Spaniel

 

The Sussex Spaniel goes back all the way to 1795 when a desire for gun dogs to work in areas with rough terrain and thick undergrowth while flushing out prey and barking to alert the hunter.  It is believed that the first Sussex Spaniels originated from the Field Spaniel, Springer Spaniels an the Liver and White Norfolk, a breed that is now extinct.  What is known is that the Sussex Spaniel was admitted to the stud book in the AKC in 1884, but became less popular in the United Kingdom so that only 10 of these dogs were found in the English Kennel Club shortly after WWII.   The breed has had a revival in England and the United States but today is more prevalent in the US than in the UK. 

 

Appearance of the Sussex Spaniel

 

The Sussex Spaniel has a golden liver coat that is very long and silky.  It looks very much like the Clumber Spaniel, but is smaller and lighter in weight.  It has a fuller head than the English Cocker Spaniel and has hazel colored eyes.  The nose and rims of the eyes should be the same color of the coat.  The legs of the Sussex Spaniel are very short, making it ideal for getting around in an underbrush.  Despite being so small, the breed is very strong with strong bones.  The coat must be brushed to keep it from matting. 

 

The average Sussex Spaniel is about 14 inches high and weights 40 pounds.  Females of the breed are slightly smaller than males. 

 

Use of the Sussex Spaniel

 

The Sussex Spaniel is used to hunt prey in the woods or difficult terrain.  It alerts the hunter to the prey and excels when hunting small game in the deep woods.  It is not the right dog for hunting birds because it will scare them off with its bark.  In addition to alerting the hunter to prey, it can also be trained to retrieve prey and bring it to the hand of the hunter. 

 

The Sussex Spaniel likes the water and can be trained to retrieve waterfowl as well for the hunter.  Hunters who like the Sussex Spaniel as a hunting companion do so because the dog is small enough to fit even into a canoe without upsetting the boat and can get through tough thicket where it can be difficult to spot prey. 

 

As far as temperament goes, the Sussex Spaniel is an easy dog to train and gets along well with other family members.  It is not as hyper as the English Cocker Spaniel, but not as sedate as the Clumber Spaniel.   Because of its small size, it makes an ideal hunting companion for hunter with a modest home as it does not need a lot of room to roam.  It is also a good gun dog for families with small children. 

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German Wirehair

The German Wirehair, also known as the German Wirehaired Pointer, is the most popular bird dog in Germany, but is also used to hunt upland game n other parts of the world.  It has been bred over a period of time to be a good hunting companion as well as a devoted family pet. 

 

History of the German Wirehaired Pointer

 

The German Wirehaired Pointer goes back about 120 years, with the breed originating in Germany as a hunting dog that would work well in mountainous regions, thick forests and in wide open fields.  Because of the cold weather in many of the regions in Germany, the German Wirehaired Pointer was bred to be able to withstand the cold because of its distinctive coat.  It is believed that the breed today descends from the Wirehaired Griffon as well as Foxhound and Bloodhound mixes.  Today, the German Wirehaired Pointer is found in Europe, Canada and the United States.  Although these dogs are often shown in competition, this is a breed that can crossover from being a show dog to being a field dog as it has strong hunting instincts. 

 

Appearance of the German Wirehaired Pointer

 

The German Wirehair is a medium sized dog, like other pointers, but has a very distinct appearance.  It is a more stocky looking dog and has a thick wire like coat that is resistant to cold temperatures. The wire like coat is everywhere on the animal, including on the face.   The feet are webbed, enabling the dog to swim in the water, as is the case with other German Pointers.  Like other German Pointers, the color of the coat is usually a brown and white mix with the head being solid.  Female dogs are usually slightly smaller than males with the average dog weighing about 60 pounds and standing about 23 inches tall. 

 

Use of the German Wirehaired Pointer

 

The German Wirehaired Pointer is used for hunting upland game where it will use its sense of smell to discover the prey and point it out for the hunter while waiting patiently on point.  It can easily be trained to retrieve as well and can locate wild game that has been wounded with its sense of smell.  When coming across a fox or other larger, more dangerous game, the German Wirehaired Pointer will not back down. 

 

The German Wirehaired Pointer is ideal for hunting upland game in cold weather and even hunting in cold water because of its weather resistant coat.  However, it can be difficult to hunt with this dog if you live in an area where it is warm all of the time because of the coat.  This is a breed that works best in the cooler, northern climates. 

 

If you habitually keep your gun dogs in a kennel, you will find that the German Wirehaired Pointer is not the dog for you.  This is a breed that has not only been bred to hunt, but to also be a companion dog and even protective of the family.  It will not be happy if left in a kennel environment and need socialization with the hunter and his family as they are happiest when they are doing things for the hunter or socializing with their family members.  They are excellent gun dogs for tracking, pointing and retrieving in just about any type of terrain, love to hunt and will be protective of your family.  

 

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Large Munsterlander

The Large Munsterlander is a breed of hunting dog that hails from Germany and is used to hunt upland birds and game.  It is found in Europe as well as in the United States and is considered to be an all purpose gun dog. 

 

History of the Large Munsterlander

 

The Large Munsterlander can be seen in paintings depicting hunting scenes that date back to the Middle Ages.  The breed itself did not gain recognition in Germany until the early 1900s and did not come to the United States until the 1960s.  It is a gradually growing breed in the United States and more than 50 dogs have been imported from Europe with over 1000 puppies registered in the AKC in the United States and Canada. 

 

Appearance of the Large Munsterlander

 

Despite its name, the Large Munsterlander is a medium sized breed dog with long legs that enable it to move quickly and cover vast areas of land.   The average size of this breed is about 24 inches high and it weighs around 55 pounds.  There is not a difference in the appearance of the show quality dog and the working dog, making it easy for dogs to crossover from working to show.   The Large Munsterlander has a solid black head and usually has a white blaze on the body.  It can also be spotted, although the head is always a solid black.  This is a black and white dog that should not present any other colors.   As of yet, the AKC does not have an official breed standard for the Large Munsterlander. 

 

Use of the Large Munsterlander

 

The Large Munsterlander is used primarily to hunt upland game, but can also work well for the hunter that hunts waterfowl as it will work well on both land or water   The dog will retrieve as well as flush out game for the hunter.  The Large Munsterlander is an easy dog to train and is happy to hunt, even for long periods at a time.  It will stand quietly when it tracks prey for an inordinate amount of time until the hunter arrives, although it does not point until it has fully matured. 

 

One thing that many hunters like about this breed of dog and why it is quickly gaining in popularity in the United States is that it is easier to handle than many other breeds.  It is an all around gun dog and excels on tracking and recovering game.  It can cover a large area of ground and its thick coat allows them to hunt in cold weather with ease.  It moves very quickly and hunts adeptly because it has been bred for hunting and not show. 

 

The Large Munsterlander works well with all types of hunting, but hunters do have to wait until the dog matures before the pointing instinct kicks in.  In addition to being an excellent hunting companion, the Large Munsterlander is also a good household companion and has a very easy going temperament, even around other animals and children.  It is considered to be a very loyal dog, easy to work with and train and affectionate to the members of its human family. 

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Irish Water Spaniel

The Irish Water Spaniel is a very rare breed of spaniel and also one of the oldest and largest.  It is used as a gun dog in Ireland, the UK and even in the United States, although it is not common to see this dog in the field. 

 

History of the Irish Water Spaniel

 

The history of the Irish Water spaniel dates back to the 1830s in Ireland where the dog was first bred.  Justin McCarthy, a Dubliner, is said to be the father of the breed, but he left no records regarding how the dog was bred or which type of water spaniels were used to create the breed.  It is believed, although not documented, that the breed was created by breeding a water spaniel with the Poodle or the Barbet, although no one knows for certain the genetic makeup of the dog and the other dogs from which he descended. 

 

Appearance of the Irish Water Spaniel

 

The Irish Water Spaniel is larger than other spaniels and has the distinctive tightly curly coat as often seen on a Poodle.  The coat does not shed, making it an ideal gun dog for anyone who has dog allergies or has family members with allergies.  The color of the coat is a dark brown with a purplish hue that is distinctive from any other coat color of any other breed of dog. 

 

The Irish Water Spaniel is considered to be a medium sized dog and will stand about 23 inches high and weight about 60 pounds on average.  It is also known as the Whiptail because it has a very thin tail, especially when compared to its very stout body.  The non shedding coat enables the dog to keep warm in cold weather and can be clipped in the summer on a field dog. 

 

Use of the Irish Water Spaniel

 

The Irish Water Spaniel is a flushing dog that is ideal for hunting waterfowl and even some upland birds.  It is considered to be an all around gun dog that can retrieve and flush out game.  It will not point, however.  It is perfect for hunting in cold weather for game such as geese and duck as this is a dog that loves to swim and does so very well.  They are also very quick to learn, being a highly intelligent breed of dog. 

 

In addition to being excellent hunting companions for those hunting around water, the Irish Water Spaniel is also a good pet for the family, although they do require daily exercise to keep them happy.  It is also preferred that the dog have access to water to enable them to swim and they enjoy this type of activity.  It is also important to keep the dog active in the field and many hunters who have the Irish Water Spaniel will enter them in field competitions to keep them agile and properly exercised. 

 

The Irish Water Spaniel is not an aggressive dog and will fit in with any family, even those with other pets or small children.  It does have a very deep bark, so although it cannot be used as a guard dog, the bark of this breed is enough to make people think that you have a much larger dog than you do.  This rare breed is prized by hunters who enjoy hunting close to or around water and want a compact dog that is small enough to sit in a rowboat, but large enough to assert strength in the field. 

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