Both Large Munsterlander and German Shepherd are originated from Germany. Both Large Munsterlander and German Shepherd are having almost same height. Large Munsterlander may weigh 12 kg / 26 pounds lesser than German Shepherd. Both Large Munsterlander and German Shepherd has almost same life span. Large Munsterlander may have less litter size than German Shepherd. Large Munsterlander requires Moderate maintenance. But German Shepherd requires Low maintenance
The Large Münsterländer hails from the Münster region in Germany. It was in 1919 that the first breed club was founded.
The dog’s ancestors were different Spaniel breeds as well as the German Longhaired Pointer. The dog quickly became a sought after hunting dog in Europe.
The Large Munsterlander Association of America is the only official breed organization for this dog. The dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.
In 1882 german shepherd was introduced in a show at Hanover. They were created by the cross breeding of the rural sheep dogs by a man named Max. In 1906 they were first exported to America. After that the breed became very popular in UK.
The medium to large Large Munsterlander stands between 60 to 65cm at the withers and weighs about 28 to 32kg.
When you look at him, you get the feeling that you’re looking at a springer spaniel. He has long broad feathery ears and also a long feathery tail. The head is fairly broad and somewhat rounded.
The coat of the dog is long and dense, and is quite wavy with feathering around the legs and tail. He can be black and white or be a reddish brown with patches or ticking because of the piebald gene. If you allow your Large Munsterlander to become a parent, the average litter of this dog is 5 to 10 puppies.
The Large Munsterlander is essentially a tracking, retrieving dog. He makes an excellent hunting dog and these instincts are strong within this particular breed. It is why some breeders only give their puppies to serious hunters.
He is an active dog, and because he loves to retrieve, ball games will suit him down to the ground. Take him with you on your walks as he is a naturally athletic, active dog.
He loves water too and won’t need a second invitation from you to jump right into dams or pools. He is such an easy going dog, getting on well with children and pets in the home and being a good first choice for first time dog owners too. However, he requires plenty of exercise.
Because he is a hunting and retrieving dog, he will be far better suited to living in a home where there is a fair sized garden. He isn’t regarded as a city dwelling dog. These are dogs that just love to be outside and running around.
The Large Munsterlander can be a boisterous dog, so teaching him some basic commands such as ‘come, stay, lie-down, sit or heel’ will improve the way he behaves inside the home and when in the company of other people.
Training and socialization will do him the world of good and it means you can take your dog anywhere – he’ll always be well behaved, becoming a calm, gentle dog.
The GSD is very good for being a watchdog and hence it do not welcome guests to home. But when trained from a puppy it will suit itself for making new friends. GSD like to be always with somebody and they can be its master or his family members or else its partner. The GSD is very intelligent and active hence they should be always kept busy, exercised and playing. Nowadays many of them are trained well and made as four legged stars.
When we see all around the world many of them are involved in helping the physically challenged people. Also they are very important personnels in working with police and military for finding the criminals. Their excellent sniffing power works very good when given proper training for finding illegal smuggling. But basically the breed was set in to herd the sheep and protect them from predators.
Based on the popularity they are ranked 2nd in US and 4th in UK.
As a sporting dog, the Large Munsterlander loves his exercise. You can involve him in all kinds of outdoor activities, and he’ll readily join in, from swimming, to hiking to ball games to just plain running for the fun of it.
Always be careful with puppies though, before you involve such a young dog with such strenuous exercise. For a better chance of avoiding hip dysplasia, it is better to wait till he is about 12 months old before you involve him in too many lively activities.
He’s an easily trainable dog too, and the fact that he is a calm, gentle dog who is loving and loyal makes him an excellent pet choice.
The GSD is a very good child friendly dog, they love to play with kids.
They adopts both hot and cold climates, but they like cold weather very much and also their body is suitable for cold than hot.
The GSD has high ability to learn tricks and also they are interested in learning. As they have very high intelligence they learn very easily and quickly.
All dogs can develop some health problems no matter how healthy they are, but when they are happy dogs, they’re well fed, exercised and loved, they have a better chance of reaching a ripe old age.
Large Munsterlanders are generally healthy dogs. Some conditions reported in the breed which are highly unlikely to affect your dog, but are good knowing about are hip dysplasia, cataracts and osteochondrosis.
This is a common condition where the joints of quickly growing puppies are affected. The surface of the joint doesn’t convert into bone in certain areas. The result is thickened cartilage which detaches from the surrounding normal cartilage, forming a flap.
Osteochondrosis causes the development of osteoarthritis, affecting certain joints of the dog. Both genetics and the wrong diet are causes of osteochondrosis.
It isn’t always possible to feed your dog wholesome food, but always try to get the very best quality food there is. Also, don’t allow your young Large Munsterlander to be involved in strenuous exercise before he reaches one year of age. Pounding around can put abnormal weight on the joints which can spell problems when the dog is older. Osteochondrosis mostly affects large and giant breed dogs.
The GSD has the chances for getting orthopaedic diseases such as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. Other common orthopaedic problems which affects GSD are Panosteitis, Osteochondritis and cruciate ligament rupture.They also get some skin problems such as allergies and pyoderma. Digestive problems such as chronic diarrhea and colitis are also seen in GSD.
GSD is a continuous shedder. They are having a two layer coat. They should be brushed daily as it will remove the dead fur and thus prevents shedding.
The Large Munsterlander puppy will require 4 meals a day. When he reaches a year of age, you can give him two smaller meals a day.
He is a large, active dog and if you feed him manufactured dog food, make sure its high quality and that it caters to his age and energy levels. His dry kibble can be mixed with cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and cooked or raw vegetables occasionally.
Raw meat can be expensive, but every dog requires some raw meat in the diet every now and then. Without some raw meat, you dog may well suffer with skin problems and a dull coat.
If your dog is still an active hunting dog, a high fat, high protein diet will be good for him. When in any kind of doubt, speak to a dog expert or your vet about how to feed him for health and longevity.
As a sporting hunting dog, the Large Munsterlander has high exercise needs. He most certainly won’t do well in a tiny city garden as he is an outdoor dog wanting to be running and exercising. If you choose this particular dog breed, make sure that you take him on walks, allow him off his leash in the park, play ball games with him and take him with you when you go on hikes.
With his silky coat, you want to be brushing your pet twice a week. If he has been out hunting with you, while brushing him, check for twigs, grass and burrs tangled in the hair.
Other basic care includes trimming the nails, keeping the ears clean and dry inside, brushing the teeth with a canine-approved pet toothpaste and toothbrush for good overall health.
The GSD should be given an cool environment which they will enjoy a lot.
The GSD puppy should be fed small quantities of food but several times per day as it needs to gain 2 gms weight per day. The preferred food for them is dry food along with raw liver pieces which would provide them excellent energy. The protein food given to puppy should contain 25 to 30% calories. Puppies consume more food when compared with adults.
The GSD needs a food which has a considerable amount of protein. They are carnivores in the nature. The protein can be given from cooked meat. The artificial food products will not be suitable for them. When are provided with protein food they will gain fat from itself. The recommended fat content for GSD is 5% to 8%.
The GSD should be provided with a nutritional food for their good health.
Physical exercises are very much needed for GSD since they are very energetic and power packed. It is highly recommended to make them play and run daily as they don't need to get bored. They can be made to climb in hilly areas as they want to explore their surroundings. They can be made to swim or play hide and seek and find the missing objects. Regular morning walk will be very good for them.