Have you ever heard of a Small Munsterlander breed of sporting dog? I hadn’t but recently met Steve Woodward of Needham, Massachusetts, and he claims his dog is one of only 15 in this country if this rare breed. Steve claims the breed originated in Germany, but that his dog’s parents came from Denmark.

In appearance the dog, an eight-month old male, looked like a cross between an Irish Setter and a Springer Spaniel. It was a rather handsome specimen, with level back, a reddish coat with flecking on the rumps, and a long feathery tail. The head was of the "bird-dog" type.

Not presently recognized by the AKC, "Deiter," as Steve calls his dog, was purchased from one of the breed’s fanciers, Vibeke and Paul Jensen in Concord, Massachusetts. In reply to my question "What are these handsome dogs used for?" Woodward replied that in their native land they are used to hunt wild boar, game birds, hare and to retrieve fallen game. In this respect the Small Munsterlander is another of the so-called "Continental" breeds that fit the category of "one-dog-for-all-sports." It joins the Weimaraner, German Shorthair, Vizsla, and others in this respect. Because of his handsome appearance, I can foresee a future for this new breed.

See a photo of Deiter on the next page