German Spaniel
Encyclopedia
The German Spaniel, also known as the Deutscher Wachtelhund, is a breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
that was developed in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
around 1890, and is used as a hunting dog
Hunting dog
A hunting dog refers to any dog who assists humans in hunting. There are several types of hunting dogs developed for various tasks. The major categories of hunting dogs include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and gun dogs...
. Descended from the old German breed, the Stoeberer, which became popular with commoners following the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
, who required a versatile hunting dog. Stoeberer is now a type of hunting dog in Germany with the Wachtelhund being its sole member. The breed is not very well known outside of Germany, but was recognised by the United Kennel Club
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...
in 1996.
A well built breed, its coat
Coat (dog)
The coat of the domestic dog refers to the hair that covers its body. A dog's coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat, or a single coat, which lacks an undercoat...
comes in brown shades with occasional white markings. It can be trained to retrieve game, as well as for tracking. In Canada, they are used to flush out American black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s.
History
Frederick Roberth, a German dog breeder, is credited with creating the modern Deutscher Wachtelhund around 1890. While several breeds feature in its makeup, the most prominent dog breed to be bred into the modern breed is the now extinct Stoeberer. The Stoeberer has been mentioned in literature as far back as 1719, and was thought to have a nose as powerful as a BloodhoundBloodhound
The Bloodhound is a large breed of dog which, while originally bred to hunt deer and wild boar, was later bred specifically to track human beings. It is a scenthound, tracking by smell, as opposed to a sighthound, which tracks using vision. It is famed for its ability to discern human odors even...
. Following the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
, the common man in the German states was allowed to hunt and needed a versatile hunting dog; this dog was the Stoeberer. In the late 19th century when Roberth was working on his new breed, he found specimens of the Stoeberer in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, and these dogs were crossed with water dogs and sporting spaniels to become the modern German Spaniel.
In 1903, the Deutscher Wachtelhund was recognised as a breed, and following this the German breed club, the Verein fur Deutsche Wachtelhund (VDW), was organised. The term Stoeberer has since become a category of hunting dog in Germany with the Wachtelhund being the sole member of that category. In 1910, the VDW selected four male dogs and seven female dogs upon which to base the breed standard for the Wachtelhund. These dogs were selected from all over Germany, one coming from each region with two coming from Hannover. All of the modern registered German Spaniels today are descended from these eleven dogs.
John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon
John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon PC KC FRS FSA was a British barrister and politician. He served as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain between 1801 and 1806 and again between 1807 and 1827.- Background and education :...
, Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
owned a German Spaniel named Pincher, thought to be his favourite dog, which was painted by Edwin Henry Landseer
Edwin Henry Landseer
Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, RA was an English painter, well known for his paintings of animals—particularly horses, dogs and stags...
. The dog originally belonged to his son William Henry, but became his constant companion. Lord Eldon would write of Pincher's behaviour in correspondence, for example to Lady F. J. Bankes in December 1831, "When I got to Southampton, Pincher, who sends his kindest regards, marched up to the bed-room, in which I slept the last two times I was there. The chambermaid provided another room for me, the house being full of company, there being a ball at Southampton. Pincher was uneasy at this, and out of humour, and if he could speak, he would not have allowed it." Following Lord Eldon' death, a sum was left to his daughter Lady Frances specifically to pay for the care of the dog.
Not usually kept as pets, these dogs owned by German foresters and professional hunters. In the 1960s and 70s several German Spaniels were imported into the United States, and descendants of those dogs are now used in Canada to track down and flush out American black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
. A further pair of dogs were brought to the United States in 1994, and the United Kennel Club
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...
recognised the breed in 1996, placing it in the Gundog Group
Gundog Group
thumb|Right|alt=A mostly white medium size dog with a brown spot on its back and brown ears. It stands in a field next to a woman wearing pastal green clothing.| A show champion Pointer competing for Best Gundog in a conformation show...
. There is thought to be about 100 German Spaniels in North America.
Description
The Deutscher Wachtelhund is a strong boned, muscular, medium sized gundog with long thick wavy hair. It is solidly-built which allows it to retrieve heavy game such as hares and foxes. The ears are fairly long and should reach from half way to the nose, to the tip of the nose. The size is approximately 18–21 in (45.7–53.3 cm) at the withersWithers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
. Body length, from the nose to the base of the tail is twice the length of the dogs height. Average weight for both males and females of the breed is between 44–66 lb (20–29.9 kg).
The coat
Coat (dog)
The coat of the domestic dog refers to the hair that covers its body. A dog's coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat, or a single coat, which lacks an undercoat...
is short and fine on the head, and of long on the body, where it is strong, thick, wavy or curly, with enough undercoat to provide protection. It has a well feathered coat which is usually either brown or brown roan
Roan (color)
Roan is a coat color found in many animals, notably horses, cattle and dogs. It is defined generally as an even mixture of white and pigmented hairs that does not "gray out" or fade as the animal ages...
. Although brown, it can have white markings chest and/or legs, and may have white ticking anywhere on its body. Other colors that the coat can come in include red and white, and solid red. Plain black coats do not occur in the breed.
Temperament
The Deutscher Wachtelhund is an exceptional versatile gundog. They are used to hunt upland game, will match the retrieving ability of any other breed, excel at tracking and blood trailing large game. All round bird dogs and will hunt all other types of game. Vibrant friendly personality, intelligent, aggressive hunters, and love water work.This is a dog that needs to be activated with a firm but gentle hand as it may overpass or underride orders given by an "unworthy" master. A German saying runs along the lines of "a wachtelhund will abuse any weakness you provide". Given the right owner a wachtelhund will give you anything you could ever desire in a hunting or family dog, especially in a small hunting area as they are bred to chase in fairly small areas.
This breed has gained numbers in Sweden along with the increase of the wild boar population in the south of the country as well as crossbreeds with native spitzhounds to produce tough and brave dogs that will both give chase and "put" or "stand" the boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
giving the hunter the chance to sneak in to kill the prey. They will also give deathbark or take down wounded game if trained to.