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German Spaniel

History

Known in German as the Wachtelhund, meaning "quail dog" because of his favorite game, the German Spaniel was developed around 1890 in Germany by the breeder F. Roberth. Several breeds were used in creating this spaniel, particularly an old German breed called the Stöber and various longhaired water dogs. The German Spaniel is not well-known outside his native land.

Breed Description Head: Chiseled. Skull flat, not too broad. Very slight stop. Curved nosebridge. Muzzle equal in length to the skull. Thin lips. Large, brown nose.
Ears: Set on high, flat, not curled, not too long or thick, hanging just behind the eyes. Covered with long, often curly hair.
Eyes: Medium-sized, almond-shaped, slanting, preferably dark brown. Body: Long. Solid neck without dewlap. High, long withers. Chest deep, well let-down. Short, broad, deep loin. Moderate tuck-up. Very short, solid back Flat, long croup.
Tail: Set on high, carried straight or hanging down, wagged energetically in the presence of game. Docked by one-third its length. Well-feathered. Hair: Long, tough, dense, wavy. Slightly curly (like Astrakhan lamb's wool) or flat. Often curly on the neck, ears, and croup. Short on the head. Backs of the legs well-feathered.
Coat: Solid dark brown with white spots on the chest and toes or with tan markings (red to yellow) above the eyes and on the muzzle, legs, and around the anus. Whole-colored in shades of fox red or fawn red. - Roan-brown: roan background (white and brown hairs closely mixed), often with a brown head and brown blotches or a brown mantle covering the entire body. Spotted brown and white (with a white background), harlequin (white background with brown spots and flecks and brown blotches), or tricolor (roan, spotted, or harlequin with tan markings as in the solid-colored variety).
Size: Dog: 48 to 54 cm (19-21.3 in). Bitch: 45 to 51 cm (17.5-20 in).
Weight: Approx. 20 kg (44 lb).

Health Problems Hip dysplasia is not normally a problem in the breed. In Germany breeders must request permission from the German Wachtelhund Club to breed their Wachtelhunds. Prior to this the Wachtelhund must have passed ten specific hunt measurement tests and the breeder must provide X-rays of the female and male, with a Vet's certification that the Wachtels do not have hip dysplasia. The German rate hip dysplasia on a scale of 0 through 4. Three and 4's are not breedable. In the States, most breeders have had their Wachtelhunds certified by the OFA as being free of hip dysplasia. OFA rates hip excellent, good, fair and poor. Wachtelhund with fair and poor ratings should not be bred. Buyer's should request the rating from the breeder and not buy dogs coming from parents with fair to poor ratings. Crooked legs and splayed feet are a problem, again buyers should avoid buying pups from parents with these conditions. Another problem are dogs with skin conditions or allergies, they should not be bred.

Behavior Tough and courageous, the German Spaniel can work on all kinds of terrain, mainly woods and swampland. This active tracker and flusher uses his voice on the trail and hunts all small game but also pests (fox) and large game. He is a good retriever as well as a bloodhound able to track wounded game. He is affectionate and makes a good pet. He needs firm training. Advice He needs space and exercise, as well as daily brushing and regular attention to the ears. Function Hunting dog, companion dog.

Grooming Frequent bushing will maintain their coats in good condition. The hair between the toes needs to be trimmed frequently, especially during winter conditions with a lot of snow. ears should be checked regularly to in sure there are no infections. Some Wachtelhunds have ears which a set high and others have the typical spaniel, low hung ears. Wachtelhunds with the low hung ears are more prone to ear infections. Eyes should be inspected and flushed after hunting to eliminate any seeds or debris.

Exercise The Wachtelhund is a hunting dog are requires a good amount of exercise. They love water and are excellent retrievers, so frequent swimming is great exercise. They will go into water right up to freeze up and immediately after break-up. They are not the dog for an occasional hunter. On days you do not take them hunting, they need a daily,

Faults Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.