The Large Munsterlander Association of Canada

Large Munsterlander Association
of Canada
Spring 2012 Newsletter Web Edition
http://www.lmcanada.net
Welcome everyone to the first edition of the Large Munsterlander
Association of Canada (LMAC) Newsletter. The LMAC commits to maintaining the Large
Munsterlander (LM) as a dog for hunters, their families and ethical hunting. This commitment
includes:
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•
•
•
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consideration of hunting performance, health, temperament and conformation to maintain
an intelligent dog that excels in the field and provides companionship in the home
fostering a results-oriented community of hunter-owners who jointly are best positioned
to maintain a sound companion for the hunters of today and tomorrow
respectful use by the community of LM owners of the Animal Pedigree Act of Canada as
an institutional tool for today's breed development
respect for the original breed goals of 1919 and the working and conformation standard
maintained by the Verband Grosse Münsterländer e.V. of Germany, and the Federation
Cynologigue International (FCI)
emphasis on upland and waterfowl hunting and retrieving, with blood tracking of big
game where this is permitted
strategic use of science in the breed's management keeping breed goals, benefits and
burden in balance
The current plan is to publish a newletter four times a year correlating with the spring and fall
equinox and the summer and winter soltices. The newsletter will include information and reports
from officers and members on topics of interests to LM owners and enthusiasts. Test results
and breeding information will also be reported. Please submit articles for the newsletter two
weeks before the publication date. We look forward to receiving news items and photos from all
LMAC members as well as suggestions on how to improve the newsletter.
Pat Hayes-Schryer, Newsletter Editor
Officers
President – Byron Pugh (Delisle, SK)
Vice President – Rainer Knopff (Calgary, AB)
Registrar – Kaley Pugh (Delisle, SK)
Treasurer – Susan Fasenko (Edmonton, AB)
Secretary/Webmaster – Sheila Schmutz (Saskatoon, SK)
TDP Coordinator – Sheri Hallwyler (Oregon City, Oregon)
Test Coordinator – Steven Davis (Pendleton, Oregon)
Newsletter Editor – Pat-Hayes-Schryer (Saskatoon, SK)
bpugh@bearhillskennel.ca
knopff@ucalgary.ca
kaj308@mail.usask.ca
Poulette@shaw.ca
sheila.schmutz@usask.ca
hooch@teleport.com
apis@wtechlink.us
pah286@mail.usask.ca
President’s Message
by Bryon Pugh
I would like to welcome all the new LMAC members. These first few months have been very
busy, but we’ve have a great group of volunteers that have the organization well underway.
After our November meeting with David Trus from the Agriculture Ministry, the former LMCNA’s
bylaws were revised to meet the requirements of both the LMAC and the Ministry; we still
haven’t had any feedback from the Ministry regarding these new bylaws.
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A new LM organization, called the Large Munsterlander Association of America (LMAA), has
been formed by American LM enthusiasts, and
there will soon be negotiations between the
organizations so that we can all work for the
benefit of LMs on our continent.
Check out website for ongoing updates as the
club continues to develop, and for news about
available dogs, upcoming litters and LMAC
events.
Thank you for your support, and enjoy the early
spring with your LM.
LMCNA Registrar’s Report,
Nov 2011 to Resignation 13 Feb 2012
By Kaley Pugh
The following report outlines the LM litters for which I performed LMCNA Registrar duties. Since
this is my first report of this sort, I’m following Joe Schmutz’s format from his previous Breed
Warden’s reports.
Litters, parents and registration. I issued papers for three litters that were not listed in Joe’s
previous report. Summary statistics are as follows:
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•
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A total of 21 puppies were registered
Litter size at birth for these three litters was 6-12, with an average of 8.3. Of the 25
pups whelped, 21 survived to at least 8 weeks and were registered.
Inbreeding coefficient for these three litters ranged from 0.0 to 3.3.
The 21 pups were from three different dams and three different sires. Hip evaluations of the six
parents were Good-Excellent (2) and Excellent (4), with all being HD-free as required by
LMCNA. The field qualifications per litter were NAT/HAE x NAT/HAE (n = 1) and NAT/HAE x
upper test (n = 1) and upper x upper (n = 1).
Registration data of the 21 puppies are as follows:
Note: Tattoo numbers 44/11 to 53/11 were assigned to Tundra’s A litter; as of my resignation on
February 13, 2012 this litter was not registered.
Flusstal’s B, whelped on 21 June 2011. Breeder: John & Dawn Smith, Bloomington, MN.
Dam: Dina vom Steinmetz "Sadie", ZGM 71/05, HD-free (Excellent), Advanced Hunting Aptitude
Evaluation 175 (Pass); Sire: Eagle Lake's Augustus "Gunther", LMCNA 89/08, HD-free
(Excellent), Advanced Hunting Aptitude Evaluation 162 (Very Good).
54/11
55/11
56/11
57/11
58/11
59/11
Bailey
Bristol
Bravo
Bell
Brie
Brandi
M
M
F
F
F
F
Ticked/Wh. m. & blaze
Ticked/Wh. m. & blaze
Ticked/Black
Plated/ Wh. m. & blaze
Plated/Snip
Ticked/Black
Clark Orlaska,
Minneapolis, MN
Lynn & Steve Schwartzmeier, Rochester, NY
Paul Harmon,
Edina, MN
Carl Brandt,
Forest Lake, MN
Daniel & Andrea Dick,
Edina, MN
John & Dawn Smith,
Bloomington, MN
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Snowy Oaks O2, whelped on 29 June 2011. Breeder: R. Curt & Romalyn Shreve, Prior Lake,
MN. Dam: Snowy Oaks Gypsy, LMCNA 63/06, HD-free (Excellent), Natural Ability 110/112 (I);
Sire: Ironmaster's Eddie, LMCNA 79/02, HD-free (Good-excellent), Natural Ability 93/112 (II).
60/11
61/11
62/11
63/11
64/11
65/11
66/11
67/11
68/11
69/11
70/11
71/11
Oakley
Oona
Ounce
Ouray
Ouzel
Octane
Oliver
Orca
Otto
Outlaw
Owin
Ozzie
F
F
F
F
F
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
Ticked/Blaze
Ticked/Snip & star
Ticked/Black
Ticked/Snip & star
Ticked/Blaze
Ticked/Blaze
Ticked/Black
Ticked/Black
Ticked/Black
Ticked/Black
Ticked/Blaze
Ticked/Snip & star
Mike Schmid,
Carson, ND
Peter Roberts,
Safford, AZ
Don & Mary Olson,
Dennison, MN
Roderick Brown,
Glenwood, MN
R. Curt & Romalyn Shreve, Prior Lake, MN
Jack & Susie Thomas,
Burnt Hills, NY
Chris & Missy Wachtler,
White Bear, MN
Chris Olson,
Nisswa, MN
Randy Anderson,
Richfield, MN
Joe & Teresa Breed,
Cheboygan, MI
Sam Shrimpton & Randy Skaare, Issaquah, WA
Frank Cordes,
Cascade, WI
Swan Creek’s C, whelped on 23 August 2011. Breeder: Dan & Karen Pagel, Fair Haven, MI.
Dam: Sunnynook's Skelly, LMCNA 64/04, HD-free (Excellent), Natural Ability 106/112 (I); Sire:
Red-tail Ridge's Blackjack "Jake", LMCNA 22/06, HD-free (Good-excellent), Utility 198/204 (I).
72/11 Clancy
73/11 Csar
74/11 Cleo
F
M
F
Ticked/Black
Ticked/Black
Ticked/Black
Dan & Karen Pagel,
Predrag Janic,
Joe & Amanda Fishcher
Fair Haven, MI
Shelby Township, MI
WI
Website Update
by Sheila Schmutz
The LMAC website is www.lmcanada.net. It has gradually been expanding to contain more
information. If you have a request about something you’d like to see, please email
sheila.schmutz@usask.ca.
We’d like to change the “Feature Dog”
every 6 weeks or so and therefore if you
have a great photo of your dog in action,
please email to Sheila as a .jpg. Please
identify the dog’s full name and call name,
and describe a bit about the situation. Joe
often helps me expand the text about the
dogs in the photos if the person has not
wanted to write much.
I will make every effort to add updates
regarding new pups and/or breeding plans
within 48 hours of an email. It’s probably easiest if you are writing Kaley
(kaj308@mail.usask.ca), the LMAC registrar, to copy me too!
The great looking logo on our website was originally drawn by Rick Hallwyler. He recently
adapted it to reflect the change from LMCNA to LMAC, respecting the long tradition of LMCNA
that is continuing forward with LMAC.
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Total Dog Profile Updates
by Sheri Hallwyler
This is the first update for LMAC newsletter regarding Total Dog Profiles (TDP’s). So for those
of you new to this term, the purpose of a Total Dog Profile is to document for dogs eleigble to
breed that summarizes the qualifications of each dog providing information to breeders and sire
owners to help ensure that mates selected for breeding not only qualify but complement one
another. This document demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses, which will help improve
and maintain the LM gene pool. These documents are confidential, for breeders only, to
maintain the integrity of the information.
We currently have 40 eligible males to breed to in the US and Canada. If you have a male or
female that you want to get recorded as eligible to breed a Total Dog Profile needs to be
created. This form allows breeders who are often many miles apart to get to know your dog to
determine the best match for each dam and sire. Why not consider making your dam or sire
eligible to breed!
Documents needed to apply for eligibility to breed (this information is also available on the
LMAC website):
1) Total dog profile form,
2) Copy of test score documents,
3) Copy of registration certificate and pedigree,
4) Copy of Hip Certification,
5) Picture of your dog.
Congratulations to the newly eligible dogs who have met and exceeded the requirements for
breeding:
Bear Hill’s Aspen (Female)
Owner: Byron & Kaley Pugh
Delisle, Saskatchewan
Sunnynook’s Whiskey Jack (Male)
Owner: Todd & Meagan Smith
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
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Sunnynook’s Veery (Female)
Owner: Joe & Sheila Schmutz
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Test Secretary and Predator Response Coordinator
by Steve Davis
Greetings LMAC members! My name is Steve Davis. I have tested dogs in both the Vesatile
Hunting Dog Federation (VHDF) and North American Versatile Hunting Dog Federation
(NAVHDA) systems. I’m also have some familiarity
with the Jagdgebrauchshundverband (JGHV)
system. I'll be tracking your scores for use in
compiling Progeny Performance Awards and to
include on Pedigrees. I'll also be collecting
information on "predator response". This will be a
voluntary reporting that will help the Association
track this trait within our gene pool. See Joe
Schmutz's fine article on this subject here in the
Newsletter.
On the website you will find a list of tests and
testing systems currently accepted by the LMAC.
As your dogs complete tests, please send results to me via email. My address is listed below.
Please include in the subject line "Large Munsterlander (LM) Test score for (your dogs name)".
In this way I'll be able to better track emails. As a matter of course you should receive from me
an email, confirming receipt or asking for additional information. If you don't hear back from me
within the week, please send a query email.
I have owned and hunted LM's here in Eastern Oregon now for several years. Our land is a mix
of rugged canyons, formidable mountains and large rolling benches. I've come to appreciate the
special qualities the LM brings to this scene. I confess to say I am enamored with this breed. I
know now I made the right choice, back then.
I look forward to serving you, the membership, and our great dogs.
Best Wishes
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Härte – How relevant is it in North America?
By Joe Schmutz
This outline is a suggestion of how LMAC
might handle the assessment of an LM’s
response to predators. This would be for
ours and the benefit of German, Austrian
and Czech breeders, were they to take an
LMAC LM back into their gene pool, as in
LMAC’s “Original Stream.” Personally, I
think a dog with gumption also brings
motivation to field and water work, which we
want. But, at the same time, given a choice
I’d not breed a dog that does not have the
smarts to learn to avoid porcupines.
Härte, why and what for? When we’re out hunting, some of our dogs are keen to get at
predators while others could care less. When it comes to porcupines, the keen-ness is no
laughing matter, worse yet bears, wolves, rattlesnakes. (At least one LM is suspected of having
been killed by wolves in Michigan). Where does Härte come from? How should we approach it
re our LMs? This proposal is for us to record and track it on pedigrees when it occurs in day-today hunting. Breeders can select against it if they want, but the information would be available
to all, to recognize the dog that has gumption but that also knows to apply it with smarts.
Terminology. The German word Härte, literally ‘hardness,’ describes a versatile dog in the
JGHV testing system that has enough gumption to attack and even dispatch mammals including
mid-size predators. Härte is not the same as ‘sharp’ -- a distinction that is easily misunderstood
in North America. Sharp dogs are aggressive to others and verging on mean, not a desirable
trait anywhere. It’s the same with protection dogs. To the uninitiated a mean dog may seem
protective, but their temperament is usually off the mark. A mean, or a dull dog, would never
make it into police service, nor is it desirable for hunting.
Why favor Härte? In his recent book “Pointing Dogs,” Craig Koshyk makes the astute comment
that pointing breeds east of the river Rhine (Germany, Austria, Czech Republic) are put to work
year-round in a Revier hunting system (municipal-area lease). The dogs’ tasks are diverse and
dictated by the game present, and not just oriented to the game preferred. There are three main
areas where dogs with gumption are valued, for wild boar, crippled roe deer or stag, and
medium sized predators.
Wild Boar. The populations of wild boar have increased dramatically in central Europe over the
last Century. There are many reasons, among them the creation of limited hunting seasons for
Wild Boar depending on the state / country when there once were none; increased planting of
corn in fields, a warmer climate and so on. Especially in favorable conditions, such as high mast
years, young wild boar can breed before they are a year old1. [Graph 1]
1
Boll, C. (2009). "Mehr Freiheit - mehr Strecke? Wild und Hund (13): 16-21.
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Graph 1 : Number of Wild Boar
shot in the 13 German states,
during the hunting season of
1972/73 compared to 2004/05.
(Reprinted from Wild und Hund
2009, No. 13, p. with permission
Parey Zeitschriftenverlag GmbH,
Singhofen, Germany.)
Boar overpopulation increases
the risk that a disease that is
resident in wild boar could
spread to domestic pigs and at
great cost to farmers.
The
increase also causes crop
damage for which the hunter is
financially responsible (Photo 1).
This financial responsibility is
compensated for in part by the
ability of hunters to sell venison
to consumers. Even so, there
are Reviere which no hunter wants to rent because they consist primarily of fields and less
woods, and where boar are common. The situation has reached crisis proportions. The game
departments have done all they can to encourage harvest. They have pulled all the stops
allowing baiting, night hunting with lights and the like. There is even talk of the government
hiring a professional core of hunters just to reduce boar numbers in high boar areas.
Dogs are critical in the hunt because boar are smart, they hole up in dense thickets during the
day and romp in the fields at night. Driven hunts are common. Hunters surround woods or
fields, and drivers walk through moving game. Dogs are critical to detect hiding boar and to
prevent them from doubling back into the thicket once the driver has walked past. Boar are
dangerous for the dogs, especially older males with large, slicing incisors. Protective capes are
commercially available and virtually all dogs wear them while hunting boar. Still, injuries and
even death are not uncommon.
Photo 1 : Wild boar photo from
Wikipedia.
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What is important here is that the dogs that are most useful are the ones with a good dose of
both smarts AND gumption. A senseless attacker is not much use and won’t live long. The
smart dog will annoy the boar just enough tget get to move, hopefully toward a stationed hunter.
Experience has it that a bigger (versatile) dog with bite potential, combined with the nimble
terriers to get around deadfall, is a good combination. This means also that most dogs are
expected to hunt cooperatively with other dogs of any sex and not start fights. These conditions
favor and test the intelligence in dogs. Even before the boar-population explosion, dogs with
gumption were valued for tracking cripples, including to chase and hold cripples at bay until the
hunter can catch up and deliver a humane shot. This hunting style that is as old as the doghuman relationship itself, only the gun replaced the spear.
Mesopredators. Large predators have long gone extinct in Western Europe; although wolves
are spreading westward of late and are given protection in some states countries. As a result of
scarce or absent large predators, the mid-size predators have found a ‘release’ and are
increasing. In ecological circles this predator-predator relationship is called a predator cascade.2
In North America, the same trend exists in the highly altered urbanized and agricultural areas.
Here predator control is also practiced, with the bounties of the past and more scientific predator
management of late (e.g. Delta Waterfowl Foundation).
Many articles in German hunting magazines show winter and spring hunting of medium and
small predators. This leads to significantly more small game in the bag. Here too, dogs have
been used for centuries; the Dachshund to spring badger (= Dachs) and foxes from their den.
Versatile dogs are expected to move predators out of cover. Versatile dogs are to dispatch
crippled ones and retrieve them. An accompanying photo shows a German Long-haired Pointer
carrying a fox over a barrier (Photo 2).3 The North American breed clubs that follow their
respective German breeding system verbatim use tests of Härte as required, that is Deutsch
Drahthaar, Deutsch Langhaar and optional, I believe, Deutsch Kurzhaar.
Photo 2 : This retrieve of a fox by a Large Munsterlander is an
optional task in the German Verbands-Gebrauchs Prüfung
(VGP). Its completion is indicated on pedigrees as Btr for
Bringtreue or ‘retrieving reliable.’ Photo of Akihla vom
Hochholz, taken by Carola Urbach.
2
Stolzenburg, W. (2008). "Where the wild things were: Life, death and ecological wreckage in a land of vanishing predators."
Bloomsbury, New York.
3
Schmitt, S. (2010). "Ohne Fuchs kein Meister" Wild und Hund (13): 22-25.
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At the 2007 Anniversary Gathering, the visiting Verband Grosse Münsterländer representatives
discussed this Härte-issue with us, as part of the discussion on a World LM Association (LM
News Aug. 2007). Taking North-American bred dogs back into the VGM’s gene pool would
require that our dogs by-and-large meet the same or similar breeding requirements. Härte is
missing in our system from the VGM’s point of view. Thomas Schäfer (Steinmetz Kennel)
suggested back then that we address this on a voluntary basis.
A voluntary basis works because LMAC breeders have nothing to gain or loose, the dogs are
what they are. In this way, those of us who see our kennel as part of a global LM community
could maximize the chance that dogs from our kennels could give back some of what we’ve
received.
A proposal. As is practiced in Germany, dogs that display Härte as part of a hunting situation
would be recorded and this would be mentioned on their offsprings’ pedigrees. Steven Davis of
Pendleton, Oregon, has offered to rceive the reports, which should be a letter from the dog’s
owner describing the Härte event in enough detail so that Steve can evaluate the dogs’
response and rank it. This letter should also specify an additional observer if there was one,
who can vouch for the event, if contacted.
For a North American dog club to be effective, it should use words North Americans know to
spell. Härte could be translated as “Response to Predators” and shortened RtP. While the
dogs’ responses to porcupines are likely of most interest to us, these are not strictly speaking
predators; though they will eat bird eggs and so are at least partially included.
Considering several scenarios that I have personally encountered, a ranking of RtP from 0-3
seems to cover the range, where:
0 = a dog may be inquisitive but makes no attempt to attack
1 = dog begins an attack but quickly gives up
2 = dog tries to subdue and gives up when predator fights back
3 = dog gives a serious effort to subdue and retrieve.
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Balance in Our Dogs
John C. Staley
Ogden, UT / Big Piney, WY
I have been a subscriber to the Pointing Dog
Journal since it’s first issue. A few years ago
Steve Smith, the editor, began sending out email in conjunction with The Pointing Dog
Journal (PDJ) and I signed up immediately.
Last week I received one that I thought I
would share. In the upcoming March/April
issue of PDJ there will be an article by Rick
Smith and Sharon Potter in their regular
training column, Trainin’ Dogs with Rick Smith
titled Balance. In this article they take the
idea of balance beyond the usual discussion
of conformation or structure and in to the
concept of mental balance within our dogs. Their contention is that mental balance is even more
important that physical balance. Even if a dog has the greatest structure, if the mental and
emotional requirements are not met the dog will not make it as a bird dog.
They indicate that there are four major components to focus on when evaluating a dog’s mental
balance: sensitivity, softness, sensibility and smartness. I guess we could refer to these as the
4’s of evaluating your dog’s mental balance. Rick and Sharon contends that while these four
components are things all dos have, it’s how they combine and how strongly each trait presents
itself during the training process that defines the balance we’re looking for.
I am looking forward to the issue coming out where they go into looking at each of these traits
individually. I highly recommend that if you subscribe to PDJ you be sure to read this column
and if you have friends who do not subscribe you make sure to share it with them.
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A New Pair of Genes
by Alan Kaplan
My wife, Patty, and I have always owned male LMs with the goal of bringing a diverse genetic
profile of breeding males to the Midwest. We
have had three LMs with only one, Ironmaster’s
Eddie, suitable for breeding. Our hope is that our
newest addition to our family will help fulfill our
goal. Born October 23, 2011, Till von St. Vit (call
name “Remy”) came to the United States from
Germany. As we all know, there are many
variables that create a breeding eligible dog.
However, early signs are very promising. Remy
is a quick learner, athletic and confident. After a
series a visits to the local hunt club, at 18 weeks
old Remy was staunchly pointing Chukar from 1030 foot away, tolerating the shotgun, and demonstrating a natural retrieve. He is by far the most
precocious hunting dog I have owned. However, he comes with challenges as he is also the
cleverest dog I have ever owned. Remy is a very well bred dog and I am pleased.
The real story is not really Remy’s potential; but, rather how I was able to obtain him. It is a
story about community and why it is so important that we do not let current club events interfere
with relationships and collaboration. Over the years, I have met many fine individuals through
the LMCNA. I personally do not distinguish between the U.S. and Canada. I only see friends,
advisors, fellow hunters, and conservationists. I had served on the LMCNA Board of Directors
and we (Patty and I) had served many years as LM rescue coordinators. Obtaining Remy was
the result of a longstanding relationship between the LMCNA (existing under the Canadian
Pedigree Act) and the German LM Club, Etta Bernu (U.S. breeder, who has developed personal
relationships in Germany), and Karl Wichmann (German LM breeder). In essence, it is the
collaboration between three countries that brought
Remy to my home. I am very thankful to Etta, Karl, and
Joe Schmutz, who patiently taught me much over the
years. I am sure that it would have been much easier
for Karl to place his pups close to home; but, due to
these relationships Karl was willing to put forth the extra
effort for an international placement. Remy is the
reason that we all need to stick together.
Bringing people together is what I do for a living. I
recently led the merger of 470 physicians into a single
medical group. Trust me, physicians are almost as
opinionated as breeders and dog owners. While I can
write a book (literally) on how this merger came to
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fruition, I will sum it up by saying that we have a vision and we kept focus on that vision.
Everything else is noise that can be resolved. We never let a small faction or a louder voice
sway us from that vision. After formation, the next step is to stabilize governance by creating an
intentional culture. This requires that we create values and adhere to them (e.g. LM’s first,
integrity, pursuit of excellence, partnership, inter-club collaboration, etc.). When discussion
heats up we return to the values and allow them to serve as guideposts. Without being
intentional about our culture, our organizations will default to the lowest denominator and be
subject to the will of an individual or small group. Without affirming our values upfront we run
the risk of further fractionation in the future.
Personally, I was not in favor of splitting into two clubs; but, it is done. So, I ask how do we
make this work for the benefit of the LM, the breeders and the owners? I believe that if we work
collaboratively we can turn this into a strong positive. Two clubs in North America can recruit
additional volunteers and provide depth in capable leadership and expertise (e.g. boards, breed
warden, registry maintenance). Each club can provide back-up for the other and work together
to maintain genetic diversity. If we are not proactive and intentional in our collaboration we run
the risk of artificial emotional walls that become difficult to break down. And, if that were our
history, Remy would not be here.
Updates from the LM Community
A new litter for Bear Hills Kennel
Please welcome the newest additions to the LMAC family. Bear Hills’ ʺ″Dʺ″ litter is made up of ten
puppies (six males and four females) born March 11, 2012 to Bear Hills’ Aspen and
Sunnynook's Uno. All puppies are healthy and spoken for.
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