German Spaniel or Deutscher Wachtelhund: Magnificent specimen for retrieving, hunting and water, the German Spaniel is ideal for those who love versatile dogs, capable of giving their best in all situations.
Also known as Deutscher Wachtelhund, the German Spaniel is a breed of German origin, and according to the FCI classification an excellent retriever, hunting and water dog. In truth, we know what is essential about its origins and the selection phase of this wonderful four-legged friend. In principle, we can say that the breed, as we know it today, was created thanks to crossings made by hunters, and thanks to the attempts of Federico Roberth, a breeder, who already in 1890 tried to improve the already excellent character traits of what would be called German Spaniel, fortifying them.
The progenitor of the German Spaniel was the already excellent Stoeberer hunting dog and it is believed according to what is reported by the literature that is possessed on the subject, that he was endowed with a notable truffle and excellent nose. These were the traits that made him and still today make him remembered as an exceptional hound.
On the other hand, the selection proved the breeders right, given that today the breed is particularly resistant, strong, but at the same time really agile and versatile. Suffice it to say that they are used around the world as five-star auxiliaries, and in Canada the Deutscher Wachtelhund is great for tracking down American black bears. Although the results were excellent from the start, for a better stabilization both on the morphological level and on the character level, the breed was still selected until the beginning of the twentieth century and was recognized in Germany only in 1903.
Ideal hunting companion, the environments that best suit him are the woods and marshes and his very name in German tells us about his hunting preferences. Deutscher Wachtelhund is in fact to be translated as quail dog.
Medium to large in size, for characters and poses it closely resembles the German longhaired pointing dog. Its length and its size are such as to give it a good balance, such as to allow it to hunt and retrieve the hare or fox. Another aspect that characterizes the breed is certainly the excellent bone and the powerful musculature, which decrees its infinite resistance.
In general it appears as a dog with clear lines, sturdy but not stocky, with a short back and a solid and long loin. While males also reach 54 cm in length, females usually do not exceed 51 cm. The weight, on the other hand, can fluctuate between 20 and 30 kg.
Ideal for the search for lost game, the German Spaniel does not disdain to work neither in the surroundings of the dense scrub, nor in the water. Wasted when used in the plains, it gives its best in wooded areas.
If by natural instinct it is an excellent search and retrieval dog, the German Spaniel can also prove to be a good one pointing dog, obviously only if subjected to serious training.
Among its characteristic features it is important to remember its nose, really important, with open and clearly visible nostrils, both thin head and snout, a sturdy neck and large, flat and hanging ears to slightly cover the front part of the eye.
The coat of the German Spaniel is long, thick and slightly wavy and comes in two color varieties, dark brown and roan brown. Finally the tail, set high which awakens when the dog is in the presence of the game.