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Breed Characteristics
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Deutscher Wachtelhund
| Other Names | Deutscher Wachtel, German Quail Dog, German Spaniel |
| Country of Origin | Germany |
| Weight | 44 - 66 lbs. (20 - 28 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 19 – 21 in. (48 – 54 cm) Females: 18 – 20 in. (45 – 52 cm) |
| Coat | The coat is short and fine on the head, and long on the body, where it is strong, thick, wavy or curly, with enough undercoat to provide protection. |
| Colour | It has a well feathered coat which is usually either brown or brown roan. Although brown, it can have white markings chest and/or legs, and may have white ticking anywhere on its body. Other colours that the coat can come in include red and white, and solid red. Plain black coats do not occur in the breed. |
| Litter Size | 1 - 4 average of 2 |
| Life Span | 12 - 14 years |
| Origin & 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 Bloodhound. Following the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, 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, 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, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain owned a German Spaniel named Pincher, thought to be his favourite dog, which was painted by Edwin Henry Landseer. 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. A further pair of dogs were brought to the United States in 1994, and the United Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1996, placing it in the Gundog Group. There is thought to be about 100 German Spaniels in North America. |
| Personality | The Deutscher is an exceptional versatile gundog. It is used to hunt upland game, will match the retrieving ability of any other breed and excels at tracking and blood trailing large game. It is an all-around bird dog and will hunt all other types of game. It has a vibrant, friendly personality, it is an intelligent, aggressive hunter, and loves water work. It has the scent following ability of a Bloodhound, birdiness guaranteed. Needs a firm, but calm, confident and consistent owner who has an air of natural authority to them. Proper canine to dog communication is essential. |
Care Requirements
| Health | 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 Germans 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. Wachtelhunds with fair and poor ratings should not be bred. Buyers 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. |
| 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 ensure there are no infections. Some Wachtelhunds have ears which are 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 freezing and immediately after the ice breaks up. They are not the dog for an occasional hunter. On days you do not take them hunting, they need a daily, brisk, long walk or jog where the dog is made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as instinct tells a dog that the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. |
| Other Considerations | Wachtelhunds do best living in the house, they can be kept in a kennel but require a lot of contact with their family members. They are very loyal dogs and do best in a social atmosphere. They can live in a city, but require a lot of exercise and must be leashed when walked to avoid problems of chasing cats. The Wachtelhund has a strong hunting desire and are noted for going in for the kill. In rural locations, they can be walked off the leash, they may run into the woods, but will come back to check-in with their master. 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 the creation of crossbreeds with native spitzhounds to produce tough and brave dogs that will both give chase and "stop" or "stand down" the boar giving the hunter the chance to sneak in to kill the prey. They will also give a death bark or take down wounded game if trained to. |
