Large Munsterlander vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison

The attractive and popular breed in Italy, the Bracco Italiano was used for tracking and retrieving, evolving in Piedmont and Lombardy. It is believed the Bracco Italiano came about from crossing the Segugio with the ancient Asiatic Mastiff.

There are people however, who believe that the breed goes back to the St Hubert Hound, but it is certain that both hounds and gundogs are part of the breed’s ancestry. The dog only arrived in Britain in the last decade of the 20th century.

The Large Münsterländer hails from the Münster region in Germany. It was in 1919 that the first breed club was founded.

The dog’s ancestors were different Spaniel breeds as well as the German Longhaired Pointer. The dog quickly became a sought after hunting dog in Europe.

The Large Munsterlander Association of America is the only official breed organization for this dog. The dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

His Looks:

The Bracco Italiano is a large athletic, muscular dog. He stands at 58–67cm, weighing anything between 25 – 40kg. He reminds one somewhat of a German Short-haired Pointer. He has long ears and a serious expression, and this reminds one of a Bloodhound. He has short, shiny hair with his coat being white and chestnut or orange. The tail of the Bracco Italiano has always been docked, giving him an attractive, distinctive look but with rules and regulations coming in regarding docking, the long tail is often left intact. His eyes are brown.

His Temperament

Braccos are wonderful pets – they are intelligent, loving, gentle and amicable, getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. Socialize and train them and they become gentle and obedient. They long to be involved with their human family and will adapt to life in the city or the country so long as they are made to feel like family. He is alert and makes a good watchdog. As with most other dogs, they can’t be bought, loved as a puppy and then ignored and left to themselves when they grow into adults.

The medium to large Large Munsterlander stands between 60 to 65cm at the withers and weighs about 28 to 32kg.

When you look at him, you get the feeling that you’re looking at a springer spaniel. He has long broad feathery ears and also a long feathery tail. The head is fairly broad and somewhat rounded.

The coat of the dog is long and dense, and is quite wavy with feathering around the legs and tail. He can be black and white or be a reddish brown with patches or ticking because of the piebald gene. If you allow your Large Munsterlander to become a parent, the average litter of this dog is 5 to 10 puppies.

Temperament:

The Large Munsterlander is essentially a tracking, retrieving dog. He makes an excellent hunting dog and these instincts are strong within this particular breed. It is why some breeders only give their puppies to serious hunters.

He is an active dog, and because he loves to retrieve, ball games will suit him down to the ground. Take him with you on your walks as he is a naturally athletic, active dog.

He loves water too and won’t need a second invitation from you to jump right into dams or pools. He is such an easy going dog, getting on well with children and pets in the home and being a good first choice for first time dog owners too. However, he requires plenty of exercise.

Because he is a hunting and retrieving dog, he will be far better suited to living in a home where there is a fair sized garden. He isn’t regarded as a city dwelling dog. These are dogs that just love to be outside and running around.

The Large Munsterlander can be a boisterous dog, so teaching him some basic commands such as ‘come, stay, lie-down, sit or heel’ will improve the way he behaves inside the home and when in the company of other people.

Training and socialization will do him the world of good and it means you can take your dog anywhere – he’ll always be well behaved, becoming a calm, gentle dog.

The gentle, amicable Bracco Italiano is a versatile dog that can be a super sport companion for active people and it can also be an exceptional companion for families and older people. He has a sweet, gentle expression and his amicable nature makes him easy to love. He is alert though, and therefore can be both protector and friend at the same time.

Overall, this easy going dog with his low maintenance coat can make an excellent 4-legged addition to any family.

As a sporting dog, the Large Munsterlander loves his exercise. You can involve him in all kinds of outdoor activities, and he’ll readily join in, from swimming, to hiking to ball games to just plain running for the fun of it.

Always be careful with puppies though, before you involve such a young dog with such strenuous exercise. For a better chance of avoiding hip dysplasia, it is better to wait till he is about 12 months old before you involve him in too many lively activities.

He’s an easily trainable dog too, and the fact that he is a calm, gentle dog who is loving and loyal makes him an excellent pet choice.

There don’t appear to be any major health issues with your Bracco Italiano and he can live to be 12, 13 or 14 years of age. Because he is a large breed however, you will need to watch out for hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia is a common skeletal disease with dogs and larger dogs have the genetic predisposition for hip dysplasia. Your dog can develop joint inflammation with pain and lameness.

Other health problems to look out for include kidney disease (Amaloidosis), cherry eye which results in dry eye. If you want to buy a Bracco Italiano, you should ask the breeder about the medical history of the parents.

All dogs can develop some health problems no matter how healthy they are, but when they are happy dogs, they’re well fed, exercised and loved, they have a better chance of reaching a ripe old age.

Large Munsterlanders are generally healthy dogs. Some conditions reported in the breed which are highly unlikely to affect your dog, but are good knowing about are hip dysplasia, cataracts and osteochondrosis.

Osteochondrosis:

This is a common condition where the joints of quickly growing puppies are affected. The surface of the joint doesn’t convert into bone in certain areas. The result is thickened cartilage which detaches from the surrounding normal cartilage, forming a flap.

Osteochondrosis causes the development of osteoarthritis, affecting certain joints of the dog. Both genetics and the wrong diet are causes of osteochondrosis.

It isn’t always possible to feed your dog wholesome food, but always try to get the very best quality food there is. Also, don’t allow your young Large Munsterlander to be involved in strenuous exercise before he reaches one year of age. Pounding around can put abnormal weight on the joints which can spell problems when the dog is older. Osteochondrosis mostly affects large and giant breed dogs.

Grooming:

These dogs are moderate shedders so he will simply need a good brushing twice a week to ensure the coat is kept shiny and free from loose hairs. Nails should be clipped from time to time and he will also need to have his long ears checked for cleanliness. Long-eared dog breeds are more susceptible to canine ear infections.

Feeding:

The Bracco is a large dog and therefore he will require a high quality, large-breed dog food formula. Your veterinarian can even recommend a quality commercially manufactured food for large, energetic dogs and which comes with all the vitamins and minerals required for such a breed.

Your vet will recommend you steer clear of foods with cheap fillers, lots of preservatives, sugar and colorants. He has a glossy, dense short coat and you want to ensure he gets raw meat, rice and vegetables from time to time to ensure that the beautiful coat never becomes dull and dry.

Cool, fresh water must always be available to him. Diet and nutrition is an important decision for your pet as it will ultimately affect his long term health.

Diet:

The Large Munsterlander puppy will require 4 meals a day. When he reaches a year of age, you can give him two smaller meals a day.

He is a large, active dog and if you feed him manufactured dog food, make sure its high quality and that it caters to his age and energy levels. His dry kibble can be mixed with cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and cooked or raw vegetables occasionally.

Raw meat can be expensive, but every dog requires some raw meat in the diet every now and then. Without some raw meat, you dog may well suffer with skin problems and a dull coat.

If your dog is still an active hunting dog, a high fat, high protein diet will be good for him. When in any kind of doubt, speak to a dog expert or your vet about how to feed him for health and longevity.

Exercise:

As a sporting hunting dog, the Large Munsterlander has high exercise needs. He most certainly won’t do well in a tiny city garden as he is an outdoor dog wanting to be running and exercising. If you choose this particular dog breed, make sure that you take him on walks, allow him off his leash in the park, play ball games with him and take him with you when you go on hikes.

Grooming:

With his silky coat, you want to be brushing your pet twice a week. If he has been out hunting with you, while brushing him, check for twigs, grass and burrs tangled in the hair.

Other basic care includes trimming the nails, keeping the ears clean and dry inside, brushing the teeth with a canine-approved pet toothpaste and toothbrush for good overall health.