The SMCNA, Inc. is the governing breed club for the Small Munsterlander
in North America. The SMCNA is a member of the Kleine Munsterlander
Club International and maintains a registry and database of purebred
Small Munsterlanders. The SMCNA, as well as all member clubs of the
Kleine Munsterlander Club International, have breeding requirements to
ensure the quality of the breed. The SMCNA requires that all Small
Munsterlanders approved for breeding have reached an age requirement,
passed the North America Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA)
Natural Ability test, meet hip qualifications that are certified by OFA to be
good or better or rated by PennHIP to be tighter than .50, meet the FCI
conformation standard, possess a normal temperament, and have no
genetic health diseases. Applications for breeding approval are reviewed
and approved by the SMCNA Breed Council.
On August 14, 2006, the AKC recognized the Small Munsterlander Pointer
into its Foundation Stock Service (FSS) program. This recognition by the
AKC allows a purebred breed to continue to develop while providing them
with an avenue to maintain their records. FSS breeds are not eligible for
AKC registration. Some of the FSS breeds are approved to compete in
AKC Companion Events which consist of obedience, agility, tracking and
rally events.
The only requirement the AKC has to issue an AKC pedigree is that both
parents have an AKC pedigree. The AKC has no breeding standards that
need to be met. The dogs can be bred after 6 months of age, no
performance testing requirement, no hip evaluation requirement, no
conformation standards, no temperament standards and no genetic health
requirements to issue a pedigree. Any Small Munsterlander with an AKC
pedigree can breed a litter of puppies and have the AKC issue their
pedigree after 6 months of age no matter what health or temperament
problem it may have.
The SMCNA does not endorse affliction with AKC. Before purchasing a
dog, read the questions to ask breeders on this web site and demand that
any dog bred follows the standard of the SMCNA, a member of the
KlM-International and is SMCNA approved to breed or is from another
member club of the KlM-International. Members of the KlM-I will not
accept AKC pedigrees.