German flushing: nature and diseases [veterinarian's recommendations
German flushing dog (Deutscher Wachtelhund) also called German spaniel is a relatively young breed, established in the nineteenth century in Bavaria, as if in response to the needs of local hunters and foresters.

- History of the German Flannel breed
- German Flushing Character
- German flushing breed description
- Weight and size of the German flannel
- The appearance of German flippers
- The color of the German flannel
- German flushing dog care and nutrition
- German Flushing Disease
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Epilepsy
- Inflammation of the outer ear
- Is it worth choosing a German flannel??
History of the German Flannel breed
The German breeder, Frederick Roberth, is considered to be the creator of the German shark breed, who strove to obtain individuals with versatile use, able to hunt in typical forest areas and help in various forestry work. Stoeberer, popular at the beginning of the 18th century, extinct today, was a hunting dog, although years ago it was only in the hands of the ruling classes. It is not known exactly what other breeds the German Spaniel is derived from, but they were probably dog breeds such as pointers, spaniels and scoundrels, whose specific and highly valued features ensured the versatility that was sought after. The second person who had a significant impact on the popularization and development of German flushing dogs was Rudolf Friess, who introduced the now unpractical division of the breed into two lines depending on the color of the coat and, despite the limited genetic pool, took care to exclude inbreeding in breeding. German flushing dog is a dog that was officially recognized in 1903 with the establishment of the club The German Wachtelhund also called Verein fur Deutsche Wachtelhund (VDW). Attempts were made to popularize the German spider breed abroad, e.g.in. in the United States and Canada, but unfortunately it did not gain much recognition there. German Flushing Dogs are recognized in Sweden - it is a hunting dog that is used for hunting wild boar. German spaniels they mainly specialize in finding and scaring animals away, but they are also great at retrieving and tracking shots. They are also called German quail dogs - that is, quail dogs. The German Flipper is great both on dry land and in water. Due to their calm and gentle nature, dogs of this breed are also kept as companion dogs, but usually their life is work. The German spider breed is not very widespread in Poland. German Flushing Dog - FCI group 8 (retrievers, flushing dogs, water dogs), section 2 (flushing dogs). Working trials apply to this breed of dogs.
German Flushing Character

Flushing They are dogs with a balanced temperament, calm and friendly, and at the same time cheerful and lively. Their original purpose was hunting and it is in this activity that they will feel best. Fierce and relentless during hunting, and relaxed and sweet at home, they seem to be ideal companions not only for hunters, but also for active people, practicing sports and their families. They are knowledgeable and easy to arrange and train, but need a confident, patient and calm caregiver whom they can trust. German Spotted Dogs need a lot of exercise and love to spend time outdoors. However, they do not like loneliness and leaving them alone for long periods may lead to destructive behavior. German flippers are also good guards. The wachtelhund dog is not barking, but will alert us when an unauthorized person appears on the horizon. The strong hunting instinct of these hunting dogs makes them happy to hunt even small game in the park or a hamster loose around the house. They are friendly towards children, but remember to teach our children how to handle a dog.
German flushing breed description

Weight and size of the German flannel
The German Flushing Dog is a medium-sized hunting dog with an elongated body and a muscular build. The height at the withers for a male dog is 48 cm - 54 cm, and for bitches 45 cm - 52 cm. The body weight of an adult individual is approx. 18 kg - 25 kg.
The appearance of German flippers
Head | The head is dry, with a flat skull and a slightly marked stop. |
The muzzle | Broad, slightly rounded nose with a dark truffle. |
Nose | About the Roman outline. |
Lips | Dry and smooth. |
Jaws | Strong, with a complete set of teeth set in a scissor or pincer bite. |
Eyes | Set slightly obliquely, dark with an intelligent expression. |
Ears | Ears set high, long, drooping and wide. |
Neck | Strong with a muscular neck, no loose dewlap. |
Ridge | Straight and short, with a pronounced strong withers. |
Loins | Muscular and the croup slightly sloping. |
Chest | Oval and long. |
Belly | Moderately tucked up and covered with hair. |
Tail | Well hairy, carried straight when at rest, and raised in action. |
Front limbs | Straight and parallel, with strong shoulder blades and strong wrists. |
Hindquarters | Well angulated with muscular thighs and wiry lower leg. |
Paws | Compact, with strong pads and hard claws. |
The color of the German flannel
The coat of the German Flanner is long and smooth with a wavy top coat and a dense undercoat. The hair on the nape, ears and back of the limbs is longer and curly, with a plume on the tail. There are two types of color in the German flannel:
- solid brown (or red) - with white markings on the chest and fingers,
- roan brown (or red) - with white sifting and patches on the back. This type includes piebald color - white basic color and brown patches.
It is acceptable for this breed of dog to be tan on the muzzle, above the eyes and on the limbs.
German flushing dog care and nutrition
The German Flushing Dog is an undemanding dog. It is enough to brush the hair of the German dog dog weekly and to bathe the dog from time to time. Periodically we check the cleanliness of the German flannel's ears (dogs are predisposed to inflammation of the ear canal, so prophylaxis with the use of special liquids for hygiene of this area is recommended) and teeth (which are best washed with a paste designed for this purpose) and shorten the claws if the animal does not rub them alone on the move. In nutrition, we use food intended for medium-sized dog breeds, or we can prepare the dog's meals ourselves, remembering to balance the nutrients. The amount of food given should be adjust to the physical activity of the German Flannel.
German Flushing Disease

Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a poligenetic disease to which many breeds of dogs are predisposed, especially large and giant ones - also deutscher wachtelhund. This disease consists in improper connection and shaping of the structures of the hip joint. The so-called. environmental factors, including:.in. excessive exercise given to growing puppies and improper feeding. Dogs are born with normal hips and disease progresses due to an imbalance between the growth and development of hard and soft tissues. This leads to chronic soreness, repeated inflammation and deformity. The first symptoms are most often noticed by owners in deutscher wachtelhund dogs aged 6-12 months. Clinical symptoms suggesting the possibility of dysplasia are:
- reluctance to move,
- preferring a lying position and sitting up often,
- lameness,
- stiff gait,
- rabbit jumping.
For early detection of HD, a prophylactic X-ray is performed under sedation in puppies aged approx. 4-6 months and orthopedic examination. The treatment uses pharmacological, surgical or low-advancement methods in puppies - correcting their diet. The most commonly used surgical procedures include:
- femoral head resection,
- pectinectomy,
- triple pelvic osteotomy.
Drug treatment is aimed at reducing the pain symptoms of the disease and is the common method of choice in older dogs. In addition, new methods are introduced related to the use of stem cells or autologous serum proteins from the patient's blood (IRAP).
Elbow dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is a developmental disorder consisting in the abnormal shaping of the articular surfaces of the elbow joints. There are 4 subunits of this disease:
- unattached ulnar appendix,
- fragmentation of the medial peak process,
- osteochondrosis of the humerus condyle,
- mismatch of the articular surfaces.
The disease manifests itself in puppies at the age of approx. 6 months lameness of one or both forelegs. In addition, we observe reluctance to bend the paws at the elbow and painful joints when palpating. To confirm the diagnosis, an orthopedic examination and an X-ray in several projections are necessary. Treatment depends on the type and severity of dysplasia.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by various types of seizures associated with abnormal brain activity. We distinguish between idiopathic epilepsy (for no known cause) or functional epilepsy, which may accompany systemic diseases or disorders related directly to the central nervous system. The most common are seizures associated with the animal becoming unconscious. An epileptic attack may be preceded by the so-called. aura, when the dog, sensing the approaching attack, seeks contact with the owner or isolates itself. The goal of treating epilepsy is to keep the frequency of seizures to a minimum. Since medications must be taken by the animal chronically for the rest of its life, the most important thing is to detect and treat the underlying disease. Anticonvulsants are given on a temporary basis during an attack or on a continuous basis when their frequency is greater than once a month. The most common substances used to treat epilepsy are:
- phenobarbital,
- potassium bromide,
- imepitoin.
Inflammation of the outer ear
Flushing dogs are predisposed to inflammation of the outer ear due to the drooping auricle and the love of bathing. Otitis externa manifests itself as itching, redness and pain in the ear canal. It can also accumulate various types of secretions, which include in its composition m.in. bacteria and yeast fungi that multiply intensively in a humid environment. Treatment of otitis is primarily local treatment with the use of properly selected drops or ointments.
Is it worth choosing a German flannel??
German Flushing Dogs are typical utility dogs, which, of course, will be happy to spend their free time at home with their family, but being active and developing hunting passions and instincts is essential for them. Nevertheless, they are more and more often appreciated as companion dogs, not couch dogs, but ones that require a lot of exercise and attention. Dogs of this breed are agile, learn quickly and easily, but need an experienced and strong handler to recognize their leadership. This medium-sized dog should be trained and trained for quails from the first months, and the activities should be varied and interesting so that the German flushing dog does not get bored quickly. Living in a small apartment in the center of a large city is unlikely to be for German freaks, and although they quickly adapt to different conditions, they will feel much better if they can run freely. We should not leave them alone for too long, because they are strongly attached to their owners and are quite sensitive. They are ideal household members, because they do not have a tendency to excessive barking, biting or aggression, and they are brought up together with other domestic pets, they get along with them without any problems. In Poland, there are several kennels registered with the Polish Kennel Club, in which we can purchase puppies of this breed, although the availability of litters varies.
What is the life expectancy of a German flipper?
The life expectancy of a German flannel is about 14 years.
What diseases is the German flannel predisposed to??
The German Flannel is a breed of dog predisposed to such diseases as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, epilepsy, otitis externa.
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