The German Influence of Hunting Dogs in America
The German influence on hunting dog breeds dates back to the 19th century when German settlers brought their traditions to North America.
The episode, hosted by Craig Koshyk, a renowned dog historian, explores how early German immigrants, particularly those who settled in Texas, may have introduced hunting dogs before the popularization of breeds like the German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP). Koshyk, author of Pointing Dogs, Volume One: The Continentals and Pointing Dogs, Volume Two: The British and Irish Breeds, provides historically accurate insights, suggesting that settlers arriving in the 1830s and 1840s could have brought ancestral dog breeds, challenging the belief that German gundogs first appeared in America in the 1930s.
The episode highlights Prince Karl of Solms-Braunfels, who led German settlers to Texas and founded New Braunfels, and his nephew, Prince Albrecht of Solms-Braunfels, who played a key role in hunting dog breeding. Prince Albrecht initially favored British breeds such as English Pointers, English Setters, Gordon Setters, and Irish Setters. His Wolfsmüller Kennels, described as “a vast, beautiful establishment,” housed top-tier hunting dogs. However, rising German nationalism led to a shift from British breeds to the development of German versatile hunting dogs. Dutch breeder Edward Korthals, supported by Prince Albrecht, developed the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, an all-purpose hunting breed.
The episode also discusses the Jagdhorn, or German hunting horn, traditionally used to communicate during hunts. Koshyk describes how it was used in Germany to signal key moments such as the start and end of the hunt and to honor game taken. “Specific notes or patterns or songs were used to communicate various messages to hunters over a great distance.” In North America, the tradition is largely absent except within German-affiliated hunting clubs such as the Deutsch-Drahthaar and Deutsch-Kurzhaar clubs.
The episode concludes by connecting German hunting practices to modern North American hunting culture. German testing systems and breeding philosophies influenced the establishment of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) in the 1960s, preserving the versatile hunting dog model in North America.
