History of the Large Munsterlander in North America - 50 Years

LMAC commits to maintaining the Large Munsterlander (LM) as a dog for hunters, their families and ethical hunting. The Large Munsterlander is a long-haired versatile hunting dog, developed in Germany, which has been bred to performance standards in North America for over 40 years, LMCNA (Large Munsterlander Club of North America)

2026 marks the 50th year of LMAC, 1977-2026. The LM's existence in North America started a little before that. Baron Kurt von Kleist is pictured here with his first imported Großer Münsterländer: Dux von Arensburg. Baron von Kleist was a U.S. Prisoner of War. When his family's estate had been confiscated in what became east Germany, the United States government offered him a second homeland. His wife joined him in Pennsylvania, where they raised their family and Large Munsterlanders under the kennel name vom Waldeck, starting in 1970.

The second LM litter born in North America, was raised by a member of Germany's occupying force, Albert Gonzales. He returned to California with two Großer Münsterländer and had his one and only Green Valley litter in 1972.