The Large Münsterländer originated in the Munster region of Germany, bred as a gun dog. The breed is an offshoot of the German Longhaired Pointer and was officially considered its own breed in 1919 when the German Longhaired Pointer Club denied the black-and-white variation as their own. Today, the Large Münsterländer is still popular as a versatile gun dog, used to track, point, locate, and retrieve game. It is a relatively rare breed in the United States and breeders generally won't place them in non-hunting homes. The Large Münsterländer is not recognized by the American Kennel Club.