Most people have never heard of the Pudelpointer breed of dog, and neither had Todd Wirthlin until he bought one three years ago.

His prized Pudelpointer, Tana Montana, a versatile and fairly rare hunting dog with lineage dating back to 1880s Germany, will represent the breed at the national Pheasant Fest next month in Minneapolis. She’ll be featured in the show’s bird-dog parade on Feb. 15 and will be shown throughout the three-day national event.

Wirthlin, who operates TLC Ranch west of Kalispell, said he was searching for another hunting dog six years ago after his Labrador died.

“My wife said anything but another Lab,” he said with a smile.

Labs are great hunting dogs, but they shed a lot, have an oily coat that can be smelly and they’re a tightly wound bundle of energy the first couple of years, he said.

So Wirthlin did his homework and came across the Pudelpointer, a pointing breed that came from a cross between a German water poodle (Pudel in German) and an English pointer.

“It’s an engineered dog and the Germans don’t settle for halfway,” he said. “They go all the way. To me they hit a home run.”

It was Baron von Zedlitz who successfully developed the Pudelpointer from seven specific poodles and nearly 100 different pointers. The original sire was an English pointer belonging to Kaiser Frederick III.

“He wanted the ultimate hunting dog,” Wirthlin said about the baron’s quest.

The result was a keen hunting dog that doesn’t shed or smell, is highly intelligent and easy to train.

“I would not trade her for 50 Labs or goldens; yes, they are good dogs but the Pudelpointer is just better,” Wirthlin said. “I’ve never had a dog as intelligent and with as perfect a demeanor as Tana.”

Wirthlin bought Tana when she was 3 months old from a breeder in the Bay area of California. There are less than a dozen Pudelpointer breeders in the United States, and just 3,500 of the dogs nationwide. The dogs sell for an average of $1,500 to $2,000.

The Pudelpointer, known for its wiry, dense coat and strong build, was introduced to North America in 1956, and while it is registered with the Pudelpointer Club of North America, top breeders have steered away from having the breed recognized by the American Kennel Club because they want to preserve the breed’s exclusivity as a hunting dog, Wirthlin said.

Wirthlin has hunted for pheasants in North and South Dakota and Montana with Tana at his side.

“They give their heart to you,” he said. “Everyone has a breed they love. For what fits me and my lifestyle, it’s the Pudelpointer.”

Tana has become a regular at Murdoch’s, where she obediently sits on the cart as Wirthlin picks up horse feed.

“People always ask what she is,” he said.

One shopper from Ronan approached Wirthlin at Murdoch’s and was so intrigued he sought out the same California breeder and bought Tana’s full brother.

And Wirthlin’s wife, Lee, has become a big fan of Tana, too.

“She loves her as much as I do,” he said.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.