Weimaraner dog breed characteristics and facts

Weimaraners were initially bred as a gundog to deal with big game like deer and bear. In their native Germany, they were also known as the “Silver Ghost.” Today, these graceful but demanding dogs can still be successful on the game fields, but they can also make good family pets as long as they get enough activity.

Weimaraner dogs are good companions, but because of their hunting roots, they are very strong and have a high prey drive. So, be careful if you’re a newbie veya you live in an apartment. The Weimaraner dog breed is prone to a lot of movement and must be trained all the time. If you are willing to meet the breed, you will have a very affectionate and loyal friend. Of course, as with all Weimaraner puppies, early socialization is incredibly important.

Weimaraner Facts

• Origin: Germany
• Size: Large
• Breed: Purebred Dogs
• Lifespan: 10 to 13 years
• Coat: short, smooth coat that is silver-gray
• Temperament: Gentle, Intelligentand, Loyal, affectionate temperament
• Exercise needs: High-energy dog, and require at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise daily
• Training: Easy to train

Weimaraner Overview

Though one of your first encounters with the Weimaraner may have been through the photographs, calendars, and books of William Wegman, a photographer who works with wigs, costumes, and props to take advantage of the breed’s capacity to put on literally human expressions. His Weimaraners have played Louis XIV, interacted with tales of Little Red Riding Hood, and laid a bed while watching television.

But the Weimaraner’s first job was first and foremost to function as an all-purpose hunting dog that can pursuit big game including deer, bear, and wolves. As Germany’s big forests shrank and abundance of fair game decreased, the Weimaraner’s handlers channeled the breeds talents to search birds, foxes, and rabbits. The place in Germany he he earn his name from where he was developed — the Court of Weimar, whose noblemen desired a dog with the courage of a brave man mated with that of a wise one, a do bird dog with good scenting ability and fast and stamina on the hunt.

Nowadays, Weimaraners are affectionately known as Weims, Silver Ghosts, or Gray Ghosts. They distinguished themselves by their glossy, mouse-grey to silver-grey fur and light amber to blue-grey eyes. Yet, The Weimaraner is so much more than just a pretty face. The elegant, aristocratic dogs are cordial and devoted. A Weimaraner’s priority is to be with his humans, if imaginable in the hand. Many Weimaraners’ monikers are Shadow, and they surpass it. They’ll lie at your feet or accompany you around the house.

Weimaraners aren’t the breed for everyone, however. First-time dog owners need not apply. Due to high energy and stamina and Weimaraner need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. Without it, they become nervous and high-strung.

Weimaraners may have hunting instincts. However, they are house dogs. They lack the personality necessary to live in a kennel. They always seek human companionship and will rather be left outside in the yard. If you’ve never encountered a Weimaraner puppy before, go to puppy kindergarten and then to obedience class. Training should be gentle but confident; otherwise, he will become timid and stubborn. Trained, the Weimaraner is a sweet and friendly hunting pet friend.

Weimaraner History

Development of the Weimaraner goes back to the early 19th century at the Weimar court in what is now Germany. The noblemen were passionate about hunting. They dreamed of creating a dog possessing courage, intelligence, good scenting ability, speed, and stamina. This dog would be their walking companion, staying close to them on potential bird droppings, and an evening buddy by the fireside.

How a dog that would one day be the Weimaraner, first known as the Weimar Pointer, had come to be. The breeds used to develop Weimaraners are generally agreed to have included the Bloodhound, the English Pointer, the German Shorthaired Pointer, the blue Great Dane, and the silver-gray Huehnerhund, or chicken dog. The German forests have shrunk and the big game has become rare with the passage of the decades. In Germany in the late 1800s, the Weimaraner’s handlers started to use the breed’s skills to hunt birds and rabbits and foxes. A club established in 1897 prohibited anyone in Germany from breeding these dogs while ensuring that responsible breeders were in charge of the breed’s development. No one was allowed to sell a Weimaraner to someone who was not a member of the club. For example, you couldn’t buy a Weimaraner without possessing a kennel to breed it in.

One American sportsman Howard Knight was admitted to the German club in 1929. Since its foundation, before 1938, two Weimaraners were brought to the U.S. The Germans were very afraid of their “Gray Ghosts” fall into the wrong hands, and even though Knight pledged to preserve the purity of the breed, the club sent him two desexed dogs. He refused to take it, but did not give up. In the end, he managed to get some foundation dogs that could be abused in the U.S.

In 1938, finally, he purchased three females and a male puppy. Two of the females, who were littermates, were Adda, and Dorle v. Schwarzen Kamp, and the third was a year-old named Aura v. Gailberg. The male puppy was called Mars aus der Wulfsreide. Other breeders joined Knight’s berk to breed Weimaraners in the United States, and in 1942, the Weimaraner Club of American was established. The American Kennel Club acknowledged the breed in the final part of 1942.

The breed debuted at a formal dog show at the Westminster Kennel Club show in 1943. Because of World War II, it became challenging for German breeders to maintain their dogs. Unfortunately, many exceptional Weimaraners were sent to the U.S. In the aftermath of World War II, many American servicemen and women returned home with Weimaraners dogs. They grew quickly in popularity, especially President Eisenhower, who had a Heidi Weimaraner in the White House.

Quick succession of the breed’s popularity: Mid- to late 1950s, the 12th most popular breed registered by the AKC; but like with many breeds, popularity often results in a lot of unscrupulous breeding. Many irresponsible eggs seemed to have more litters, and as the quality of the breed dropped, the number of dogs with poor temperament grew; hence the Weimaraner due to its temprament problems fell out of popularity. Late 1960s, number of Weim registrations fell to less than half 1957, and keep decreasing in the 70s and 80s. This decreased in registrations allowed breeders that want to better the breed not just breed puppies to sale to improve the health, temperament and conformation of the breed. With the 90s, registrations began to climb again, and today the Weimaraner is once again of the the most popular breeds in America, he ranks 30th out of 155 breeds and varieties registered with the AKC.

Weimaraner Size

Male Weimaraners size is 25 to 27 inches and weigh 70 to 85 pounds. Female size is between 23 and 25 inches tall and weigh 55 to 70 pounds.

Weimaraner Personality

The typical Weimaraner also made publishers of early dog books claim that tales about the breed made the dogs appear fully trained and perfect in all respects. There are many who still hold this belief that “If you’re lucky to have someone, you’ll get a breed, and” or “It’s so easy to the kind of home with a connection is not a dog who comes coded with good behavior.” The average Weimaraner is friendly, fearless, alert, and obedient; he’ll love your kids, and keep an eye on things; he’ll alert you to the mailman’s arrival but will be happy to make friends once the mailman is inside. He is also assertive, intelligent, restless, and determined. He displays a distinctive will, taking power over his home. He’ll eat flies, bird poop, and burgers; steal the roast from the table; destroy throw pillows; and wander your kitchen looking for something. He desires regular care and necessities and also struggles with a lot more organization.

Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Weimaraner puppies with nice temperaments playful.

As with every dog, Weimaraners needs early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they’re young. But for the Weim, socialization should also continue throughout his life. It will ensure that your Weimaraner puppy friendly and outgoing dog. He should also join his first class. However, enrol him in kindergarten will be a great start, inviting lots of visitors, taking him to busy parks, stores that welcome dogs, and leisurely walks to meet others will help him develop his social skills.

Weimaraner Health

Weimaraners are generally healthy, but like all other breeds, Weimaraners are prone to some health conditions. Not all Weimaraners will get any or all of these diseases, but it’s crucial to be aware of them if you’re considering Weimaraner breed.

• Hip Dysplasia
• Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV)
• Von Willebrand’s Disease (VWD)
• Distichiasis
• Entropion
• Factor XI Deficiency
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
• Immune-mediated Disease

Weimaraner Care

First, he is a housedog. He is not rigorously trained for life in a kennel or backyard, and he is not accustomed to apartment living. A large, securely fenced yard in which he can operate, as well as an active family that will exercise him and activate his cunningness sufficiently, is required for this high-energy dog.

A sense of humor helps tremendously as well, especially once you see how your Weim has taken to the job and relandscaped your yard in an effort to rid it once and for all of mice, moles, and bugs. Your Weimaraner is proud of his good works; you will want to be sure to praise him even as you are calculating in your head how much time, money, and energy snail it is going to take for you to put your yard back the way you like it. You will want to watch him more carefully and give him considerably more exercise.

In order to avoid recreational barking, chewing, and digging, a Weimaraner dog needs a few hours of physical exercise every day. Play fetch, run other games, play jogging or hiking, teach him how to ride with a running bike, or get involved in a dog sport. Of course, you can always go hunting for him.

Make sure your yard is Houdini-proof. True, when it comes to confinement, Weims are Houdinis, and they are indeed adepts at learning how to open doors and gates and jump over or dig under fences. Yet another reason you should keep them in the house. In an ideal household, when a Weimaraner stays indoors, a fully grown, well-trained one turns into your shadow from the room to the bathroom and kitchen to the den.

A Weimaraner puppy is a handful and needs close supervision, for he is a chewing machine and is highly difficult to housebreak. Crate training is a good alternative. Weimaraners who have separation conditions at any age, but it is not rare among this breed, will become destructive and “tunnel” into your carpet or sofa in a desperate attempt to build a secure nest.

No, it is not a behavior problem; it is just something to keep in mind: weimaraners have loose lips. No, they would not sink ships, but water flies out of their mouths when they drink. Be prepared to use hand towels to clean their mouths and the flooring. The Weimaraner is a very smart breed with a mind of its own. It is a challenging and energetic dog. Maintain a sense of humor, but be equally consistent. The Weimaraner is a delicate dog and cannot take too much angry yelling. However, you need to be able to tell him “no” and mean it. Keep the sessions fun and fast-paced, and stop them as soon as he does anything correctly.

Finally, never forget about your sense of humor. Your Weimaraner dog will or will not perform, based on whatever else is going on in his or her existence, but he or she will always be impudent. Your Weim can learn to get ice cubes out of the refrigerator door’s dispenser, turn on faucets, and unlock gates and passageways, as well as refrigerator doors. It will likely be simple to educate a Weimaraner to do things. Indeed, you may find it necessary purely to keep him sound and from being bored.

Weimaraner Grooming And Coat Color

Weimaraner coat is short, smooth, streamlined, and strong with a solid color, ranging from mouse-gray to silver-gray, with lighter stripes running through the head and ears. A prominently longer coat is a fault under the American Kennel Club breed standard, but a long-haired variety is recognised in European countries.

While longhaired Weimaraners are recognized as having a silky coat with feathering on the tail and legs, they are seldom seen in this nation. The Weim’s nose is dark gray. In the thin-skinned, thincoated inner flaps of the ears and the lips, it is not white or black but pink. A Weimaraner is one of the easiest breeds to care for. It appears that the dirt just falls off him no matter how much she has been dragging through the mud. Brush him down once a month or as required with a bristle brush to keep the coat healthy. Weimaraners shed, and a chamois will not only keep the dust off your clothing but also make his silvery coat shimmer.

He has a good time rolling in something stinky, so you might get a chance to bathe your Weimaraner more frequently than the typical pet owner would want. Bathe him only as needed. All breeds with pendants, or hanging, ears are susceptible to ear infections. Examine your Weimaraner’s ears on a regular basis and scrub them using a moist cotton ball. Keep away from the ear canal-never push something into it. If the inside of his ear smells bad, appears red or inflamed, or he is continuously shaking his head or scratching his ear, your Weimaraner may have an ear infection.

Do you want to prevent gum disease and bad breath? If so, brush your Weimaraner’s teeth at least two or three times a week. If you brush them daily, it is even better to prevent the bacteria contained inside the tartar buildup. Trim his nails once or twice a month if your dog does not wear them out naturally. If you can hear the nails clicking on the ground, they are too long. Shortly clipped nails are beneficial to the paws and do not stab your legs when your Weimaraner jumps up to express his existence.

Get your Weimaraner used to brush and being inspected while he’s still a puppy. He is hypersensitive about those feet, so be sure to frequently hold his legs in your hands. For appropriate veterinary assessment, do not forget to look into his mouth and ears. Make cleaning work a pleasant activity and mix them with praises and treats to guarantee success in simple adult activities.

While grooming, examine for any sores, rashes, or indications of infection on the skin, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and feet, as well as any reddish-tender on the skin, in the ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. There should be no release from the eyes or redness. Unfortunately regular visits to the vet can’t always be helpful unless the concern is too pronounced.

Weimaraner Children And Other Pets

A Weimaraner can be a perfect playmate for an active older child. Still, these dogs are often too mischievous for children to keep an eye on, and they may chase small children in motion. Moreover, children and dogs do not interact without the supervision of an adult to prevent biting or tugging on the ears or tail from either side. It is safe and proper to always teach children how to interact with dogs properly.