Weimaraner

Temperament:

Reliable, Reserved, Focused, Fast
Size: Large
Height: 59-67 cm
Weight: 25-40 kg
Lifespan: 10-12 years
Coat: Shorthair
Colors: Mouse gray, silver gray, silver
FCI Group: Pointing Dogs

The Weimaraner is the oldest German pointing dog breed. Breeding of the Weimaraner began in the 19th century. The Weimaraner is immediately noticeable for its proud bearing and silvery coat. Over time, the dog became popular not only among hunters. With proper training and employment, he is also suitable as a family dog.

Weimaraner
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Characteristics

The Weimaraner is a hunting dog. In hunting he proceeds intelligently, thoroughly and also independently. His hunting instinct is mainly for predatory game and predatory animals. On command he can track down and kill game independently. Should he not be used as a hunting dog, he must find another task.

The Weimaraner needs a permanent reference person. Some consider him unsuitable for families because of this. In their opinion, he is a one-man dog. He listens only to his master or mistress. Other family members are tolerated at most.

Other opinions emphasize his sensitive and studious nature. The Weimaraner is extremely people-oriented and very affectionate. With good leadership, he becomes a loyal and obedient companion. With proper training and early socialization, he should also be suitable as a family dog.

He is rather suspicious of strangers. You must give him time to get used to strangers. However, because of his exuberant temperament, he does not react aggressively to them. At the same time, he is also a very territorial dog and has a strong protective instinct. Without hesitation he will defend his family.

Opinions differ as to whether the Weimaraner is really suitable as a family dog. It is clear that more and more people who are not hunters are interested in this dog breed. Among other things, this is also due to the special appearance.

In the United States, the Weimaraner was nicknamed the "Grey Ghost". The nickname refers to the silvery gray coat. With its proud stance and intelligent look, it makes an aristocratic impression.

With a height at withers of 62 to 67 cm in males and 59 to 63 cm in females, he belongs to the medium to large dog breeds. The weight is 30 kg to 40 kg for males and 25 kg to 35 kg for females. The Weimaraner is a strong dog breed with sinewy and prominent muscles.

In Germany, the Weimaraner is mainly used for point hunting. When hunting, he is persistent and has a controlled temperament. He is versatile, which is why you can use him for many other jobs.

With the right dog sports and training opportunities, the Weimaraner can be kept well occupied. He is also interested in dummy work, mantrailing and tracking. The work must include physical as well as mental aspects. The intelligence of the Weimaraner must not be neglected in the employment.

Coat care:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Shedding:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Energy level:

Little
Medium
High

Trainability:

Little
Medium
Good

Children suitable:

Less
With supervision
Perfect

The right food

Since the Weimaraner is one of the larger dog breeds, it needs a lot of energy as a puppy. At the same time, an oversupply of energy can lead to improper growth. If he reaches his final weight earlier than intended, then he may weigh more than normal when full grown. If his skeleton is not stable enough, this can lead to problems.

Therefore, the feeding amount should be based on the current weight and the expected final weight. The diet should contain many minerals. Especially Calcium, phosphorus, trace elements and vitamins help him grow.

A puppy food for large breeds of dogs is best suited to help the Weimaraner grow.
The amount of feeding in the puppy should be proportionally distributed throughout the day. The Weimaraner tends to gulp down food quickly. Smaller amounts of feeding prevent the stomach from turning. Fresh water is also a part of it.

When the Weimaraner is fully grown, it is given food for adult dogs. Even if he does not engage in hunting, he should still be move a lot and be challenged mentally and physically. Therefore, he needs a diet with a lot of carbohydrates. If he does not exercise that much, then reduce the amount of carbohydrates.

He gets the carbohydrates primarily from high-quality meat. Pay attention to how much you give him every day. Weimaraners are very greedy and can gain weight quickly. You may need to reduce the amount of food if he gains weight. A high quality dog food contains the right mix of protein and fat content.

It is also preferable to feed the adult dog several times a day. In addition, it is better to rest after eating. This also reduces the risk of a stomach turn. In general, the Weimaraner is a very robust and healthy dog breed, as long as the animal comes from a reputable breeding.

Health & Care

While the Weimaraner is very demanding in education and activity, the Need for care very low. Especially the short-haired Weimaraner only need to be brushed from time to time. To maintain the shiny coat, it is enough to brush once or twice a week.

The long-haired Weimaraner needs to be brushed a little more often. Especially if it has undercoat, daily brushing is appropriate during the coat change. Apart from this, the care of the rare long-haired Weimaraner does not pose any problems.
The dog breed rarely needs to be bathed.

When caring for the Hanging ears should not be neglected. The drooping ears can cause inflammations and infections. Therefore, you should regularly check and clean the ears.

Otherwise, the Weimaraner makes few demands on grooming. With regular brushing and good nutrition, he can easily maintain his coat structure and color.

Suitable accessories

A Weimaraner, like any other dog, is happy to receive a treat, which can also be used in training. Only you should make sure that the additional treats do not make him too fat.

Weimaraner never gets tired of retrieving, it is in their blood. During a walk you can always practice retrieving with him. For a reward, he will gladly let go of the object.

Weimaraner history

Origin & History

Until today, the origin of the Weimaraner is not completely clear. The first mentions date back to the 19th century inside. The name comes from the Weimar court, at which the Grand Duke Karl August of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach kept the dog at that time.

Dog breeds similar to the Weimaraner in description are said to have existed in France as early as the 12th century. A direct descent cannot be proved. Another theory assumes that the Weimaraner descends from the St. Hubertus dog. According to this theory, this type of dog was crossed with Arabian greyhounds. It is also possible that the Weimaraner descended from the German Vorstehhund.

In the 19th century the Weimaraner was kept and bred around Weimar as a hunting dog. A planned breeding began in 1890. In 1897 the Thuringian "Verein zur Reinzucht des silbergrauen Weimaraner-Vorstehhundes" was founded. The club bred the dog according to a uniform standard.

Since the foundation of the club no other breeds have been crossed. The special hunting suitability of the breed was established in 1935. Other kennel clubs also recognize the dog breed, such as the American Kennel Club and the British The Kennel Club.

The dog "Heidi" from the US President Dwight Eisenhower made the dog breed famous in the United States. Frank Sinitra and Grace Kelly also acquired a Weimaraner. In the USA he got the nickname "Grey Ghost". The famous photo artist William Wegman liked to use the dog breed as motifs.