The Weimaraner!
©Harry Giglio
Overview of Weimaraners & Other Resources
Getting to know this breed before taking one as a friend is essential. If you don't have time and patience to carefully read all this information offered, then you don't have time for a Weimaraner.
The Weimaraner Standard describes the breed temperament as friendly, fearless, alert, and obedient, but this is but the half of its personality. Assertive, bold, loyal, and headstrong also fit, giving the dog a loving attitude with a willingness to take the upper paw in the family if the opportunity presents itself. Housebreaking can be a problem, as can destructive chewing.
Like most large hunting breeds, the Weimaraner needs lots of exercise and must be kept in a fenced yard to prevent him from ranging in search of game. Because he was developed as a hunting dog and still maintains those instincts, he may be dangerous to birds and small mammals. Unlike many hunting breeds, however, the Weimaraner is a house dog and does poorly when confined to a kennel.
This is a breed that needs obedience training to control his rambunctious nature. Owners should have a crate for the new puppy for help in housetraining and to protect furniture and woodwork from puppy teeth when the little rascal cannot be watched. Puppy classes or control exercises at home are essential for the Weimaraner the moment he enters the family. He must be taught all members of the family are to be obeyed. Training methods must be gentle and firm, for harsh treatment will sour his attitude.
- Weimaraners are very energetic animals...they are bred to hunt all day with their master. Changing this behavior changes the essential Weim. If you can not deal with this behavior, you should look at other breeds less rambunctious!
- Weims are not soft mouthed like a Golden Retriever or Irish Setter. They are still the game hunter and some Weims have a low tolerance for small fur bearing animals including cats and small dogs. Changing this behavior again changes the basic temperament of the dog.
- Weims can bark and if you are away from them too much and they are left to themselves, Weimaraners are like any other lonely dog, they will bark incessantly and develop bad habits or try escaping their surroundings.
- Although Weimaraners are hunting dogs, they do not like living outdoors. They require your attention.
- They are the true, loyal, hunting companions in every respect, needing your friendship.
- Chaining a Weim outside will not work!
- Inspite of the folklore and myth surrounding the breed, the Weimaraner is not a wonder dog. Given the opportunity, he will still steal the pot roast off the dining room table when no one is looking!
This may seem like a lot of work, but a good owner/dog relationship could last around fifteen years. Longer than some marriages! The time and effort put into finding a dog that suits your needs and personality, whether it a Weimaraner or some other breed, will provide a rewarding experience for both of you over the life of the dog.
- Weimaraners can be very challenging, and are not the right dog for everyone.
- Weimaraners are highly intelligent, energetic, active dogs, not usually suitable
to apartment living or families with small children. - Weimaraners require consistent obedience training, lots of exercise, and close companionship with humans.
- Weimaraners are very people-oriented and demand to be inside with the family.
- Weimaraners are loving, loyal, playful, mischievous, sometimes destructive, and can never be ignored!
- Please research the breed extensively before visiting breeders or purchasing a puppy.
From "A Celebration of Dogs"
by Roger Caras
THE WEIMARANER
The Weimaraner, one of Germany’s top sporting dogs, dates back less than 200 years. It was meticulously developed by noble sporting patrons at the Court of Weimar. It was a snob sporting dog developed and jealously guarded by one of the biggest collection of snobs the dog world has ever seen. You were RIGHT or you couldn’t get your hands on one. Bloodhound stock clearly played a large part at the beginning, as did a German breed not known in this country, the Red Schweisshund. The Weimaraner is a first cousin to the German Shorthaired Pointer.
The Weimaraner is the perfect example of a highly refined breeding program that paid off, but it did produce a breed that is exactly right for some kinds of people and perfectly dreadful for others. The snobs of Weimar weren’t entirely wrong in the degree to which they protected their creation.
The solid mouse-to-silver gray Weimaraner with its short, dense coat is a breed that simply must have early obedience training or it is capable of being a first class pest. It is headstrong, willful, adoring, incredibly intelligent, and responsive to praise. When a Weimaraner doesn’t know what it is supposed to do, it can be counted on to do all of the wrong things. I have known Weimaraners whose owners had not bothered to train them or teach them manners to go through a plate-glass picture window because they had been left home alone too long and were bored, bless them. I know of one that dragged a charred log from a fireplace and pulled it from room to room chewing charcoal off as it went. It took a professional cleaning firm to repair the damage. It could have burned the house down.
That kind of flaky behavior must be seen in contrast to the well-managed dog, however, or it gives a distorted picture. A well-trained Weimaraner is a regal accomplishment of canine genetic art, and as intolerably ill-behaved as a mismanaged specimen can be, that is how extremely good, solid, and reliable a properly raised example will be. It is one of those dogs, and this is so often true of the sporting dogs, that is what you want it to be. Few dogs can be more of a nuisance than an Irish Setter, a Vizsla, or a Weimaraner that has had its vital energy levels, its need to perform, and its exuberant love affair with life ignored. They need to exercise, they need training, and they need opportunities to participate in vigorous, ongoing events. You ignore these facts at considerable risk to your property. I have known very few sporting dogs that had anything wrong with them except their owners.
A Versatile Breed
Weimaraners are one of several breeds described as "versatile Continental hunting dogs." This description refers to the Weimaraner's diverse abilities: Originally bred in the Weimar Republic of 19th century Germany, Weimaraners have been developed to find and point game, track wounded game, and retrieve both birds or furred quarry. They usually have a strong prey drive and may not be good with cats or other small animals. Weimaraners typically have a stronger protective instinct than other hunting breeds. They are often natural guardians or watch dogs.
The versatile Weimaraner, nicknamed the "Grey Ghost" for its unique color, is also a dedicated companion dog. The Weimaraner is sometimes described as hunting more for the love of its master, rather than for the sake of hunting itself. From the early years of the breed to the present, Weimaraners have lived with their people as dedicated companions and hunting dogs. They are not kennel dogs and will suffer if shut away from their people.
An Aristocrat and a Clown
The Weimaraner personality is a complex mix of the aloof aristocrat and a silly clown. To strangers, Weimaraners may appear aloof and self-assured. With their own people, however, Weimaraners reveal a more complex personality. They are fun-loving, demanding, clever, devoted, cuddly, pushy, responsive, obedient, stubborn, and loving. Their expressive faces, groans, and sighs seem to convey a language all their own.
Dog trainer Matthew Margolis writes, "Weimaraners embody all of the negative characteristics of the hunting breeds. They are stubborn and strong-willed and try to get away with everything possible." The Weimaraner's "pushy" personality requires that their owner be a firm, fair leader. Without clear leadership, a Weimaraner will take over a household. Virginia Alexander and Jackie Isabel, long-time Weimaraner fanciers and breeders, note that "Weimaraners are a breed for those who enjoy a dog that is intensely devoted and responsive to attention--they demand attention, and will follow owners from room to room, usually lying down with body contact when owners sit down." Weimaraners are not a breed that can be ignored for long periods of time!
A Tired Weim is a Good Weim; An Exhausted Weim is a Great Weim!
Weimaraners were developed as pointing dogs to search independently for game. This trait is revealed in their ability to hunt and run during a full day of hunting for as long as six hours. As Chris Walkowicz notes in The Perfect Match, "This kind of energy will explode if the dog is expected to be content with a stroll around the block and a once-a-day pat on the head." Weimaraners need abundant physical activity plus mental challenges to be content. Hunting, running, bicycling, hiking, swimming, retrieving, and romping through safe fields are all great ways for Weimaraners to exercise. Obedience training and tracking are good problem solving exercises for the ever-active Weimaraner mind. As Margolis notes, "If their pent-up energy is not released in some positive form, they are capable of destroying entire apartments."
What Can I Do With a Weimaraner?
The only thing you can't do with a Weimaraner is nothing. Weimaraners have excelled in a number of activities. They love to learn new skills and are always ready for a new challenge.
Hunting
Weimaraners are currently used as upland bird dogs and, less frequently, as waterfowl retrievers. They tend to have a closer working range than other pointing breeds. This range is generally appropriate for the foot hunter. They are methodical, careful hunters. Weimaraners are renown for their sensitive noses and dedication to their master. Most Weimaraners are natural retrievers and swimmers.
Tracking
Whether tracking wounded game or human scent, the outstanding Weimaraner nose prepares this breed well for a variety of tracking challenges. Many Weimaraner enthusiasts participate in AKC tracking events. Law enforcement has employed Weimaraners as working search and rescue dogs or drug detection dogs.
Competitive Obedience
Weimaraners learn quickly and are eager to please. Although they tend not to do well if training involves excessive repetition or force, Weimaraners have excelled in the obedience ring. Weimaraners enjoy learning new tasks and like to work closely with their people.
Agility
The athleticism and endurance of the Weimaraner prepares the breed well for dog sports like agility. Weimaraners tend to be physically confident, if not fearless, and thrive on the physical and mental exercise required by agility courses.
There are many more activities that would be enjoyed by a Weimaraner. If it's hard physical work and takes brains, too, a Weimaraner will probably love it.
The Physical Details
The Weimaraner is a large, short-coated dog with a lightly carried docked tail. The coat of the Weimaraner ranges from light silver grey to taupe to dark grey. Blue coats are a disqualification. Weimaraners may have very little hair on their belly and may be susceptible to scratches from briars and prickers. The eyes are usually light amber in color, but may also be blue. Females are usually between 23 and 25 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 55 and 70 pounds. Males are larger at 25 to 27 inches at the shoulder and 65 to 85 pounds. Grooming requirements for the breed include regular brushing (every few days for a few minutes at a time) to remove dead hair, regular cleaning of the long ears (every week or two), regular trimming of toe nails, and dental care. Although the Weimaraner has a very short coat, it does shed; however, the shedding will be much less visible than with longer coated breeds. Those who are allergic to dogs should spend time around Weimaraners before assuming that their coat will not cause a problem.
Do You Still Think a Weimaraner is Right for You?
Ask yourself these questions before you get a Weimaraner.
This is a breed you will either love or hate. Spend as much time around Weimaraners as you can before you decide if this is the breed for you. Getting in touch with your local Weimaraner club can help you find a Weimaraner and Weimaraner owners to meet, and can provide you with more information about the breed and local breeders.
References:
Alexander, Virginia & Isabel, Jackie. Weimaraner Ways. Sunstar Press: Germantown, MD, 1993
Segal, Mordecai & Margolis, Matthew. Good Dog, Bad Dog. Henry Holt & Co.: New York, 1991
Tortora, Daniel F. The Right Dog For You. Simon & Schuster: New York, 1980
Walkowicz, Chris. The Perfect Match. Macmillan: New York, 1996