The Weimaraner is a tireless machine who can hunt all day with its master. This breed is perfect for athletic owner who can take care of its demanding exercise needs. The dog needs space to express itself. Confining this breed to limited space is sheer cruelty.
A bored dog will become destructive and will housebreak. It can even escape your house in search of fun and entertainment. This dog needs entertainment and thrill in life on perpetual basis.
The dog is dominant with other and not at all suitable for families with pet. They are intolerable of presence of another animal inside home especially cats and other non-canine animals. This breed is headstrong and needs experienced owner who can establish leadership over it.
A timid and novice owner will find this breed rambunctious and difficult to tame. Rowdiness and exuberant jumping are in their in-depth nature and you can’t help it. Providing early training lessons to this breed is utmost necessary.
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Weimaraner Origin
The dog dates to 19th century and it belongs to Germany. In early days, hunting used to be noble men first love. They wanted a dog which is fierce, courageous and a tenacious hunter. Moreover, it should also be protective in nature and works along with master.
Though exact breeds used for its development is unknown but experts believe that Bloodhound, the English Pointer, the German shorthaired pointer, the blue Great Dane and chicken dog contributed in the development of this breed. This breed excels in hunting big as well as small animals.
Weimaraner Characteristics
- This breed belongs to Germany and is a hunt dog.
- They are bestowed with enormous energy and stamina.
- It is courageous, energetic, stubborn, aloof and powerful dog.
- Lifespan of this breed is 10 – 12 years.
- It is not a hypoallergenic breed.
- The dog comes in silver-grey, mouse-grey and silver color.
- It is a large breed and height is 62–67 cm.
- It weighs around 30–40 kg.
- They have high prey drive towards small animals like rabbit, mouse, rats etc.
- Provide this breed ample amount of exercise to have an even tempered breed inside home.
- They are suspicious of strangers and aggressive towards them.
- They make perfect watchdog as well as guard dog.
- They are stubborn and need experienced owner to train them.
- They are difficult to house train. Cater training and early socialization is must for them.
- They want time and love of their owner.
- This breed is not suitable for apartment living. You need to have yard so that it can live freely.
- Average cost of this breed is $800-$1200 USD.
- The dog has an easy maintenance coat.
Appearance
The dog is moderately large, has athletic body with sleek coat of grey color. Thus it is sometimes referred to as “the grey ghost”. The face and ears of the dog is lighter in color than rest of the body. Its head is slightly large with well-developed muzzle. Its teeth should meet in scissor bite.
The eyes of the dog should be deep and amber or blue-grey in color. Its ears are long and pendant shaped with rounded tip. It has a slightly sloping topline with a customarily docked tail. The dog should give the impression of power and speed.
Size and Weight
Ideal height of male breed is 25 to 27 inches and female breed should be 23 to 25 inches tall. Male should weigh around 75 to 85 pounds and female should be 50 to 70 kg in weight.
Coat and color
The dog has smooth and short coat which lies close to its body. This breed is available in silver-grey, mouse-grey, and silver shades.
Temperament
- Personality - The Weimaraner is a truly athletic dog that was bred to hunt without taking break. This breed is only for experienced owner who knows about the traits and characteristics of this breed. Strong leadership and exercise is imperative to maintain their even temperament. They are still popular hunt dogs and used for retrieving and tracking. This breed loves outdoor environment. They are active inside home and needs open space to run and romp.
- Behavior - The dog has uncontrollable hunting drives. They chase moving objects in hope of hunting them. If you ever plan to keep your dog off leash, make sure it is inside secured fence. They are unacceptable of stray dogs and animals. Make sure that the neighbor pet is safe when the dog is outside and off leash. They are immensely rumbustious and will not care about things falling down while they are running or jumping inside home. Improperly trained breed is dangerous to pet so make sure it has been trained properly. They are also not always obedient of their master and will do things in their own way.
- Activities Requirement - The dog is anything but couch potato. They need minimum of two hours of vigorous exercise to stay happy and calm. They enjoy outdoor activities like jogging, running and hiking. Do not leave the dog in the backyard to entertain them because they will destroy your yard and will even attempt to escape from your house. It also loves to swim in summers.
- Trainability - The dog requires strong hand to train it. They are independent minded and think themselves as supreme. Breaking their myth is first and foremost task of training. Socialization and exposing it to different situation and people is must.
Feeding
This is a highly energetic dog so thrice feeding is recommended. Feed them raw meat and bones. You can also feed it dry commercial food. Make sure that its diet is notorious and without any preservative.
Lifespan
Life expectancy of this breed is 10 – 12 years.
Health Issues
It is not hypoallergenic breed. This breed is susceptible to hereditary health conditions like hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, and glaucoma. Studies have shown that this dog has higher chance of encountering cancer, osteosarcoma, and malignant histiocytosis than other dogs.
Regular checkup of its body is recommended to ensure longevity of its life and early detection of health problems. Epilepsy is also seen in this breed.
Grooming
They are easy to groom. They shed lightly throughout the year and heavy shedding is done only at the time of seasonal change. Generally, few times brushing in a week is sufficient to keep its coat healthy and shiny.
Clean the ear with the solution provided by the vet. This dog being energetic and playful in nature wears off its nails naturally. Brush its teeth to avoid any dental problem. Bath the dog only when it gets dirty and starts smelling foul.
Habitat
This dog is well suited for house accompanies with lawn or yard. It can survive in all weather conditions.
Pet Names
- Doggo
- Ranger
- Caramel
- Coco
- Butter
Things To Consider Before Buying
Pros
- They make perfect partner to hunter. They have stamina and strength and can hunt all day.
- They make wonderful watchdog and reliable guard dog.
- They are easy to groom.
Cons
- Not suitable for novice owners.
- The dog is difficult to train.
- It is aggressive and dominant towards other animals.