Weimaraners: Facts About Them

Originally developed for hunting, Weimaraners are great and versatile dogs, perfect for show, field, obedience, tracking and agility. It was in the 19th century when this breed was developed and were ...

Originally developed for hunting, Weimaraners are great and versatile dogs, perfect for show, field, obedience, tracking and agility. It was in the 19th century when this breed was developed and were used by royalty for hunting large game such as boar, bears, deer and foxes. Weimaraners were later used for hunting smaller animals such as fowl, rabbits and foxes when popularity of large game hunting declined.

Size. Female Weimaraners are between 22-25 inches (56-63 cm) and males are between 24-27 inches (61-69 cm). The weight of the females are generally between 50-70 pounds (23-32 kgs) and males are between 55-85 pounds (25-38 kgs).

Appearance. The Weimaraner has short, fine, smooth gray coat that led to its nickname, "gray ghost" or silver ghost. The coat's color range from mouse-gray to silver-gray. The eyes may be amber, gray or blue-gray. The color of the head and ears are lighter than the rest of the body, with ears moderately long. The head is also long and aristocratic. The tail is docked to 1 1/2 inches (4cm) when the dog is two days old.

In rare cases, there are also long haired variety that is recognized by most kennel clubs in the world except in North America. This variety has silky coat and undocked, feathered tail.

Temperament. Weimaraners are intelligent and fast learners giving them the nickname "dog with a human brain". This breed is happy, loving and cheerful suitable as household pet but is not as friendly towards strangers just like Labrador and Golden Retrievers. Thorough socialization when young will prevent aggression. Firm and appropriate training and exercise are necessary to help them control their behavior since this breed requires vigorous exercise, games or running.

Health. Weimaraners are prone to bloat (gastric torsion) because of their deep chest. To prevent bloat, it is better to feed them two to three small meals a day instead of one large meal. Rigorous exercise right after meals should as well be avoided. This breed is also prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, hypertropic osteodystrophy (too rapid growth) and tumors. Other health issues include cryptorchidism, distichiasis, Von Willebrands Disease, entropion, hypothyroidism, renal dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy.

Grooming. Weimaraner with short and smooth coat is easy to groom. Regular brushing with a firm bristle brush, occasional dry shampoo and a rub of chamois is enough to make the coat shine and keep your Weim in good condition. Keep the nails trimmed and check the mouth after work or exercise.