Weimaraner
Family Dog
AKC Registrable
Weimaraner
The Weimaraner, Germany’s sleek and swift “Gray Ghost,” is beloved by hunters and pet owners alike for their friendliness, obedience, and beauty. They enjoy exercise, and plenty of it, along with lots of quality time with their humans.
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Disposition
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Grooming
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Trainability
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Size
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Energy
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Puppy Knowledge
Breed Standard
General Appearance
A medium-sized gray dog, with fine aristocratic features. He should present a picture of grace, speed, stamina, alertness and balance. Above all, the dog's conformation must indicate the ability to work with great speed and endurance in the field.
Height
Height at the withers: dogs, 25 to 27 inches; bitches, 23 to 25 inches. One inch over or under the specified height of each sex is allowable but should be penalized. Dogs measuring less than 24 inches or more than 28 inches and bitches measuring less than 22 inches or more than 26 inches shall be disqualified.
Head
Moderately long and aristocratic, with moderate stop and slight median line extending back over the forehead. Rather prominent occipital bone and trumpets well set back, beginning at the back of the eye sockets. Measurement from tip of nose to stop equals that from stop to occipital bone. The flews should be straight, delicate at the nostrils. Skin drawn tightly. Neck clean-cut and moderately long. Expression kind, keen and intelligent. Ears-Long and lobular, slightly folded and set high. The ear when drawn snugly alongside the jaw should end approximately 2 inches from the point of the nose. Eyes-In shades of light amber, gray or bluegray, set well enough apart to indicate good disposition and intelligence. When dilated under excitement the eyes may appear almost black. Teeth-Well set, strong and even; well-developed and proportionate to jaw with correct scissors bite, the upper teeth protruding slightly over the lower teeth but not more than one sixteenth of an inch. Complete dentition is greatly to be desired. Nose-Gray. Lips and Gums-Pinkish flesh shades.
Body
The back should be moderate in length, set in a straight line, strong, and should slope slightly from the withers. The chest should be well developed and deep with shoulders well laid back. Ribs well sprung and long. Abdomen firmly held; moderately tucked-up flank. The brisketshould extend to the elbow.
Coat and Color
Short, smooth and sleek, solid color, in shades of mouse-gray to silver-gray, usually blending to lighter shades on the head and ears. A small white marking on the chest is permitted, but should be penalized on any other portion of the body. White spots resulting from injury should not be penalized. A distinctly long coat is a disqualification. A distinctly blue or black coat is a disqualification.
Forequarters
Straight and strong, with the measurement from the elbow to the ground approximately equaling the distance from the elbow to the top of the withers.
Hindquarters
Well-angulated stifles and straight hocks. Musculation well developed.
Feet
Firm and compact, webbed, toes well arched, pads closed and thick, nails short and gray or amber in color. Dewclaws-Should be removed.
Tail
Docked. At maturity it should measure approximately 6 inches with a tendency to be light rather than heavy and should be carried in a manner expressing confidence and sound temperament. A non-docked tail shall be penalized.
Gait
The gait should be effortless and should indicate smooth coordination. When seen from the rear, the hind feet should be parallel to the front feet. When viewed from the side, the topline should remain strong and level.
Temperament
Friendly, Fearless, Obedient
Faults
Minor Faults-Tail too short or too long. Pink nose. Major Faults-Doggy bitches. Bitchy dogs. Improper muscular condition. Badly affected teeth. More than four teeth missing. Back too long or too short. Faulty coat. Neck too short, thick or throaty. Low-set tail. Elbows in or out. Feet east and west. Poor gait. Poor feet. Cowhocks. Faulty backs, either roached or sway. Badly overshot, or undershot bite. Snipy muzzle. Short ears. Very Serious Faults-White, other than a spot on the chest. Eyes other than gray, blue-gray or light amber. Black mottled mouth. Non-docked tail. Dogs exhibiting strong fear, shyness or extreme nervousness.
Disqualifications
Deviation in height of more than one inch from standard either way. A distinctly long coat. A distinctly blue or black coat.
Overview
Group
Sporting
About
Instantly recognized by a distinctive silvery-gray coat, male Weimaraners stand 25 to 27 inches at the shoulder, and females 23 to 25 inches. A properly bred Weimaraner will be solid colored, with maybe a small white spot on the chest. The face, with its amber or blue-gray eyes framed by long velvety ears, is amiable and intelligent. Overall, the breed presents a picture of streamlined grace and balance. A well-conditioned Weimaraner on point is a breathtaking sight. Weimaraners are excellent with kids and yearn to be full-fledged family members. Easy grooming, trainability, a loving nature, and a can-do-attitude make them excellent pets, as long as owners are committed to keeping them physically active and mentally engaged.
History
Developed in the early 1800s, the Weimaraner (WY-mah-rah-ner ) is a veritable puppy among dog breeds. The key figure of the Weimaraner’s early history was Germany’s Grand Duke Karl August, who held court in the town of Weimar. The duke, like so many European nobles of the age, was an avid sportsman. His dream was to develop the perfect hunting dog. In pursuit of this ambition, he is said to have crossed Bloodhounds with various German and French hunting dogs. The result was the Weimar Pointer, or Weimaraner. The duke and his fellow noblemen at first used these unique-looking dogs as big-game hunters, in pursuit of bears, mountain lions, and wolves. As Europe’s population of these predators decreased, the Weimaraner found new work as an all-purpose hunter who points and retrieves gamebirds. The Weimaraner was a jealously guarded secret for many years among the German aristocracy, but good specimens began arriving in America by the late 1920s. The breed’s U.S. popularity as a pet and hunting dog took off in the 1950s, with such celebrity owners as President Eisenhower and movie star Grace Kelly. The breed received another boost from photographer and artist William Wegman, who became world famous for his Weimaraner portraits.
Standard
A medium-sized gray dog, with fine aristocratic features. He should present a picture of grace, speed, stamina, alertness and balance. Above all, the dog’s conformation must indicate the ability to work with great speed and endurance in the field.
Nutrition
Generally, Weimaraners are good eaters. (In fact, they will eat their dinner and then try to eat the bowl.) Owners should feed a highly rated food that has a moderately high protein content. If feeding kibble, some people add water to the dry food. If the dry food is enhanced with canned food or table scraps, be careful not to add too much. Rich food can upset their digestion.
Grooming
The biggest job in grooming the Weimaraner is keeping the nails short. This is important for the comfort and health of your dog and cannot be overemphasized. When nail length gets out of hand, it’s difficult to get it back to a proper length. (If you can hear a tap-tap-tap when they cross a hardwood floor, the nails are too long.) The short coat should be brushed to remove “dead hair.” Don’t forget to clean the ears clean the ears, since having an ear structure that impedes air-flow makes for the potential of infected ears.
Exercise
Weimaraners have high exercise requirements. They need consistent exercise for their physical and mental well being. They love a good run. While walking is OK, stretching their legs and getting “up a full head of steam” is far better. A tired Weimaraner is a good Weimaraner.
Training
As one longtime breeder says, “The good news is that Weimaraners are smart; the bad news is that Weimaraners are smart.” They learn quickly, and that includes both good and bad behaviors. Get to a training class and be consistent with your training methods. Weimaraners operate on the principle of “What’s in it for me?” Be creative in your training by making what you want what they want. Early socialization and puppy training are vital and help to ensure that the Weimaraner grows into a well-adjusted, well-mannered companion.
Health
Being a very active breed, Weimaraners get more than their share of accidental cuts, scrapes, sprains, and pulls. They love to chew, and that makes for mouth and gum injury. Be careful of them ingesting things that should not go down a dog’ s throat. The most serious health issue in the breed is gastric torsion. This is a life-threatening condition where the stomach gets overstretched and twists shut. Discuss the symptoms with your vet so you can recognize them, and seek immediate veterinary care should it ever occur.
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