History of the Weimaraner

The Weimaraner dog originates from Germany and because of its unusual silver grey-brown colouring it is sometimes referred to as the "ghost dog".

The Weimaraner is an extremely popular hunting dog, used both for tracking and retrieving and was originally used to hunt deer and boar and also to retrieve game. The Weimaraner has a keen sense of smell being able to smell game or blood scents from a good distance.

Originally the breeding of Weimaraners was strictly controlled by the Weimaraner Club of Germany who prevented the breeding of Weimaraners outside of Germany. However, in 1929 the Weimaraner was finally introduced to America where it soon became a very popular sporting dog. In 1952 the Weimaraner dog was introduced to the UK and in 1953 the Weimaraner Club of Great Britain was formed with 34 dogs registered and the Weimaraner made its first appearance at Crufts.

Appearance of the Weimaraner

The Weimaraner dog has a distinctive silver grey-brown coat and its eyes are either amber or blue-grey. Weimaraners have a fairly long head with powerful jaws and the ears are long and fall against the side of the head. The Weimaraner has a deep chest, long legs and the tail is usually docked. The normal coat of the Weimaraner dog is short but a long haired variation exists where the coat is 2.5-5 cm in length.

Height of the Weimaraner

The Weimaraner dog reaches a height of 56-59 cms from ground to the back above the shoulder.

Character of the Weimaraner

The Weimaraner is boisterous, clumsy and has an abundance of energy coupled with outstanding stamina. It is independent, quick witted, dominant and highly intelligent. Many say the Weimaraner is a devil and angel rolled into one.

The Weimaraner can be willful and determined and being extremely intelligent and quick to learn it will soon learn where it can take advantage if allowed to. Gentle but firm, thorough and consistent training is needed with the Weimaraner. It can try to dominate other pets and small children and so should be introduced to these at an early age. With good training the Weimaraner can be a loyal, protective and friendly family dog and loves human attention. However, Weimaraners can be prone to barking, howling or destructive behaviour if left alone for long periods of time.

Lifespan of the Weimaraner

The lifespan of the Weimaraner dog is 8-12 years.

Requirements of the Weimaraner

The Weimaraner has plenty of stamina and energy and so needs plenty of exercise. It needs firm and thorough training. The short haired variety requires very little grooming but the long haired variety needs regular brushing.