The Weimaraner is a fairly young breed, dating back only into the early 19th century. Bloodhound is believed to be among its ancestors. They were known as the Weimaraner Vortshund, (Weimaraner Pointer). They were often used to hunt big-game, such as the wolf, and bear. Later on, they were used as bird dogs and retrievers, working well in water.

The Weimaraner we know today is a product of very selective breeding, crosses followed by generations of line breeding to hold type and quality. It came from the same stock which produced a number of Germany's hunting breeds, such as it's cousin, the German Shorthaired Pointer.

In the early days, the Weimaraner was known as Weimar Pointer. Height and weight have since been increased, but the distinct color coat was approximately the same.

The Weimaraner had been a big-game dog used on wolves, wildcats, deer, mountain lion, and bears. By the time big game hunting in Germany became rare, the breed was supported by a club that was originally started by a few of the men who had drawn up the breed specifications. These were amateur sportsmen who wanted to breed for sport rather than profit. It was not easy to buy a Weimaraner in Germany and nearly impossible in any foreign country.

Obedience trials incited the first interest in the breed in the United States, before recognition was granted in 1943 by the AKC.

Weimaraner's are family dogs. They love to be WITH the family, not as an outdoor dog, and not penned up all day. This breed must be part of the family to thoroughly thrive. Grooming a Weimaraner is very simple. Regular bathing and brushing as well as ear cleaning and nail trim is all that is needed. Males tend to be 25 to 27 inches tall, females 23 to 25 inches. Their coats are short, smooth and sleek. Color is solid mouse-gray/silver-gray, usually blending to lighter shades on the head and ears.

The best Weimaraner's are versatile working dogs, capable of learning a great deal, but they have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. They are easily distracted by exciting sights, sounds, and scents. They can be manipulative, and some are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.

Keep in mind that Weimaraners are not the breed for everyone. Some of them tend to be very hyperactive, especially if not trained properly. They can also be very destructive if left alone for long periods. They are large dogs and should be tought to walk on a leash starting at a very young age- otherwise your Weimaraner will take you for a walk!

Weimaraners should be socialized greatly starting as young as possible or they can become fear biters. They're not usually a "nippy" breed, however many become aggressive when strangers are near if they are not properly socialized. As soon as your puppy is vaccinated enough to safely be outside, get him out and around people often!

Many Weims can be a tad on the "wild" side- they get overly excited over little things and have no idea of their size. This may run back and forth, in circles, or jump all over the place in excitement. Obedience training is wise in order to help your pup learn to control himself.

Weims are also known for "counter surfing"- stealing food from your kitchen counters, and many seem to have a bottomless pit for a stomach- constantly hungry. It's best to feed several small meals through the day rather than one large meal- this will help prevent your Weim from getting Bloat as well as give him less of a reason to look to your counter for food.

As an owner of a Weimaraner, I can tell you that Weimaraners are not the breed for everyone. I can honestly tell you that I will never own another one. They constantly test authority, and can be very sneaky about getting around "the rules". I thought that terriers were tough to keep up on training, however my Weimaraner is more difficult than my 5 terriers combined, which is probably the reason he ended up at the humane shelter in the first place (where I adopted him). He's a good dog, and I have no intentions on giving him up, however he will be my first and last Weimaraner.

As for health issues, they may suffer from hip dysplasia, but are in general a very healthy breed of dog. Hip dysplasia has been reduced to only 8% through conscientious breeding. Prone to hypertropic osteodystrophy (too rapid growth) and tumors as well.

Other concerns are von Willebrand's Disease (vWD) which is an abnormal bleeding disorder due to a lack of normal clotting. An animal's life can be threatened by bleeding due to an injury, or during spaying/neutering or any other condition resulting in bleeding.

Gastric Dilation, Torsion, Volvulus (Bloat) which is when the stomach fills with air (dilation), can twist 180 degrees (torsion) on its long axis, or more than 180 degrees (volvulus) thereby cutting off blood and oxygen to vital organs.

A small percentage of Weimaraner puppies manifest an autoimmune reaction following vaccination. When the immune system of susceptible individuals is challenged by multiple antigens it becomes hyper-reactive and responds in the same way it would respond to fight off an infection; fever, elevated WBC and inflammatory reaction of tissues and joints.

Several of the vaccine manufacturers assure that immunity in puppies can be achieved with only two vaccines providing the second vaccine is given at 12 weeks of age. Therefore the Board of Directors of the Weimaraner Club of America recommends the following vaccine schedule:

8 weeks: Distemper, Adeno2, Parainfluenza and Parvo
12 weeks: Distemper, Adeno2, Parainfluenza and Parvo

The use of Corona, Lepto, Bordatella and Lyme vaccine is not recommended unless these diseases are prevalent in the area. The recombinant DNA vaccines available for Distemper and Lyme have shown a significantly lower incidence of reactions.

Weimaraner Video

Weimaraners will eat anything.