WEIMARANER

 

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The Weimaraner is a large dog that was originally bred for hunting in the early 19th century. Early Weimaraners were used strictly by royalty for hunting large game such as boar, bear and deer. As the popularity of large game hunting began to decline, Weimaraners were used for hunting smaller animals like fowl, rabbits and foxes.

 

The Weimaraner is an all-purpose gun dog. The name comes from the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Karl August, whose court, located in the city of Weimar (now in the state of Thuringia in modern-day Germany), enjoyed hunting.

 

The Weimaraner is athletic in appearance. The German breed club standard calls for a full tail that is strong and well coated, which can be carried above the line of the back when the dog is working. Weimaraners are great water dogs as evidenced by their webbed paws. The eyes of the Weimaraner may be light amber, grey or blue-grey.

 

This breed’s short coat and unusual eyes give it a distinctive regal appearance. The coat is extremely low-maintenance, short, hard, and smooth to the touch, and may range from mouse-grey to silver-grey or even deer-grey. So-called „Blue Weimaraner“, which are in fact black are not allowed and not recognized and they are not pure breed.

 

A long-haired variety is recognized by most kennel clubs around the world except the American Kennel Club. The long-haired Weimaraner has a silky coat. The gene is recessive, so breeding will produce some long-haired puppies only if both parents carry the trait.
According to the FCI standard, the male Weimaraner stands between 59 to 70 cm (23 to 28 in) at the withers. Females are between 55 to 65 cm (22 to 27 in). Males normally weigh about 30–40 kg (66–88 lb). Females are generally between 25–35 kg (55–77 lb). A Weimaraner should give the appearance of a muscular, athletic dog.

 

The Weimaraner is an energetic hunting dog, prized for its physical endurance and stamina, with a strong, instinctive prey-drive. It may tolerate cats but usually does not, tending to follow the urge to hunt—no matter how long it has known a particular cat—and likely to chase and kill any small animal that enters the garden. A Weimaraner requires frequent exercise and will appreciate games and play. An active owner is more likely to provide the vigorous exercise and games required. A Weimaraner requires appropriate training to learn how to be calm and control its behavior.

 

Weimaraners have an excessive amount of energy that requires a good outlet. They are well-rounded hunting dogs that excel at hunting, tracking, pointing and retrieving both on land and in the water. The Weimaraner is a very people-oriented breed. They have a very strong desire to work and live with their owners, making the breed a good choice for the novice hunter. It requires a gentle touch when training to hunt and it often learns best from a seasoned hunting dog.

Weimaraners are not an independent breed and love to be with their owner, never leaving them alone. This can create very severe separation anxiety in the breed. The causes of separation anxiety are not always known, but there are precluding factors including genetics, litter rearing, dominance, submission, boredom and stress. Weimaraners with severe separation anxiety can destroy property or injure themselves in trying to escape. Good training can curb some of the separation anxiety. A Weimaraner with separation anxiety is likely to bark, whine, howl and even dig until its owner returns home. Further manifestations of this problem can include panicking and excessive drooling, along with destructive behaviors and injury.