Origin: Germany
Origin of Name: The Weimaraner is a large dog that was originally bred for hunting in the early 19th century.
Size | Temperament | Shedding | Drooling | Monthly keeping cost | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Large | Zero High |
Negligible Hair Everywhere |
Zero Excess |
|
Developed in the early 1800s, the Weimaraner (WY-mah-rah-ner) is an actual puppy among breeds of dogs. The major figures in the early history of Weimaner were Karl August, the Grand Duke of Germany, who held court in the city of Weimar. The Duke, like many European nobles of the time, was an enthusiastic sportsman. His dream was to develop the perfect Hunting Dog. In pursuit of this ambition, he is said to have crossed the Bloodhound with various German and French Hunting Dogs. The result was the Weimar Pointer, or Weimrunner.
The Duke and his fellow nobles first used these unique-looking dogs as big-game hunters, searching for bears, mountain lions, and wolves. As populations of these hunters declined in Europe, Weimner found new work as an all-purpose hunter, pointing to and retrieving gamebirds.
Weimraner was an enviously preserved secret among the German aristocracy for many years, but by the late 1920s good specimens began to arrive in America. The breed's American popularity as a pet and Hunting Dog began in the 1950s with celebrity owners such as President Eisenhower and film star Grace Kelly. The breed received another boost from photographer and artist William Wegmann, who became world famous for his Weimner paintings.
The biggest job of grooming the Weimaraner is to keep the nails short. This is important for your dog's comfort and health and cannot be overemphasized. When the length of the nail is removed by hand, it is difficult to bring it back to the proper length. (If you can hear tap-tap-tap while crossing the hardwood floor, the nails are too long.) The short coat must be brushed to remove "dead hair". Don't forget to clean the ears, clean the ears, because the ear structure that obstructs airflow makes for the possibility of infected ears.
Weimaraners are large, active dogs that have been bred for hunting and human companionship. They are very smart dogs, so they are especially adept at learning commands and other types of training. If you have a Weimaraner that you want to train, start training early in his life and focus on consistency and positive reinforcement. Spend a few hours in training the puppy every day.
Weimaraners have high exercise requirements. They require constant exercise for their physical and mental health. He likes a good run. While walking is fine, it is far better to stretch their legs and "lift the whole head of steam". A tired Weimner is a good Weimrunner.
Generally, Weimaraners are good eaters. (In fact, they will eat their dinner and then try to eat the bowl.) Owners must feed high-grade food that has a moderately high protein content. When feeding kibble, some people add water to dry food. If dried food is pounded with canned food or table scraps, be careful not to add too much. Senior food can spoil their digestion.
Being a very active breed, Weimaraners get more than their share of accidental cuts, scratches, sprains and pulls. They like to chew, and this causes injuries to the mouth and gums. Be careful of the intake of things that should not go down the dog's throat. The most serious health problem in the breed is gastric torsion. It is a life-threatening condition where the stomach is pulled over and twisted. Discuss the symptoms with your vet so that you can identify them, and seek immediate veterinary care anytime.
Recommended health tests from the National Breed Club: