The Weimaraner is one of the most elegant dog breeds due to its slim figure and spectacular beauty. Its most characteristic feature is the grayish fur which makes it truly unique, in addition to its temperament which is also one of the most appreciated features of this dog. Its skills made it stand out as one of the most appreciated dogs for hunting, and luckily today he is an excellent pet.
Amber eyes and a silvery gray coat clearly distinguish the Weimaraner from a large family of hunting dogs. This Weimaraner is prized for its versatility and workability. Such a dog is able to participate in the hunt, working equally well on land and on water.
In addition to hunting, the Weimaraner can serve as a watchdog and tracking dog. If you just want to have a pet, it will be a great companion for you.
Weimaraner photos
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Physical characteristics
This is a dog of great beauty, tall, athletic and slender. His body line is very elegant both when he is at rest and when he is in motion, and he maintains perfect proportions all over his body, although he is slightly longer than his waist.
The Weimaraner is one of the largest hunting dogs that exists. It is an animal that can measure between 59 and 70 centimeters for males, between 57 and 65 centimeters for females. The weight is maintained between 30 and 40 kilos for men and between 25 and 35 kilos for women. These measures are marked in the breed standard drawn up by the FCI.
Distinctive features
- Head: The head is sinewy, proportionate to the body. The transition from forehead to muzzle is weakly expressed. The flat forehead is divided by a smooth furrow. Noticeably prominent occipital tubercle. The cheekbones are clearly defined. The muzzle is elongated.
- Jaws: Full set of teeth, scissor bite.
- Ears: The ears are large, pendulous, rather elongated with rounded tips. Set high and narrow, turning forward when alerted.
- Eyes: The eyes are round and slightly oblique. Color – light or dark yellow.
- Frame: Strong construction, slightly elongated. The neck is strong, athletic, set high. The back is long, muscular. The chest is wide and deep, lowered to the elbow joints. The withers are pronounced, the ribs are convex. The croup is long, slightly sloping towards the tail.
- Limbs: The legs are lean, the joints are at right angles. The shoulders are long and well developed. Legs in the fist, profitable fingers are absent.
- Coat: The coat is silvery gray or woolly, or various smooth transitions of these colors. The coat is either short or long, depending on the variety of the breed.
Character and behavior
Although the Weimaraner was initially a fairly aggressive hunting dog, nowadays its character has changed to become an excellent pet. He stands out for his high level of energy and the activity he requires, but he is also an animal very loyal to his own, always anxious to spend time in his company doing various activities.
He is very gentle and loving, and shows endless patience with children and other dogs, although his high energy can make him a little abrupt in play, so it is advisable to watch his games and educate properly so that he learns to behave. The Weimaraner is a very dynamic, curious, intelligent and loyal dog.
Precisely because of this reserved nature, it is common for the Weimaraner to effusively alert its owners to the presence of any strangers in the home. It is also important to influence their socialization as a puppy to try to control these hunting instincts towards other animals, and you should also socialize with all kinds of people, as the adult Weimaraner can be quite wary.
Health
In order to detect the disease in time, you need to know what health problems the Weimaraner breed is predisposed to:
- Demodecosis is an invasive disease caused by a microscopic tick.
- Abdominal distention – an inversion of the intestines occurs due to malnutrition, a dog may die from bloating in a few hours.
- Cryptorchidism – happens in males, pathology leads to infertility.
- Mastocytoma is an oncological disease of cells.
- Hip dysplasia – can lead to immobility, gives the dog severe pain.
- Myasthenia gravis is a violation of neuromuscular transmission, more often observed in adult animals after one year.
- Subdermatitis – interdigital dermatitis.
- Entropion – a twist of the century is not treatable, requires surgical intervention.
- Corneal dystrophy is a group of non-inflammatory hereditary diseases that reduce the transparency of the cornea.
- Degenerative myelopathy is a severe, progressive neurodegenerative disease leading to hind limb paralysis.
- Fibrosarcoma is a malignant tumor that develops from skin or subcutaneous fibroblasts.
Life expectancy
The Weimaraner can live about 10-13 years. But in order for the pet to live to such an age, being beautiful and healthy, the owner must periodically show it to the veterinarian for a routine examination and testing. It is also necessary to vaccinate the dog and carry out treatment against parasites, deworming.
Care
Weimaraners love walks and active play, so for thema big house is a better option than an apartment. Do not remain chained under any pretext.
Caring for a Weimaraner is simple:
- Brush hair once a week.
- Check and clean eyes daily.
- Clean the ears 2-3 times a week.
- Do not bathe more than once a month.
- Cut the nails 3 times a month.
Exercice
The Weimaraner should take long walks regularly to stay calm at home. If they do not exercise enough, they can become very destructive and sad. They love swimming and collecting objects, and both activities occupy their active spirit. An adult Weimaraner dog needs more than two hours of daily exercise.
Fun facts
- In the city of Weimar, the Weimaraner is called the “Silver Ghost” because of its beautiful silver coat.
- The Weimaraner differs from many other breeds in that it needs a lot of excitement and a special form of exercise.
- Weimaraner does not tolerate loneliness, if the dog is alone for a very long time, he can even injure himself.
- For more than a hundred years, the genes of other breeds have not been used in breeding Weimar Pointing Dogs.
- Weimaraner puppies are born with blue eyes and blue-gray fur. As they grow older, the coat becomes silvery gray, and the eyes are amber. At the age of eight months, a dog of this breed fully meets the requirements of the standard.
- Purebred Weimaraner dogs are bred only by club members. If you want to buy a purebred puppy, you first have to join the club. The breeding work of such dogs is strictly controlled.
History of the breed
There is no exact information about the origin of the Weimaraner. There are speculations that gray dogs, similar to modern Weimaraners, came to France together with King Louis Saint. Being in captivity in Egypt during the crusade, Louis saw gray pointer dogs and brought a whole pack with him to his homeland.
The local hunting enthusiasts liked the new species very much. They used cops to hunt deer, wild boars and even bears. In principle, such a dog was an ideal helper in hunting any animal or bird.
Soon the silver dog became very popular in Europe. Since 1880, the ancestors of the Weimaraner were introduced as a cross between hunting dogs.
The birthplace of the Weimar Pointer is Germany. The first mention of this breed, as an independent one, dates back to the nineteenth century (1896). It is known that they took her out in the vicinity of the German city of Weimar.
These dogs were the favorites of the Duke of Weimar. It was he who seriously took up their breeding at his palace. The breed was named after the duke. The development of the Weimaraner took place approximately in 1890.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, long-haired puppies began to appear in litters of Weimar cops. The new variety did not gain success and did not become popular. The championship was led by the short-haired representatives of the breed. Since then, other types of dogs were no longer used in breeding work.