Videos Weimaraner Breed Information
Alternative names -
Weimaraner Vorstehhund
Country of origin -
Germany
Common nicknames -
Weim,
Silver Ghost,
Grey Ghost
Classification and breed standards
FCI:|Group
7 Section 1 #099|Stds
AKC:|Sporting|Stds
ANKC:|Group 3
(Gun dogs|Stds
CKC:|Group
1 - Sporting|Stds
KC
(UK):|Gundogs|Stds
NZKC:|Gundogs|Stds
UKC:|Gun
Dogs|Stds
The Weimaraner is a silver-grey breed of dog developed
originally in early 19th century for hunting. Early Weimaraners were used by royalty
for hunting large game, such as boar, bears, and deer. As the
popularity of large game hunting began to decline, Weimaraners were
used for hunting smaller animals, like fowl, rabbits, and foxes.
Rather than having a specific purpose such as pointing or flushing,
the Weimaraner is an all purpose gun dog. The Weimaraner is loyal
and loving to his family, an incredible hunter, and a fearless
guardian of his family and territory. The name comes from the Grand
Duke of Weimar, Karl August, whose
court enjoyed hunting.
1. Appearance
The Weimaraner is elegant, noble, and athletic in appearance.
All parts of the dog should be in balance with each other, creating
a form that is pleasing to the eye. It must be capable of working
in the field, regardless of whether it is from show stock or
hunting stock, and faults that will interfere with working ability
are heavily penalized.
The tails, which may be amber or gray, are kept short. In some
cases, tails are docked and
dewclaws are removed, the tail usually docked at birth to a third
of its natural length.
1. 1. Coat and colour
This breed's short, smooth gray coat and its unusual eyes
give it a regal appearance different from any other breed. However,
the breed has been deemed very similar to the Vizsla. The eyes may be light amber, gray, or
blue-gray. The coat may range from mouse-gray (grayish beige or
tan) to silver-gray. Where the fur is thin or non-existent, inside
the ears or on the lips, for example, the skin should be a pinkish
"flesh" tone rather than white or black.
The silvery-gray colour is rare in dogs and is the result of
breeding for a recessive gene. It has also lent the breed the
nickname 'silver ghost' or 'gray ghost.' The coat
is extremely low maintenance; it is short, hard, and smooth to the
touch.
According to the American
Kennel Club (AKC) standard, a distinctly blue or black coat is
an automatic disqualification, though a small white marking in the
chest area only is permitted.
There is a long-haired variety that is recognised by most kennel
clubs around the world except in North America. The long-haired
Weimaraner has a silky coat, with -contrary to the short coated
variety- an undocked feathered tail. Because the gene is recessive,
breeding two long-haired Weimaraners only produces long-haired
puppies. Breeding of a long-haired Weimaraner to a short-haired
Weimaraner will produce some long-haired puppies only if the
short-haired parent carries the recessive longhair gene. Otherwise,
the offspring will all be short-haired.
1. 2. Size
According to the AKC standard, the male
Weimaraner stands between 25 and 27 inches (63-68 cm) at the
withers.
Females are between 23 and 25 inches (58-63 cm). Of course,
there are many dogs taller or shorter than the breed standard. The
breed is not heavy for its height, and males normally weigh roughly
70-85 pounds. Females are generally between 55-70 lbs(25-32kgs). A
Weimaraner carries its weight proudly and gives the appearance of a
muscular,athletic dog.
2. Temperament
Weimaraners are fast and powerful dogs, but are also suitable
home animals given appropriate training & exercise. These dogs
are not as sociable towards strangers as other hunting dogs such as
Labradors and Golden Retrievers. Weimaraners are very
protective of their family and can be very territorial. They can be
aloof to strangers, and must be thoroughly socialized when young to
prevent aggression. They are also highly intelligent, sensitive and
problem-solving animals, which earned them an epithet "dog
with a human brain". From adolescence, a Weimaraner requires
extensive exercise in keeping with an energetic hunting dog breed
and prized for their physical endurance and stamina. No walk is too
far, and they will appreciate games and play in addition. An active
owner is more likely to provide the vigorous exercising, games, or
running that this breed absolutely requires. Weimaraners are
high-strung and often wear out their owners, requiring appropriate
training to learn how to calm them and to help them learn to
control their behavior. Owners need patience and consistent, firm
(yet kind) training, as this breed is particularly rambunctious
during the first year and a half of its life. This breed is known
for having a penchant for stealing food from table and counter tops
whenever given the chance. Like many breeds, untrained and
unconfined young dogs often create their own fun when left alone,
such as chewing house quarters and furniture. Thus, many that are
abandoned have behavioural issues as a result of isolation and
inferior exercise.
It should never be forgotten that the Weimaraner is a hunting
dog and therefore has a strong, instinctive prey drive. Weimaraners
will sometimes tolerate cats, as long as they are introduced to the
cats as puppies, but many will chase and frequently kill almost any
small animal that enters their garden or backyard. In rural areas,
most Weimaraners will not hesitate to chase deer or sheep. However,
with good training, these instincts can be curtailed to some
degree. A properly trained Weimaraner is a wonderful companion that
will never leave its master's side.
2. 1. Professional training
Professional training is beneficial, particularly for
less-experienced owners. This includes behaviours towards other
family pets. Depending upon training they can be quite aggressive
towards other dogs, but they are a loyal, playful and affectionate
pet and an alert and friendly member of the family. Although
visitors are likely to be licked rather than warned away, the
Weimaraner does not miss a trick and is always aware of its
surroundings and is ready to protect its family and territory in a
heartbeat. Extensive socialization is critical for this breed.
Prospective owners should note that the Weimaraner is not
recommended for families with young children as it is usually
boisterous, sometimes hyperactive. If you train them at an early
age with young children then they will get used to them. The same
goes with other pets. This is also a breed with tremendous
personality, charm and stubbornness.
2. 2. Behavior Disorders
Those familiar with the breed acknowledge two common behavioral
disorders.
The first common behavior disorder is the propensity of many
Weimaraners to suffer from severe separation anxiety.
Manifestations of this behavior disorder include panicked efforts
to rejoin the owner when separation occurs, excessive drooling,
destructive behaviors, and associated injuries such as broken teeth
or cut lips. Behavior modification training and medications may
reduce the severity of symptoms associated with this disorder in
some Weimaraners. However, the breed is generally refractory to
such treatment and behavior modification training efforts. As
individuals of the breed age the severity of separation anxiety
symptoms decrease somewhat, but do not completely abate.
The second common behavior disorder is unacceptable aggression
in some Weimaraners. Early and extensive socialization of young
dogs can prevent this. However, as the original purpose of the
breed was to assist in hunting small to large forest game (fowl
& small mammals to boar, elk & bears) and to provide
personal as well as property protection a certain amount of
aggression is innate to the breed.
3. History
Today's breed standards developed in the 1800s, although dogs having very similar features
to the Weimaraner have been attested as far back as 1200s in the court of Louis IX of France. It is believed
that Continental pointing breeds and mastiffs were its ancestors.
The breed was created exclusively for the nobility and alike. The
aim was to create a noble-looking, reliable gundog. As ownership
was restricted, the breed was highly prized and lived with the
family. This was unusual, as during this period, hunting dogs were
kept in kennels in packs. This has resulted in a dog that needs to
be near humans and that quickly deteriorates when kennelled. The
Weimaraner was an all purpose family dog, capable of guarding the
home, hunting with the family, and of course, being loving and
loyal towards children. Interestingly enough, when the dog was
still used for hunting, its instinctual hunting method is to attack
the prey's genitals to bring it down.
Originally, Germany was possessive of its skilled all-purpose
gundog, but released a pair in the 1950s to America where the breed
quickly became popular. Although slower than many other gundogs,
such as Pointers, the
Weimaraner is thorough and this made it a welcome addition to the
sportsman's household. Furthermore, its happy, lively
temperament endeared it to families, although it is perhaps too
lively for families with young children. Unfortunately, with the
rise in popularity, some careless matches were made and some
inferior specimens were produced. Since then, both in Britain and
America (where the breed remains popular) breeders have taken care
to breed for quality and purpose.
4. Weimaraners in popular culture
* The first president and founder of the Turkish Republic,
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,
had a Weimaraner called Fox.
* US President Dwight D.
Eisenhower owned a Weimaraner named Heidi
* French President Valery Giscard
d'Estaing owned a Weimaraner called Jugurtha, who is said
to have had such human habits as laughing or drinking tea
* The photographs of William Wegman
prominently feature Weimaraners. His dogs (which included Man
Raynamed after artist Man Rayand
Fay Raya play on Fay Wray) are the subject of his photos, dressed
in human clothes. These pictures are popular both in galleries of
contemporary art and as pop culture
icons. These "dogs with hands" have appeared frequently
on Sesame Street, and
occasionally on Saturday
Night Live.
* A Weimaraner was also the subject of the music video for Blue Monday by the
indie rock band New Order.
* A Weimaraner named Beatrice (played by Can. Ch. Arokat's Echobar Take Me
Dancing) is featured in the movie Best in Show.
* A Weimaraner was used in the Sylvester Stalone movie
"Daylight" (1996).
* Actor Hosea Chanchez (CW's The Game) owns a Weimaraner
puppy named Brando.
* Singer Kate Bush poses with two
Weimaraner on the cover of her 1985 album Hounds of Love
* A cowardly Weimaraner named Hyena plays a minor role in the
Japanese series Ginga:
Nagareboshi Gin.
* Brad Pitt owns a Weimaraner named
Purdy
* Actor Esai Morales (NYPD Blue)
owns a Weimaraner named Frankie
* Nine Inch Nails frontman
Trent Reznor owns a female
Weimaraner named Daisy May
5. Health
The Weimaraner is a deep-chested dog, which makes them a breed
which is high on the list of dogs affected by bloat (gastric torsion). This a very serious
condition that causes death when left untreated. It occurs when the
stomach twists itself, thereby pinching off the routes of food
traveling in or out. Symptoms include a dog showing signs of
distress, discomfort, and a swollen stomach. Immediate medical
attention is imperitive when bloat occurs and surgery is usually
the only option. One way to help prevent bloat is to spread out the
Weimaraner's feedings to at least twice daily and to avoid any
rigorous exercise right after feedings. Weimaraner owners might
never see this problem in their dogs but should be familiar with
the ailment and keep emergency vet numbers handy. Hip dysplasia is a major concern among
Weimaraners, as with most large breeds of dog. It is generally
recommended to acquire Weims only from breeders who have their
dog's hips tested using OFA or PennHIP methods. Other health issues include:
* Cryptorchidism
* Elbow dysplasia
* Distichiasis
* Von Willebrands
Disease
* Entropion
* Hypothyroidism
* Hypertrophic
osteodystrophy
* Pituitary dwarfism
* Hypomyelinogenesis
* Renal dysplasia
* Progressive retinal
atrophy
Copyright (c) 2008 Kitt Killion Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
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