Group: Sporting Group
Purpose of Breed: Tracking large game
Country of Origin: Germany
Average Size: Ranges from 22-27 inches tall and 70-86 pounds. Color(s):Typically range between shades of mouse-gray to silver gray.
Coat Type: Coats are short, smooth and very dense. This dog breed is an average shedder and requires minimal brushing to keep its coat looking neat.
Grooming: The short sleek coat of the Weimaraner requires moderate amounts of brushing to stay in top form. This breed requires standard care for eyes, pads and nails. Ears should be examined and cleaned regularly.
Exercise Needs: Like most large hunting dogs, Weimaraners need substantial amounts of physical exercise and mental stimulation to maintain their health.
Temperament: The breed is alert and friendly. An energetic and strong-willed hunting dog, the Weimaraner needs an active owner that will take the time to properly train and socialize it. In addition to being a good hunting partner, the alert and responsive Weimaraner also makes an excellent watchdog. This breed is protective and loving toward its family, and if socialized properly exercises ample patience with children. Other family pets, however, may or may not be seen as prey and should not be left alone with this breed unsupervised.
Common Ailments: Susceptible to hip dysplasia, entropin, dermoid corneal cysts, Von Willebrand's Disease, Factor XI deficiency and gastric torsion.
Life Expectancy: Avereages 10-13 years.
Trivia: President Eisenhower owned a Weimaraner named Heidi while living in the White House.
More Information: Weimaraner Club of America
About The Author: Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com
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Not a first time dog owner breed. Very, very smart..needs a firm hand. Loved ours mother/son and miss them still after 10 yrs.
Agreed... not good for first time owner. I love my Weim, but he is needy and like most, has seperation anxiety. Very loving and extremely smart. Charley is 80 pounds and sleeps right next to me sharing a pillow!
Speaking from firsthand experience, there is absolutely no reason why a first time dog owner couldn't raise and care for a Weimy, successfully.
It is just like any other important decision -- do your research thoroughly before jumping in. Read about owning and caring for dogs in general and read some books on the breed itself. Talk to and visit several breeders, asking plenty of questions.
Finally, be honest with yourself! Are you impatient? Do you find it hard to be consistent? Are you a professional couch potato? Do you prefer your 'alone time'? Then perhaps this isn't the breed for you.
However, having said that, if you answered, 'yes' to any of the questions listed above, you should strongly reconsider getting any breed of dog.
Weimy's are clever, loving and incredibly energetic. They require plenty of socialization, daily excersise and have a strong need to be part of the pack. Your consistency is a must because they are clever and will every now and then test to see if the boundaries/rules are still intact.
Just do your research and be honest with yourself. You can't go wrong. It took us over a year before we made our decision and we couldn't have made a better choice. She is a wonderful addition to our family!
NOTE: If you can, get a copy of ALL ABOUT THE WEIMARANER by PATSY HOLLINGS. It is a great first step to learning about the breed. Good luck!
My gorgeous Lola just showed up on my farm, very tall and skinny and desperate, a couple of months ago. She had already been spayed at a clinic about 50 miles away, which I learned from a tattoo on her belly. I tried to locate her owner through the clinic and my own vet and advertising, but no luck. She may have been set out by someone who couldn't take care of her anymore. So I immediately learned all I could about the breed and proceeded to keep her with me. I couldn't bear the thought of her going to Rescue or the local shelter. The next thing I did was to get her shots, buy special food for the gastric torsion possibility, heartworm meds, and let her know who's the boss.
She's 3-4 years old and the biggest baby. I already had six other dogs, including a Pom and a Boston Terrier, but Lola moved right in. I had to let her know, and still do about once a day, that I'm the pack leader. She lives in a large fenced yard when she isn't in the house. So far she has brought me three snakes and an opossum for gifts. If anyone is interested in a Weimie, know that they will go after anything that moves. Lola tries to climb trees when she sees a bird. She has to have plenty of exercise and mushies and attention. She's very friendly with other humans, but can knock them down if they aren't careful. She's the first Weimie I've owned, or that's owned me, and I wouldn't take anything for her now. The thing is, know your dog. Know the breed. If you don't, find out about it. I'm a very small elderly woman, but I've kept dogs all my life, and that helped considerably, but a Weimie is not for the faint of heart or anyone who isn't home much of the time. She stays with me constantly, and is the best watchdog I've ever seen. A Weimie will bond with its people and be very loving and gentle, but they are hunting dogs, they are very strong, and they can be fierce. So if you're afraid of big dogs or don't have much time or patience, don't get a Weimie. It wouldn't be fair to you or to the dog. But for those of you who love big dogs and want a wonderful companion, go for it. When Lola gazes at me with her strange eyes and gives me a big slurpy kiss and stretches out next to me to sleep, it's worth it.
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