Description

The Weimaraner, dubbed the Grey ghost, is one of the most handsome hunting dogs to ever work the field. The Weimeraner got its nickname due to of its somewhat translucent, mouse grey coat that helps it blend and vanish in the early morning mist. The Weimaraner is the embodiment of form and function. Its skull is characterised by a small bump at the back of the head and high, pronounced cheek bones. The dogs muzzle is long, deep and ever so slightly arched. Its slightly drooping lips curtain a complete set of teeth that close into a powerful scissor bite. Contrasting its blue-grey coat, its amber eyes shine like lanterns, giving the dog a slightly ominous appearance. The Weimaraner’s rounded ears droop downwards framing its gorgeous face.

The Weimaraner’s muscular, arched neck, deep, strong chest, robust, long back; broad, muscular loins, and long, sinewy legs, all contribute to the its impressive carriage. The Weimaraner’s elegant trot and energetic, bounding gallop should both cover significant amount of ground with great ease.

Origin: Germany

Look

The Weimaraner’s skin should be strong and tight fitting. These dogs can come in either a short or long double coat. The top coat in both of these varieties is dense while the undercoat, if present, is sparse. The top coat in short-haired individuals is smooth and strong while that of long-coated dogs is smooth, soft and wavy with longer hair present on side of neck, chest, belly, ears, legs and tail. The colour of the coat comes in either silver, roe or mouse grey.

The Weimaraner is a heavily shedding breed. If the dog is kept indoors, it is possible to keep its shedding in check by frequently petting it down using a rubber horse brush to remove dead hair from its coat.

Health

The Weimaraner is considered to be a healthy breed. However, this breed is characterised by certain conditions that come about due to genetics and improper management by owners. These are:

• Hip dysplasia.
• Hypertrophic osteodystrophy.
• Mast cell tumor.

It is recommended that Weimaraners visit a veterinarian at least once yearly. Strict management of a Weimaraner’s diet and exercise is needed in order to minimize the incidence of stomach torsion that might cause it to bloat. This is best done by feeding the dog smaller portions, multiple times daily and avoiding exercise and vigorous activities directly after feeding. Keeping the dog light on its feet will reduce straining of the hip joint and in turn reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia. It is also better to not feed puppies to satiety, as this slight nutrient deficit will favour uniform growth, therefore avoiding the possibility of hypertrophic osteodystrophy in growing dogs.

At Newdoggy.com we promote puppies coming from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines. Newdoggy.com’s Health Guarantee certifies that all promoted puppies are in good health.

Learning

The Weimaraner is a well rounder hunting dog that was bred to be easily trainable and highly intelligent. If not adequately exercised, these energetic dogs are highly excitable and find it very difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. It is therefore suggested for owners to exercise their dog prior to training in order to ensure that the dog is not too excited to be receptive to training. These very intelligent dogs often respond to obedience training very well, and also excel in other dog sports such as agility training and sledding. Weimaraners truly shine when they are involved in hunting activities. These dogs are suitable for various types of hunting activities, but their large size makes them especially suitable for hunting big game.

Temperament

These fun loving, intelligent dogs are a lot of fun to be around. When not exercised, their hyperactive behaviour can reach levels that some people might find uncomfortable. This breed’s energy levels make it unsuitable for the average household. This breed’s high prey drive might be another problem for families who have other, small four legged members sharing their home. If they lack an authoritative figure in their lives, it is not unheard of for the Weimaraner to become very confrontational with the family’s other dogs.

Living with

Despite its happy go lucky predisposition, it is not recommended that Weimaraners be housed with other small pets. They are considered to be good family pets and are best suited for families composed of mature individuals or those that have grown up children, since these dogs can be too rough and clumsy for young children and often knock them over. Although many Weimaraners live comfortably in apartments, these metropolitan dogs need to be taken to dog parks often, as this allows them to spend an hour or two of unbridled exertion. These dogs will do best in houses or farms that have access to a large enough yard to allow these dogs to exert themselves whenever the need arises.