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Weimaraner Temperament, and Use

The Weimaraner belongs to the FCI group 7 of the pointing dogs and has its origin in Germany. The breed standard stipulates that males should be between 61 and 69 cm tall and that bitches should be between 56 and 64 cm tall. The ideal weight is between 32 and 39 kg. Two breeds exist, the shorthaired and the less common longhaired Weimaraner. The better-known short-haired Weimaraner has a fine and supple coat with hair that is uniformly short and harsh.

Weimaraner Profile

The rarer longhaired breed is well known, particularly in Europe, and is characterized by a medium-length coat with hairs 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) long. In addition, the tail and the back of the legs are feathered and the tail is only docked at the tip, in contrast to the long-haired cat, which is docked to 50% of the length of the tail.

So they look more like the picture of a setter. Long hair is inherited via a recessive gene, so even in the US, where the standard there disqualifies short-haired Weimaraners, long-haired puppies can occasionally appear in a litter. “Reason shapes people, feeling guides them.” With this sentence, Jean-Jacques Rousseau expresses what should better not happen with a Weimaraner. The Weimaraner’s exterior appeals to many people.

One look into those amber eyes (puppies of this breed have blue eyes) can quickly put sanity on the back burner – all too often dogs are chosen primarily for their looks. The Weimaraner accompanies his family devotedly and reliably – he is by no means a pure family and companion dog!

Weimaraner Character & Temperament

In terms of character, the Weimaraner is an intelligent and fearless dog with a strong will. Originally bred as a personal hunting dog for the nobility, he remains a versatile and easy-to-handle hunting dog.

He is very active by nature and therefore needs a lot of exercise and activity. He is not suitable for a city apartment, instead, he needs regular outdoor work. Bred in such a purebred way, the Weimaraner is still characterized today by its pronounced wild sharpness and scent dog traits.

He has mastered the task of tracking dogs in an exemplary manner. Any game still alive after the shot is taken to its escape route marked with blood (sweat) in accordance with animal welfare. Furthermore, the Weimaraner has an innate (wounded) protective instinct, which must be taken into account in the comparatively long training of the dog. In this context, however, there can be no question of biting.

The housing conditions of the Weimaraner must absolutely do justice to the animal’s passion for hunting. Otherwise, the stable, powerful, and not overly temperamental dog will look for a way to satisfy its urges to the detriment of third parties! The intelligent and obedient dog rigorously exploits weaknesses in human leadership.

Experienced dog handlers, on the other hand, are enthusiastic about their companion’s willingness to work and learn. Employed and challenged by nature, the Weimaraner is quiet and unobtrusive indoors – barking is only audible when strangers are reported.

He needs consistent training and a firm hand. He is not only a passionate hunting dog but also a very good companion dog. But this extremely courageous dog is also excellently suited as a protection dog and in men’s work. Although the longhair breed is disqualified by the AKC in America, some local breeders have imported registered German longhair Weimaraners and attempted to get this breed recognized.

Of course, no hunter will practice his hunting trade every day – so the times between the work assignments of the Weimaraner have to be filled with life. The pointing dog needs training and utilization at a high level. Running out and long walks only form a basis on which to build.

Weimaraner Use

Although consistently described as extremely easy to handle, it is up to the experienced dog owner to lead this dog – dog beginners are advised to use other dog breeds. The Weimaraner is a hunting dog.

Used for hunting, consistently led, and socialized according to the breed, he lives as a clingy, cuddly, and child-loving companion in his pack. Purposeful and responsible, the breeders who are part of the Weimaraner Club only give their puppies to hunters. Performance and character are the focus of breeding efforts, appearance is secondary. And yet it is precisely this trait that can prevail in unorganized breeders.

History of the Weimaraner

As early as 1600, a dog very similar to the Weimaraner was immortalized in a painting by Van Dyke. However, at that time this large gray breed was closer to the scent hounds and was mainly used to hunt large game such as bears, wolves, wild boars, and big cats.

It is disputed among experts whether the Weimaraner was really bred in its modern form at the court in Weimar. What is certain is that the ancestors of this breed include Bracken, German sweathounds, and pointing dogs. For example, Grand Duke Carl August (1757 – 1828), a passionate hunter, brought Bracken from France and housed his dogs with noble hunters and farmers in his Grand Duchy.

In addition, the gray pointers were mainly found in the area around Weimar and Halle, which would give the name. The Weimaraner is mentioned as a separate breed in the 19th century. Since the big game in Germany was increasingly pushed out of its traditional habitats as a result of the increasing spread of civilization and for the most part died out, the Weimaraner was now crossed with so-called “chicken dogs” in order to specialize as a pointing dog for hunting chicken birds.

Although breeding was no longer a privilege of the nobility, it was now extremely strictly monitored by the pedigree dog breeding club and was even forbidden outside of Germany until the 1930s. As a result, there were never a large number of Weimaraners even in his homeland, although the quality was always very high. Nevertheless, further breeding requires special attention in order to avoid any inbreeding damage.

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