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Breeds 101: Meet the Weimaraner

By Clare Browning

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: A Weimaraner looks out from its bench on the third day of Crufts Dog Show at the NEC Arena on March 11, 2017 in Birmingham, England. First held in 1891, Crufts is said to be the largest show of its kind in the world, the annual four-day event, features thousands of dogs, with competitors travelling from countries across the globe to take part and vie for the coveted title of 'Best in Show'. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: A Weimaraner looks out from its bench on the third day of Crufts Dog Show at the NEC Arena on March 11, 2017 in Birmingham, England. First held in 1891, Crufts is said to be the largest show of its kind in the world, the annual four-day event, features thousands of dogs, with competitors travelling from countries across the globe to take part and vie for the coveted title of 'Best in Show'. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) /
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While once the hunters of big game such as: bears, wolves, and mountain lions, the Weimaraner has made their way into the mainstream thanks to people like William Wegman who highlighted the breed’s almost human like facial expressions in photographs.

The Weimaraner was established in Weimar (Germany) by nobles and lead by the Grand Duke Karl August in the nineteenth century in search of the ideal hunting dog. According to the Weimaraner Club of America, ownership of Weimaraners was an exclusive club to get into and limited to only Germans. In 1938, Weimaraners were finally introduced to the states and as World War II staggered on, importing these dogs became more of a common place.

Today the Weimaraner ranks at 39 out of 195 according to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) most popular breed list. They are an incredibly friendly and obedient dog, still prized for their versatile hunting skills.

The breed standard states “the dog’s conformation must indicate the ability to work with great speed and endurance in the field.” The standard colors seen in Weimaraners are: blue, gray, and silver gray.

The Weimaraner is a loyal and sociable dog who were bred for hunting but can make great family pets with proper amounts of exercise

While the Weimaraner can make wonderful family dogs due to their good nature, they require a lot of exercise and stimulation which means they are not good apartment dwellers. Not to mention males can weigh in at 70-90 pounds and stand at 25-27 inches, though their female counterparts are a little smaller weighing in at 55-75 pounds and standing at 23-25 inches.

These members of the sporting group tend to have a lifespan of 10-13 years. Most health issues these pups will encounter are minor injuries that come from their extremely active lifestyle. The major health issue to watch for is gastric torsion which is caused by over expansion of the stomach that then twists around to stop flow through the body.

Weimaraners are known to exert energy from their mouths which makes them very active chewers, keep a careful eye on them to make sure they are only chewing on things intended for them and not your favorite pair of shoes. The good news is these dogs are eager to please which helps them pick up on training easily.

Famous Weimaraner owners include movie stars and Presidents. Grace Kelly who acquired her dog as a wedding gift before marrying Prince Rainier III. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was joined in the White House by his Weimaraner, Heidi.

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William Wegman provided a unique way to look at the breed that allowed so many more people to see the Weimaraner. He is known for his photos of dressing the dogs in human clothes, creating unique portraits. Video segments with his dogs have made appearances on Saturday Night Live, Nickelodeon, and Sesame Street.

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