| Weimaraners: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Weimaraner personality and behavior. |
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My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Weimaraner, including these excerpts:
"The high-energy Weimaraner, bred to hunt all day, needs an athletic owner who can meet his demanding exercise needs: running, biking, hiking, jogging, field work.
Too much confinement leads to hyperactivity and destructiveness, as does being left alone too much. A bored Weimaraner will bark up a storm, demolish your home and yard, even attempt to escape in search of adventure.
Reserved and protective with strangers, dominant with other dogs, predatory toward small animals such as cats and rabbits, the Weimaraner needs an owner who can provide leadership, socialization, and training beyond the beginner level.
He is headstrong, but in the right hands is capable of learning and doing virtually anything. Indeed, a well-matched owner will find him a loyal, aristocratic gentleman of great presence and character.
A novice with little time and space will find him a rambunctious bully, difficult to control."
History
"The Gray Ghost" was developed in the German republic of Weimar. Owned only by the aristocracy, he hunted both game birds and big game.
Size
23-27 inches and 55-90 lbs |
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Weimaraners
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- There are energetic Weimaraners, and placid Weimaraners.
- Hard-headed Weimaraners, and sweet-natured Weimaraners.
- Serious Weimaraners, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Weimaraners, and Weimaraners who love everyone.
| If you acquire a Weimaraner puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
Now let's look at some common characteristics for this breed...
- Is large, sleek-coated, and tautly-muscled, a true athlete bred to hunt all day
- Is unusual-looking, with a ghostly gray/silver coat and eerie light eyes
- Is packed with energy and thrives on vigorous exercise and athletic activities
- In the right hands, is a loyal, aristocratic gentleman of great presence and character
- Is watchful with strangers, so makes a keen watchdog
- Looks powerful and imposing, so also makes an effective physical deterrent
A Weimaraner may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- Vigorous exercise requirements
- Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young or not exercised enough
- "Separation anxiety" (massive destructiveness and barking) when left alone too much
- Suspiciousness, aggression, or skittishness toward strangers when not socialized enough
- Aggression toward other animals
- Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge
- Shedding
- Barking
- Slowness to housebreak
- Health problems
A Weimaraner may not be right for you.
| If I were considering a Weimaraner... |
My major concerns would be:
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Weimaraners MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by barking and massive destructive chewing. Bored Weimaraners are famous for chewing through drywall, ripping the stuffing out of sofas, and turning your yard into a moonscape of giant craters.
| If you simply want a pet for your family, and don't have the time or inclination to take your dog running or hiking or biking, or to get involved in hunting, or advanced obedience, or tracking, or agility (obstacle course), or a similar canine activity, I do not recommend this breed. Trying to suppress their "hardwired" desire to run and work, without providing alternate outlets for their high energy level, can be difficult. |
- Bounciness. Young Weimaraners (up to about two years old) romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people.
| If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, I do not recommend Weimaraner puppies. The temptation to bounce and play roughly is just too strong in many young Weimaraners. |
- Separation anxiety. More than most other breeds, Weimaraners need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing and barking. If you work all day, this is not the breed for you.
- Animal aggression. Many Weimaraners are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex. Many have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures, including livestock and wildlife such as deer. If anything goes wrong in the breeding, socializing, training, handling, or management of this breed, it is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.
- The strong temperament. Weimaraners are not Golden Retrievers. The best Weimaraners are versatile working dogs, capable of learning a great deal, but they have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. They are easily distracted by exciting sights, sounds, and scents. They can be manipulative, and some are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
| To teach your Weimaraner to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory. My Weimaraner Training Page discusses the program you need. |
- Shedding. For such a shorthaired dog, Weimaraners shed more than you might think. Their short coarse hairs come off on your hands when you pet them, and stick tenaciously to your clothing, upholstery, and carpeting.
- Barking. Weimaraners are often too quick to sound the alarm at every new sight and sound. You have to be equally quick to stop them. If you work all day and have close neighbors, Weimaraners are not a good choice for you. For the same reason, Weimaraners should NEVER be left outside in your yard, unsupervised.
- Housebreaking. The pointing breeds can be a bit slow to pick this up. Expect several months of consistent crate training.
- Health problems. Weimaraners are extremely prone to a life-threatening digestive syndrome called bloat. Joint and bone problems, eye diseases, bleeding disorders, and cancer also make this breed risky in the health department.
| If you're considering an adult Weimaraner... |
There are plenty of adult Weimaraners who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
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Copyright © 2000-2006 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
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