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The Weimaraner is a silver-grey breed of dog developed originally both for tracking large game, such as bears, and as a pointing breed. The name comes from the Grand Duke of Weimar, Charles August, whose court enjoyed hunting.
Appearance: The Weimaraner should be elegant, noble,
and athletic in appearance. All parts of the dog should be in
balance with each other, creating a form that is pleasing to
the eye. It must be capable of working in the field,
regardless of whether it is from show stock or hunting stock,
and faults that will interfere with working ability are
heavily penalized.
Tails are docked, dewclaws are removed, and the nails, which
may be amber or gray, are kept short. Ideally, the tail is
docked at birth to a third of its natural length.
Coat and color: This breed's short, smooth gray coat
and its unusual eyes give it a regal appearance different from
any other breed. The eyes may be light amber, gray, or
blue-gray. The coat may range from mouse-gray (grayish beige
or tan) to silver-gray. The nose should be a grayish tan.
Where the fur is thin or non-existent, inside the ears or on
the lips, for example, the skin should be a pinkish
"flesh" tone rather than white or black.
The silvery-gray color is rare in dogs and is the result of
breeding for a recessive gene. It has also lent the breed the
nickname 'silver ghost' or 'gray ghost.' The coat is extremely
low maintenance; it is short, hard, and smooth to the touch.
According to the AKC standard, a distinctly blue or black coat
is an automatic disqualification, though a small white marking
in the chest area only is permitted. There is a long-haired
variety that is not as commonly known, and also is
disqualified from AKC competition.
Size: Typically, the male Weimaraner stands between 25
and 27 inches (63-68 cm) at the withers. Bitches are generally
between 23 and 25 inches (58-63 cm). The breed is not heavy
for its height, and weighs upwards of 70 pounds (32 kg).
Temperament: A sketch of a WeimaranerWeimaraners are
fast and powerful dogs, but are also suitable home animals
given appropriate training. From adolescence, a Weimaraner
requires extensive exercise in keeping with an energetic
hunting dog. No walk is too far, and they will appreciate
games and play in addition. An active owner is more likely to
provide the vigorous exercising, games, or running that this
breed needs.
Weimaraners are high-strung and easily excitable, requiring
appropriate training to learn how to calm them and to help
them learn to control their behavior. Owners need patience, as
this breed is particularly rambunctious during the first year
and a half of its life. Like many breeds, untrained and
unconfined young dogs often create their own diversions when
left alone, such as chewing house quarters and furniture.
Professional training: Professional training is
beneficial, particularly for less-experienced owners. This
includes behaviours towards other family pets. Depending upon
training they can be quite aggressive towards other dogs, but
they are a loyal, playful and affectionate pet and an alert
and friendly member of the family. Visitors are likely to be
licked rather than warned away, but the Weimaraner does not
miss a trick and is always aware of its surroundings.
Prospective owners should note that the Weimaraner is not
recommended for families with young children as it is usually
boisterous, sometimes hyperactive. If you train them at an
early age with young children then they will get used to them.
The same goes with other pets. Furthermore, the breed will
continually try to push the boundaries set by its owner. If it
can get away with something, it will! This is also a breed
with tremendous personality.
Behavior Disorders: Those familiar with the breed
acknowledge two common behavioral disorders.
The first common behavior disorder is the propensity of many
Weimaraners to suffer from severe separation anxiety.
Manifestations of this behavior disorder include panicked
efforts to rejoin the owner when separation occurs, excessive
drooling, destructive behaviors, and associated injuries such
as broken teeth or cut lips. Behavior modification training
and medications may reduce the severity of symptoms associated
with this disorder in some Weimaraners. However, the breed is
generally refractory to such treatment and behavior
modification training efforts. As individuals of the breed age
the severity of separation anxiety symptoms decrease somewhat,
but do not completely abate.
The second common behavior disorder is unacceptable aggression
in some Weimaraners. Early and extensive socialization of
young dogs can prevent this. However, as the original purpose
of the breed was to assist in hunting large game (e.g. bears)
and to provide personal as well as property protection a
certain amount of aggression is innate to the breed.
History: William Wegman's Dressup BattyToday's breed
standards developed in the 1800s, although the Weimaraner has
existed since at least the 1600s in a similar form. It is
believed that Continental pointing breeds and mastiffs were
its ancestors. The breed was created strictly for the
nobility. The aim was to create a noble-looking, reliable
gundog. As ownership was restricted, the breed was highly
prized and lived with the family. This was unusual, as during
this period, hunting dogs were kept in kennels in packs. This
has resulted in a dog that needs to be near humans and that
quickly deteriorates when kennelled. Interestingly enough,
when the dog was still used for hunting, its instinctual
hunting method is to attack the prey's genitals to bring it
down.
Originally, Germany was possessive of its skilled all-purpose
gundog, but released a pair in the 1950s to America where the
breed quickly became popular. Although slower than many other
gundogs, such as Pointers, the Weimaraner is thorough and this
made it a welcome addition to the sportsman's household.
Furthermore, its happy, lively temperament endeared it to
families, although it is perhaps too lively for families with
young children. Unfortunately, with the rise in popularity,
some careless matches were made and some inferior specimens
were produced. Since then, both in Britain and America (where
the breed remains popular) breeders have taken care to breed
for quality and purpose.
Two occurrences in the breed's history have helped its
popularity. One is US President Dwight D. Eisenhower owning a
Weimaraner, Heidi; the other is the photographs of William
Wegman. His dogs (which include Man Ray—named after artist
Man Ray and Fay Ray a play on Fay Wray) are the subject of his
photos, dressed in human clothes. These pictures are popular
both in galleries of contemporary art and as pop culture
icons. These "dogs with hands" have appeared
frequently on Sesame Street, and occasionally on Saturday
Night Live. A weimaraner was also the subject of the music
video for Blue Monday by the indie rock band New Order.
Health: The Weimaraner is a deep-chested dog, which
makes them a breed which is high on the list of dogs affected
by bloat (gastric torsion). Weimaraner owners might never see
this problem in their dogs but should be familiar with the
ailment.
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