a German noble

This breed stands 23-27 inches at the shoulders and weighs 55-75 pounds. The short coat is mouse-gray to silver gray in color, blending to lighter shades on the head and ears, and a white splash on the chest is an acceptable marking. The eyes are light amber, gray, or blue-gray, and the nose is gray. The long ears droop down, and the tail is usually docked to reach a maximum of six inches.

Originally known as the Weimar Pointer, the Weimaraner was first bred by noblemen in the German Duchy of Weimar, with depictions of the breed going back to the early 1600's. It was developed from the Red Schweisshund, a scent and tracking dog that was itself descended from the Bloodhound. What made this breed unique is that it was trained to hunt deer and other large game in a very special manner -- by pursuing low and from behind, and to leap at the victim's genitals and rip them off in a single bite. In the early years of the breed's history it was tightly controlled by the noblemen who created it, with breeding strictly regulated and monitored; a special "breed warden" was even employed to evaluate all breeding stock and to determine which pups were to be culled from a litter. In 1929, American Howard Knight was allowed to bring two Weimaraners to the United States. Those two dogs, plus another six he was allowed to import later, became the foundation of the breed in the United States. The breed was accepted into the American Kennel Club in 1953, after President Dwight D. Eisenhower brought his pet Weimaraner Heidi into the White House. Although the instinct and ability to go after large animals is still inherent in the breed, it is now bred and trained primarily as a bird dog.

As a breed, the Weimaraner is known for working with great speed, fearlessness, and endurance when on the hunt. As an individual dog, it enjoys being part of a "pack," but will take the "upper paw" in a house if allowed. It is inherently obedient, but if not trained properly the dog will become very headstrong; if not trained from an early age by someone well versed in the breed, an adult Weimaraner can be almost impossible to control. Although it loves being indoors with its human family, a Weimaraner also requires lots of exercise. It will not readily adapt to an outdoor pen or kennel, but neither can it be allowed to run free because its natural hunting instincts will take over and it will readily take off in pursuit of game. Although always potentially dangerous to birds and small animals, the Weimaraner is usually good with other dogs it is raised with and readily takes to children capable of showing dominance over it without being mean.

American Kennel Club http://www.akc.org/breeds/weimaraner/index.cfm
Dog Owner's Guide http://www.canismajor.com/dog/weimar.html
Weimeraner Club of America http://www.weimaranerclubofamerica.org

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Questions or comments about this page?