The Weimaraner – A Sleek Grey Athlete
Weimaraners are impressive, medium-to-large sized dogs that are attractive for their sleek athleticism, smooth lines, and smooth, fine, short coat that is always grey.
The Weimaraner’s head is typically a lighter shade of grey than the rest of its body. It has an elegant, noble air about it, with a strong muzzle. The eyes of the Weimaraner may be blue-grey, grey, or amber, and hold an intelligent expression. The nose of the Weimaraner is solid grey as well. A Weimaraner’s ears are long, and flop down over themselves to the front, comparable to a Labrador or golden retriever. The line of the Weimaraner starts high, and gently slopes toward the back end. It’s front legs are perfectly straight, and their dewclaws removed altogether. All of the Weimaraner’s legs are long and strong. It’s feet are webbed making it an adept swimmer. When the dog has reached only two days old, its tail is docked to precisely an inch and a half.
Weimaraners are extremely rambunctious, but also very happy and affectionate. They are intelligent, but they are also quite stubborn and willful, making them challenging to train. Though they are very quick to learn what you want to teach them, they are often quite resistant to repetition, so an experienced and skilled trainer is required. Weimaraners can be very reserved and suspicious of strangers. They don’t tend to get along with other dogs, and can be prone to aggression with them. Weimaraners love living with families and are very protective of each family member. They adore companionship, and can become destructive if left alone too long or when placed in a kennel. Though they are great with kids, they are not recommended with very young children simply because of their extremely high energy levels that make them prone to knocking small children over.
The Weimaraner is an ancient breed, whose true origin is unknown. It is often believed that their roots are German and that they stem from the pointing dogs that were available there at the time, such as the hound the Braken. The Weimaraner is a great all-around pointing and hunting dog and was originally used for big game. They are also skilled water retrievers.
Their average age spans are about ten to twelve years, however, they are at risk for bloat. They can also be prone to hip dysplasia, though they are considered to be quite hardy. They can be at risk for tumors, and are also known to grow too quickly (hypertropic osteodystrophy).
