The Weimaraner is a dog that was originally bred for hunting in the early 19th century. Early Weimaraners were used by royalty for hunting large game such as boar, bear, and deer. As the popularity of large game hunting began to decline, Weimaraners were used for hunting smaller animals like fowl, rabbits, and foxes.
The Weimaraner is an all purpose gun dog. The name comes from the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Karl August, whose court, based in the city of Weimar (now in modern day Germany), enjoyed hunting.
Today's breed standards are alleged to have developed in the late 18th and early 19th century, although dogs having very similar features to the Weimaraner have supposedly been traced as far back as 13th century in the court of Louis IX of France. One theory is that the ancestor is the St. Hubert Hound (also known as the Bloodhound and Sleuth Hound). Though these dogs are black, they can produce a grey dog when bred. Like the Vizsla at the time, the breed was created exclusively for the nobility and alike. The aim was to create a noble-looking, reliable gundog. As ownership was restricted and natural instinct, 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 kenneled. The Weimaraner was an all purpose family dog, capable of guarding the home, hunting with the family, and of course, being loving and loyal towards children. Bred by noblemen of the Weimar court who wanted a breed that exemplified all their favorite traits—good sense of smell, intelligence, fearlessness and speed—Weimaraners were used to hunt big-ticket items like deer and wolves. At this time, the dogs were very rare—in order to protect the purity of the breed, only members of a small club could purchase one. In the early 1900s an American dog fancier named Howard Knight joined the club, purchased two “Weims” and brought them back to the U.S. The AKC registered the breed in 1943.
The Weimaraner is an all purpose gun dog. The name comes from the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Karl August, whose court, based in the city of Weimar (now in modern day Germany), enjoyed hunting.
Today's breed standards are alleged to have developed in the late 18th and early 19th century, although dogs having very similar features to the Weimaraner have supposedly been traced as far back as 13th century in the court of Louis IX of France. One theory is that the ancestor is the St. Hubert Hound (also known as the Bloodhound and Sleuth Hound). Though these dogs are black, they can produce a grey dog when bred. Like the Vizsla at the time, the breed was created exclusively for the nobility and alike. The aim was to create a noble-looking, reliable gundog. As ownership was restricted and natural instinct, 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 kenneled. The Weimaraner was an all purpose family dog, capable of guarding the home, hunting with the family, and of course, being loving and loyal towards children. Bred by noblemen of the Weimar court who wanted a breed that exemplified all their favorite traits—good sense of smell, intelligence, fearlessness and speed—Weimaraners were used to hunt big-ticket items like deer and wolves. At this time, the dogs were very rare—in order to protect the purity of the breed, only members of a small club could purchase one. In the early 1900s an American dog fancier named Howard Knight joined the club, purchased two “Weims” and brought them back to the U.S. The AKC registered the breed in 1943.
Weimaraners are large, sleek dogs with noble and elegant lines. Their long heads, which have often been called “artistocratic,” have strong muzzles and long, hanging ears. They have gray noses and intelligent eyes that come in light gray, bluish gray and light amber. Weimaraners normally have long necks that lead down to long, muscular legs with webbed feet, and their moderately long backs lead to docked tails that are about six inches long. Their coats are glossy, smooth and short—mainly coming in shades of gray. Overall, the Weimaraner look combines grace, balance and quickness.
