Weimaraner - General Aspect, Temperament, Health, Care, History, Fur, Colors, Head, Ears, Eyes, Tail, Walking, Curiosities, Photo, Video

Weimaraner

The Weimaraner (in German, Weimaraner) is a hunting dog specially gifted as a retriever.

Its short, thick coat protects it very well from moisture; this allows him to be an effective hunter in swampy terrain. They are easy to train and behave very well as guard dogs. They are loving and obedient.

General aspect

Hunting dog of medium to large size. Males measure from 59 to 70 cm (ideal size: 66 cm) and weigh from 30 to 40 kg; females from 57 to 65 cm (ideal size: 62 cm) and 25 to 35 kg. Robust, harmonious, vigorous dog with powerful muscles. They need daily activity, their energy level is high.

Fur

Short hair: short and fine, short and dense, very short (but longer and thicker than in comparable dog breeds); regular "straight" top coat with thick undercoat; shoes moderately developed.

Hard hair: medium length, thick, straight; regular "straight" top coat with thick undercoat; shoes moderately developed.

Long hair: long, soft top hair with or without straight, wavy hair; it is long and straight at the start of the ear; woolly hair is admitted at the tips of the ears; the flank hair is 3 to 5 cm long; it is usually longer at the base of the neck, the upper part of the rib cage and the belly; shoes developed considerably less long towards the bottom; tail with grown plume; furry "deliver" shorter head coat (final coat growth often occurs after two years of age).

Note. - The crossing of types is strictly prohibited.

Colors

Various shades of gray: silver gray, deer gray or mouse gray, as well as transitions between these shades. In general, the head and ears are lighter in color. Only very small white marks are allowed on the chest and fingers. On the middle of the back they occasionally present a more or less marked dark "eel line". Dogs displaying red or yellow markings are a severe fault in competitions.

Head

Moderately long, proportionate to the body; wider in the male than in the female, although the width of the top of the head is proportional to the total length of the head. The length from the tip of the snout to the line connecting the inner corners of the eyes is slightly longer than that of this line to the occiput.

There is a cavity in the temples. Slightly apparent occipital bone. The zygomatic arch is very recognizable behind the eyes. The muzzle is long and powerful, especially in males. The region of the mouth and the canines is almost as powerful. The nose is straight, often slightly curved, never concave. The base of the forehead (stop) is extremely short. The lips extend beyond the lower jaw without ever trembling and are embodied in color like the palate. There are small wrinkles at the corners of the lips. The cheeks are muscular and clearly pronounced. The head is dry.

Ears: wide and quite long, reaching the corner of the lips, rounded at the tips; in the sample they are turned slightly forward, curved; implanted slightly above the eye line.

Truffle: dark red color, which gradually turns back gray.

Eyes and eyelids: intelligent, curious, friendly expression.

Color: blue when they are babies, but by three months they are already a greenish-turquoise tone, to turn amber.

Neck

Of noble and majestic appearance, muscular, almost round, not too short, with powerful starts that are reinforced towards the shoulder and the rib cage and increasingly harmonious towards the cross. Without double chin.

Trunk

Well proportioned and muscular. Approximate length of the trunk in relation to the height at the withers: 12/11.

Chest

Well lowered slightly above the tip of the elbow. Slightly rounded rib.

Back

Solid and muscular without sagging and not raised from behind. If the back is a little long, it is a characteristic of the breed and not a defect.

Tail

Due to the use of these dogs as mere objects of competition, it is usually seen cut in the Weimar Short-haired Bracos; a length of between one-half and two-thirds is left without in any case curving in the adult. In long-haired Bracos, two or three vertebrae must be removed, that is, a length of about 2 cm. The tail is implanted further below the spine than in other comparable breeds, and takes birth vertically.

Given the importance of tail length for CAC rating, it is desirable that it be cut at an age when the final size can be calculated. This practice is increasingly rejected by veterinarians around the world, as it has no medical justification, it is merely aesthetic, due to the anachronistic standards of the competitions.

Front limbs and shoulders

Good shoulder and arm angulation. The distance from the elbow to the wrist is the same as the distance from the elbow to the withers. Regular poles both in front and in profile.

Hind limbs and pelvis

Pelvis long and moderately inclined. Long hind limbs from hip joint to hock joint. The hip, knee and hock are well marked, although the latter slightly less than the preceding ones. The legs are wiry, muscular and developed. Excellent poise.

Walking

In all kinds of travel: free and united passage. Parallel front and rear legs. The gallop jumps are long and at ground level. When trotting, the back is kept straight and does not oscillate. Ambience is not sought.

Temperament

This Germanic show dog stands out for its great elegance and versatility, as it is suitable for all types of terrain and for all types of hunting. It is a versatile, manageable, energetic and passionate hunting dog with a systematic and emphatic search, although it is not excessively temperamental. Its submission and balance make it easy to train, as well as being a great companion dog. It has also earned the appreciation of the monteros for being worth for all seasons and temperatures. It is suitable for shakes, for hunting in front of it, and even for blood trails.

However, they are not necessarily friendly dogs with strangers, they will bark to warn of the presence of strangers, and although they do not show aggressiveness, they are highly excitable and active. The dogs of this breed strive to maintain proximity and physical contact with the owners, which makes them excellent companion dogs. For this same reason they often suffer anxiety when left alone in the house if they are not used to it from puppies.

History

Grand Duke Carlos Augusto de Weimar.

The Weimaraner story begins with Grand Duke Charles Augustus and the Weimar court nobles. The Grand Duke, known as the hunter among kings and the king among hunters, selected the silver gray race for hunting in his forests. According to the German tradition, not only time has canceled the traces of the origin of the race, but perhaps they were deliberately canceled by the nobles of that time, so that this magnificent specimen is exclusive to the Weimar court. The theory today certifies that it comes from France and indirectly from North Africa. This is thought by the color of the coat, similar to that of the Saint Louis breed. The gray color is a recessive hereditary characteristic, therefore it follows that it was selected to obtain it. The head with the slightly pronounced occipital bone, as well as the implant of the ears, are also present in the gray Saint Louis dog. The uncut tail has a particular curvature reminiscent of the Saluki's tail. The exceptional sense of smell can be considered a characteristic inherited from the ancient Leithund of Thrace, which takes us back to an earlier moment in the creation of the Weimar Republic. In the 13th century, Louis IX of France, returning from a crusade in North Africa, took with him copies of what was later called the Saint Louis gray dog, widely used in France to track and capture pieces in the woods. This breed did not live with the other dogs, it lived with their handlers, which may explain the union with the man and the need to be in the family of the current Weimaraners.

In the 15th century, other gray dogs were brought to Europe from Asia. Finally, Grand Duke Carlos Augusto, passionate about all hunting dogs, selects the breed, searches for and finds old French lines, and following the trend of the time, a versatile and agile dog, and probably crosses them with Spanish pointers and some others races. From these crosses comes the long-haired Weimarian, who was officially accepted by the German club in 1935.

At the end of the 19th century, the Weimaraner was the king of hunting dogs, he was a shy and somewhat fearful dog, who had to be treated well and gently, speaking to him in a low tone. In 1882 the Weimaraner was already a well-known and well-established breed thanks to its versatility, and was used by professional hunters and forest guards. Official recognition of the breed was not easy to obtain, but finally in 1897 the German Club was born. After World War II, the American zone had prohibited the hunting and possession of firearms, and that is why many Weimarians were exported. In 1951 the selection was resumed based on standard and performance in the field.

For many years assumptions were made about the origin of this breed, evaluating that they were the result of crosses with Kurzhaar, Bloodhound, Pointer and even a genetic mutation of the Kurzhaar. Today the origin is clearer, thanks to studies by lovers of this breed, to paintings of the time and to the study of color genetics. Export after World War II explains the breed boom in the United States. Today we know them as the silver ghosts or gray ghosts thanks to the American soldiers who saw them move elegantly through the German fields. The true development of the breed was in the 1950s, when the Weimaraner was considered a dog of good taste, of high class, with almost human intelligence.8 [citation needed] Some specimens accompanied Grace Kelly, Eisenhower, Brad Pitt and Roy Rogers.

Today more than 500 puppies are registered per month. In the United States, the breed is appreciated in every way: tracking, prey capture, guide dog, drug trafficking, ranger, agility and life partner.

Health

The Weimar Shorthaired Pointer, having drooping ears, can suffer ear infections. Not too often, it can also be affected by hip dysplasia, stomach torsion, entropion, third eyelid disorders, and cryptorchidism.

Specific care

The Weimaraner is a dog that requires little care, but being a very active breed, it needs to exercise a lot. It is recommended to take long daily walks and play with him in a garden where he can run. Occasionally it is convenient to brush the Weimaraner to remove dead hair and keep it shiny. It is also important to check and clean the ears to avoid infections.

Curiosities

American photographer and visual artist William Wegman is known for creating compositions with photographs of Weimaraners in different outfits and poses.

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