The Wonderful, Wacky Weimaraner
For an active person with a zest for life, the Weimaraner is a match made in heaven. This is a large breed natural hunting dog but they are also a wonderful companion pet that is full of boundless energy and enthusiasm.
The Weimaraner, sometimes known as the Grey Ghost, was developed in Germany as a combination of a big game hunting dog and a pointer. They can be trained to be bird dogs, water retrievers, and some will naturally track. They are an active, energetic dog with an incredible amount of stamina and a strong desire to do whatever it takes to make their master happy. Due to this high energy, exercise is a must to prevent behavioral problems.
The Weimaraner has a short, dense coat and a head that resembles a cross between a hound and a Labrador. The coat colors range from a true shimmering silver color through any shade of gray such as pewter. The nose is gray, not black, and the eyes can be blue, gray or amber. Grooming the Weimaraner is simple and a quick task with a soft bristle brush and soft cloth to remove any dirt or debris from the coat.
Like most of the larger sized dogs hip dysplasia is seen in the breed and your dog should be monitored regularly for arthritic pain. Keeping extra pounds off this dog will help decrease the risk of damage to joints. Feeding two or three small meals a day and limiting exercise after eating can help reduce the risk of bloat and help keep a steady metabolism.
The Weimaraner is not a dog for everyone because of their need for long, intense exercise on a daily basis. Very smart and intelligent the Weimaraner is a highly focused dog. Once they are focused in on something they may ignore everything else, so early obedience work is important. When raised with children, cats and dogs they are highly sociable and love to interact with others. They are true companion dogs and watch their owners constantly to try to anticipate what is going to happen next. . With their size and loud bark they make a good watchdog but they are usually not aggressive and will quickly befriend anyone coming into the home.