Weimaraner
The Weimaraner (weimaraner) is a versatile dog that catches the eye with its elegant body, graceful movement and beautiful silvery coat. He is an ideal pet for active and athletic people who can devote sufficient free time to his upbringing and training. He is perfect as a family dog. However, it should be remembered that the Weimaraner Pointer belongs to hunting breeds, so the future owner should ensure that he gets enough exercise and playtime.
History of the breed
There are many theories about the origin of the Weimar Pointer. The only thing that is certain is that the Weimar Pointer, which had a great deal of admixture of the blood of the “Leithund” type of tracking dog, was already present in the court of Weimar in the first three decades of the 19th century. In central Germany, primarily around Weimar and in Thuringia in the mid-19th century. Although Germany is officially recognized as the cradle of the breed, the French believe that the colts are the descendants of St. Louis greyhounds, which took part in hunting wild boars, wolves. They were extremely popular for two centuries, until the reign of Louis XI (how many cynologists, so many different opinions on this). Before the start of breeding in the purity of the breed, the breeding of the Weimar Pointer was almost exclusively in the hands of professional hunters and foresters, and was most often oriented only to utility. When the days of dogs of the ‘Leithund’ type passed, they also crossed their dogs with dogs of the ‘Hühnerhund’ (fowl dogs) type and continued to breed based on this cross. Starting around 1890, planned breeding began and herd books were established.
In addition to short-haired Weimar Pointers, single individuals of the long-haired variety began to appear at the turn of the 20th century. Since the submission of the herd books, the Weimaraner Hound was bred in breed purity. It remained essentially free of admixtures of blood from other breeds, most notably the pointer. Thus, the Weimar Pointer is considered to be the oldest German breed of highlanders, which has been bred in breed purity since 1900. The first club of this breed was established in 1897. Interestingly, until 1929, Weimar Pointers were not allowed to be bred outside Germany.
Character
The Weimaraner Pointer is a family dog with hunting instincts and an exceptionally sensitive sense of smell. This breed is the epitome of faithfulness and gentleness. They are also great with children. As a typical hunting dog, the Weimaraner is courageous and independent. The Weimaraner becomes very attached to its guardian and needs his proximity. It is necessary to be firm with him, otherwise he will try to dominate. He is easy to handle, loyal, balanced and of moderate temperament. He is an intelligent, sensitive pet, eager to cooperate and play, who loves petting. He is not aggressive and is suitable as a family dog, as he gets along well with children. However, his strongest bond will always be with one chosen guardian.
Due to the size of the dog, weimaraner play with children should always take place in the presence of an adult guardian. Children should not walk weimaraners on their own, even well-behaved ones – as the hunting instinct may be activated at any time. Well-socialized weimaraners are unlikely to get into conflicts with other dogs. They love to spend time with their guardian, so if he is not around, they may demonstrate their displeasure by being noisy – howling or barking. So it is worth teaching him to stay alone.
Activity
The weimaraner gelding needs a large dose of physical and mental exercise every day. The ideal weimaraner guardian should be firm, gentle, and energetic, so that he can satisfy his sensory and motor needs. The weimaraner gelding requires several walks each day (he should be able to run around for 1-2 hours each day).
Care and health
Weimaraner colts are not demanding in grooming. It is enough to brush the coat once a week. It is necessary to regularly check the condition of ears, teeth and systematically clean them. Weimar Pointers should be bathed infrequently, when clearly needed, using a properly selected shampoo. The Weimaraner has almost no undercoat, so it tolerates low temperatures badly. Neither should it be subjected to excessive exertion in hot weather. Weimar Pointers enjoy very good health. From the beginning of the breed, they were bred primarily for performance purposes, hence only healthy and hardy dogs had a chance of survival and further reproduction. The Weimaraner can be prone to stomach torsion and joint problems, so it is important to observe breaks between meals and activity. All sports with dogs of large breeds such as the Weimaraner Pointer are recommended after the age of 15/18 months, when the pet’s skeletal system is fully formed.
Nutrition
The Weimaraner Pointer has no special dietary requirements, and can be fed both wet and dry complete food. It is recommended to feed 2 meals a day. Due to their tendency to obesity, Weimaraner baby boomers must not be overfed. They should also not have constant access to food, as this can result in health problems and introduce bad eating habits.
Average size and life expectancy of the breed
Growth:
Males: 59-70 cm
Females: 57-65 cm
Weight:
Males: 30-40 kg
Females: 25-35 kg
Life expectancy: 11-14 years
Weimaraner at Star of Elune
In our kennel, the first Weimaraner gelding appeared shortly after Star of Elune was registered with the Polish Kennel Club and FCI. It was Lotta – a bitch with a wonderful pedigree, who already in 2010 brought us much joy. Thanks to her, we were able to welcome the first litter of weimaraners with our breeding nickname. Lotta’s partner was Homer – a weimaraner imported from the USA with many titles and an excellent pedigree. It fills us with pride that at Star of Elune we have weimaraners, whose pedigree includes the most titled and famous representatives of the breed.
Did you know...
…the first four-legged dog that came to Star of Elune was a German Pinscher? It was from the lovely female Cazy that it all started!