The Weimaraner, or Weim, has a rich history—some of which is the subject of conjecture. What is known about this stunning breed is that it originally hails from the town of Weimar, Germany. It is believed that the Weim was originally developed as an all-around hunting dog, bred and kept by hunters and gamekeepers in and around the city of Weimar and Thuringia. The dogs often used were reported to be the brackes (hounds), schweisshunds, and leithund (blood-trailing hounds), which were originally used to hunt wolves, bears, and boars. These dogs were then crossed to the huenerhunden (bird dogs) and eventually produced a large, capable bird dog. The Weim’s early ancestors showed great ability in the field, serving as an all-around gun dog capable of tracking, locating, pointing, and retrieving almost any bird in the field.
Eventually, the attractive appearance, endearing temperament, and field skills of the dogs caught the eye of German aristocrats, who then began to take an interest in the dogs and bred them exclusively for German nobility. The breed became very exclusive, with early dogs only bred in small numbers. Instead of being packed in a kennel, as were most packs of hunting dogs, the Weim was kept primarily with the hunter’s family. This resulted in a dog of superior quality that was quite fond of family life and children. Not generally found outside of the country, individual dogs that were exported were castrated, making it impossible to produce or reproduce the breed outside of Germany.
The breed remained associated with German aristocrats throughout the middle of the nineteenth century. They were well known at the Court of Weimar. Eventually, a breed standard was implemented and utilized to standardize the breed. It wasn’t until the 1920s that the first Weimaraners were imported to the United States. From then on, the Weimaraner increased in popularity and numbers and is still used in the field and kept as a lively family companion.
Breed Characteristics
Head: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head is broad, somewhat long, and in proportion to the rest of the body. It gives the impression of dignity, nobility, and capability. It is clean and without excess skin or wrinkles. The occiput is somewhat prominent. A median furrow starts at the stop and extends back up toward the occiput. Zygomatic arches are prominent and easily observed. Head muscles are flat to well-developed but never prominent.
Eyes: The eyes are moderate in size, oval, almond, or somewhat rounded, and may be a trifle oblique. The eyelids fit tightly and are well-pigmented according to the coat color. The color may range from amber to blue, gray, and green. They should be set well apart and well within the skull. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: The ears are set high on the skull, large in size, broad at the base, and lobular. The inner edge should remain close to the head or face when alert. They may be slightly folded. They should fall within approximately two inches of the nose when pulled forward. The ears should never be "fly away" or short.
Muzzle: Well-developed, broad, and deep, with the nose's bridge appearing straight or slightly arched. The upper and lower jaws are well-developed and approximately equal in length with good bone substance, never appearing snipey or weak.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and self-colored according to the coat. The nostrils are well-opened. The nose may protrude just over the jaw, giving it a forward-slanted appearance.
Neck: Moderate length allows for proud head carriage. The neck is strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed and slightly prominent.
Body: Compact, deep, solid, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters. It is athletic and strongly muscled.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Tail: Set somewhat low on the croup. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked somewhat long, leaving 3/5th of the original length. Natural tails are of a somewhat long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight or gently curved.
Movement: The gait is elastic, springy, effortless, energetic, and efficient, demonstrating excellent coordination. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the center line of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament: The Weimaraner breed’s temperament is lively, energetic, charming, alert, sociable, confident, and (for the most part) well-mannered. They are prized for their aptness, enthusiasm, and ease of training. They are capable of learning many tasks and disciplines. Their streamlined bodies are built to efficiently expend energy, making them an excellent candidate for many physically demanding tasks, such as their traditional fieldwork, as well as other trials such as agility, fly-ball, and more. Younger dogs can be higher energy, tending to calm some as they mature, but they never lose their strong work ethic. For this reason, early training and regular exercise are necessary to prevent the Weimaraner from developing their own exercise and activities that could be troublesome for his people. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
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Breed Standard
BREED GROUP 11: Gun Dog Breeds
Proportions: Somewhat rectangular with the length of the body, measured from the point of the forechest to the point of the rump, being slightly greater than the height at the withers. The ideal body height-to-length ratio is between 5:4 and 10:9. The body is well-put-together, with sturdy substance and medium bone. Males should appear masculine, being more substantial in size and mass, while females should appear more feminine and slightly less substantial. Neither should lack overall type. The weight of males or females is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head is broad, somewhat long, and in proportion to the rest of the body. It gives the impression of dignity, nobility, and capability. It is clean and without excess skin or wrinkles. The occiput is somewhat prominent. A median furrow starts at the stop and extends back up toward the occiput. Zygomatic arches are prominent and easily observed. Head muscles are flat to well-developed but never prominent.
Expression: Alert, intelligent, ever-ready, capable, and noble.
Stop: The stop is moderate.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 1:1, with the topskull being equal to the muzzle. The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis is parallel.
Muzzle: Well-developed, broad, and deep, with the nose's bridge appearing straight or slightly arched. The upper and lower jaws are well-developed and approximately equal in length with good bone substance, never appearing snipey or weak.
Lips or Flews: The lips fit somewhat tightly over the teeth and jaws. The lips should be somewhat thick and just long enough to cover the underjaw's lower line, giving the upper line of the underjaw and the upper line of the muzzle/nasal bridge a parallel appearance. The muzzle is given a squared-off appearance toward the end, rather than the lips fitting snuggly and forming a wedge shape.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and self-colored according to the coat. The nostrils are well-opened. The nose may protrude just over the jaw, giving it a forward-slanted appearance.
Cheeks: The cheeks may be somewhat flat or slightly padded. The cheeks should not appear chiseled or coarse.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level or scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work are not to be penalized.
Eyes: The eyes are moderate in size, oval, almond, or somewhat rounded, and may be a trifle oblique. The eyelids fit tightly and are well-pigmented according to the coat color. The color may range from amber to blue, gray, and green. They should be set well apart and well within the skull. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: The ears are set high on the skull, large in size, broad at the base, and lobular. The inner edge should remain close to the head or face when alert. They may be slightly folded. They should fall within approximately two inches of the nose when pulled forward. The ears should never be "fly away" or short.
Body and Tail
General Description: Compact, deep, solid, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters. It is athletic and strongly muscled.
Neck: Moderate length allows for proud head carriage. The neck is strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed and slightly prominent.
Topline: Straight and level or slightly sloped from somewhat prominent withers to croup. The back is broad, strongly muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut, flat, level, or slightly arched, yet supportive. The back is never swayed or roached.
Croup: Long and gently sloped.
Underline: A moderate tuck-up is present. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set somewhat low on the croup. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked somewhat long, leaving 3/5th of the original length. Natural tails are of a somewhat long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight or gently curved.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always balanced with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. Shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbows is approximately half the dog’s height at the withers.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of moderate bone, and parallel to one another. Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are equal in length, strong, sturdy, of moderate bone, and well-muscled. Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another. Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: The Weimaraner comes in two coat varieties: the smooth and the long.
Smooth-coat variety: The coat is medium-short, dense, sleek, smooth, and close to the body throughout. The texture is soft and glossy, with or without undercoat. If an undercoat is present, the coat will be slightly longer on the neck, forming a light ruff, and on the tail. No fringe or feather is permissible.
Long-coat variety: The coat is short on the face, forehead, and front of the forelimbs and hind limbs. The coat is longer on the neck, ears, rear of the front and hind limbs, feet, and tail, forming well-developed fringe and furnishings. Undercoats may or may not be present. The coat should never be abundantly thick, abundantly long, or silky. Slight wave permissible.
Coat Color or Pattern: CKC recognizes two color varieties of the Weimaraner breed: the standard and the nonstandard.
Standard coat color variety: Any shade of solid silver, mouse-grey, silver-grey, Isabella, taupe, or roe.
Nonstandard coat color variety: Black, blue, liver any of the above standard or nonstandard colors with distinct tan points.
Movement
The gait is elastic, springy, effortless, energetic, and efficient, demonstrating excellent coordination. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the center line of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Weimaraner breed’s temperament is lively, energetic, charming, alert, sociable, confident, and (for the most part) well-mannered. They are prized for their aptness, enthusiasm, and ease of training. They are capable of learning many tasks and disciplines. Their streamlined bodies are built to efficiently expend energy, making them an excellent candidate for many physically demanding tasks, such as their traditional fieldwork, as well as other trials such as agility, fly-ball, and more. Younger dogs can be higher energy, tending to calm some as they mature, but they never lose their strong work ethic. For this reason, early training and regular exercise are necessary to prevent the Weimaraner from developing their own exercise and activities that could be troublesome for his people. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be in proper healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
Read Full Standard
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Breed Standard
BREED GROUP 11: Gun Dog Breeds
Proportions: Somewhat rectangular with the length of the body, measured from the point of the forechest to the point of the rump, being slightly greater than the height at the withers. The ideal body height-to-length ratio is between 5:4 and 10:9. The body is well-put-together, with sturdy substance and medium bone. Males should appear masculine, being more substantial in size and mass, while females should appear more feminine and slightly less substantial. Neither should lack overall type. The weight of males or females is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head is broad, somewhat long, and in proportion to the rest of the body. It gives the impression of dignity, nobility, and capability. It is clean and without excess skin or wrinkles. The occiput is somewhat prominent. A median furrow starts at the stop and extends back up toward the occiput. Zygomatic arches are prominent and easily observed. Head muscles are flat to well-developed but never prominent.
Expression: Alert, intelligent, ever-ready, capable, and noble.
Stop: The stop is moderate.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 1:1, with the topskull being equal to the muzzle. The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis is parallel.
Muzzle: Well-developed, broad, and deep, with the nose's bridge appearing straight or slightly arched. The upper and lower jaws are well-developed and approximately equal in length with good bone substance, never appearing snipey or weak.
Lips or Flews: The lips fit somewhat tightly over the teeth and jaws. The lips should be somewhat thick and just long enough to cover the underjaw's lower line, giving the upper line of the underjaw and the upper line of the muzzle/nasal bridge a parallel appearance. The muzzle is given a squared-off appearance toward the end, rather than the lips fitting snuggly and forming a wedge shape.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and self-colored according to the coat. The nostrils are well-opened. The nose may protrude just over the jaw, giving it a forward-slanted appearance.
Cheeks: The cheeks may be somewhat flat or slightly padded. The cheeks should not appear chiseled or coarse.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level or scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work are not to be penalized.
Eyes: The eyes are moderate in size, oval, almond, or somewhat rounded, and may be a trifle oblique. The eyelids fit tightly and are well-pigmented according to the coat color. The color may range from amber to blue, gray, and green. They should be set well apart and well within the skull. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: The ears are set high on the skull, large in size, broad at the base, and lobular. The inner edge should remain close to the head or face when alert. They may be slightly folded. They should fall within approximately two inches of the nose when pulled forward. The ears should never be "fly away" or short.
Body and Tail
General Description: Compact, deep, solid, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters. It is athletic and strongly muscled.
Neck: Moderate length allows for proud head carriage. The neck is strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed and slightly prominent.
Topline: Straight and level or slightly sloped from somewhat prominent withers to croup. The back is broad, strongly muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut, flat, level, or slightly arched, yet supportive. The back is never swayed or roached.
Croup: Long and gently sloped.
Underline: A moderate tuck-up is present. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set somewhat low on the croup. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked somewhat long, leaving 3/5th of the original length. Natural tails are of a somewhat long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight or gently curved.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always balanced with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. Shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbows is approximately half the dog’s height at the withers.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of moderate bone, and parallel to one another. Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are equal in length, strong, sturdy, of moderate bone, and well-muscled. Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another. Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: The Weimaraner comes in two coat varieties: the smooth and the long.
Smooth-coat variety: The coat is medium-short, dense, sleek, smooth, and close to the body throughout. The texture is soft and glossy, with or without undercoat. If an undercoat is present, the coat will be slightly longer on the neck, forming a light ruff, and on the tail. No fringe or feather is permissible.
Long-coat variety: The coat is short on the face, forehead, and front of the forelimbs and hind limbs. The coat is longer on the neck, ears, rear of the front and hind limbs, feet, and tail, forming well-developed fringe and furnishings. Undercoats may or may not be present. The coat should never be abundantly thick, abundantly long, or silky. Slight wave permissible.
Coat Color or Pattern: CKC recognizes two color varieties of the Weimaraner breed: the standard and the nonstandard.
Standard coat color variety: Any shade of solid silver, mouse-grey, silver-grey, Isabella, taupe, or roe.
Nonstandard coat color variety: Black, blue, liver any of the above standard or nonstandard colors with distinct tan points.
Movement
The gait is elastic, springy, effortless, energetic, and efficient, demonstrating excellent coordination. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the center line of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Weimaraner breed’s temperament is lively, energetic, charming, alert, sociable, confident, and (for the most part) well-mannered. They are prized for their aptness, enthusiasm, and ease of training. They are capable of learning many tasks and disciplines. Their streamlined bodies are built to efficiently expend energy, making them an excellent candidate for many physically demanding tasks, such as their traditional fieldwork, as well as other trials such as agility, fly-ball, and more. Younger dogs can be higher energy, tending to calm some as they mature, but they never lose their strong work ethic. For this reason, early training and regular exercise are necessary to prevent the Weimaraner from developing their own exercise and activities that could be troublesome for his people. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be in proper healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
Dog Fact #28
The first version of the modern dog biscuit can be traced back to a nineteenth-century native of Cincinnati, Ohio, named James Spratt. Spratt’s dog biscuits were made of meat, grain, beetroot, and vegetables. The success of his product kick-started the pet food industry.
