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The first question most people ask is how do you pronounce it? In its homeland, Weimaraner is pronounced vy-ma-RAH-ner; the anglicized pronunciation is WHY-ma-rah-ner. Both are correct.
The Weimaraner is a medium-sized shorthaired breed of the general gundog type. The breed’s hallmark is its silver-gray color, which is darkest along the topline, lighter on the sides and legs and lightest on the ears and across the skull.
The sportsman who hunts on foot and wants a companion gundog that can be owner trained, one that covers terrain so thoroughly that no bird is overlooked and retrieves reliably on land and in water will be very pleased with the average Weimaraner. For this type of hunting, the Weimaraner is considered the finest of all gundogs; the price is human companionship and a place in the home. This is not a breed that can be kept in the kennel between hunting seasons.
The most outstanding breed character trait is the need for close human companionship, and Weimaraners that are not house dogs may become very neurotic. They are excellent household companions, but like all others, they need to be taught household manners. To achieve their potential as companions, all Weimaraner puppies should be given kindergarten obedience training. They are so eager to please—anything for love and attention—and very willing to be good if owners take the time to teach them a few basic commands and supervise them closely until they understand what is expected of them.
Most American breed literature asserts that the Weimaraner was developed by the Grand Duke Carl August (1757-1828) of Weimar for the exclusive use of his friends. This is true to some degree, for that is the origin of the breed’s modern gundog function. However, most German breed historians now believe that Carl August began with an ancient deer-hunting hound known as the Chien Gris de Saint Louis—and adapted it to bird hunting.
The Weimaraner’s story begins with King Louis IX of France (1226-1270), better known as Saint Louis. The saintly monarch returned from the crusades in 1248 with a foundation pack of silver-gray hounds that became known as the Chien Gris de Saint Louis (Gray Hound of Saint Louis). The breed’s continuity may be traced through the centuries in tapestries and paintings as well as descriptions in literature. In addition to its unique color, several distinctive physical traits can be observed in the modern breed. The head is characterized by flat cheeks, rather deep median line of the forehead, and pronounced occipital bone. No other sporting breed has ears quite like the Weimaraner’s long, thin, high-set ears. In addition, the Weimaraner’s devotion to owners is a consistent motif in the literature as is the breed’s exceptional tracking ability.
The introduction of firearms for bird hunting about the middle of the 18th century created a need for a new type of hunting dog—a “pointer” type with intense interest in birds and a lighter build for speed. The Continental Europeans developed versatile hunting breeds had to track, search, and indicate location of various types of game; they had to retrieve anything they could carry and show the handler the location of larger game.
This is when the Grand Duke Carl August entered the Weimaraner’s story. He apparently began with a fairly pure strain of the Chien Gris de Saint Louis, making selective crosses with bird-hunting breeds of the time. Because the Weimaraner retains many houndlike working qualities, many believe that the transition to a versatile breed required few crosses, certainly not enough to alter the breed’s remarkable resemblance to the Chien Gris de Saint Louis.
The first breed standard was published in 1894. The German Delegate Commission of the German Stud Book recognized the Weimaraner as a pure breed in 1896, and the German Weimaraner Club was founded a year later.
American sportsman Howard Knight imported the first Weimaraners. Although his first pair (imported in 1929) had been sterilized and several subsequent imports died of distemper, Knight finally acquired the male and three bitches that became the foundation of American bloodlines. The outbreak of World War II prevented additional imports until after the war.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) accepted Weimaraners into its registry on December 8, 1942, and the first Weimaraner class was held at the 1943 Westminster Kennel Club show. The newly organized Weimaraner Club of America (WCA) celebrated its first annual meeting in Boston on February 21, 1943.
The WCA sponsors many activities and programs, and it provides a channel of communication for members. One of its pioneer achievements was the development of rating tests for hunting and retrieving, later adding the versatile ratings and the bench register of merit. Annual events include a national championship field trial and three sectional field classics as well as a national meeting, and national and winter specialty shows. The Weimaraner Magazine, published monthly since 1949, reports ongoing activities, show and field trial results, and other topics of interest.
The Weimaraner is a breed for people who want a household companion that they may or may not wish to use as a personal gun dog. The breed has a strong protective instinct that is rarely evident until the need arises. Weimaraners are excellent with children and the handicapped, typically controlling their boisterous behavior when they sense the need. They demand attention and insist on sharing every activity. This is a breed for people who are willing to invest the time and effort to teach a puppy desirable household behavior. When time is taken, the Weimaraner will reward its owner with impeccable manners and whimsical companionship that make it one of the most delightful of all canine companions.