Weimaraner puppies

About the Weimaraner

The Weimaraner was developed at the German court at Weimar as an all round hunting dog, first for big game and later for birds, and was kept under tight club control for much of their history. This is a tall, deep chested grey dog with a short sleek coat, amber or blue grey eyes and a great deal of drive. The temperament is bold, busy and intensely focused on people, and the breed has a well earned reputation for separation anxiety when they are left alone too much.

Walking alone will not do. A Weimaraner needs to run flat out regularly, plus training or gundog style work to occupy the mind. Grooming is short and simple, though the nails grow fast and need real attention and the drop ears want cleaning to keep air moving. They suit an experienced, active household with a secure garden. New owners most often get the crate work and boundaries wrong at the start, and end up with an adolescent that chews, escapes and cannot settle when the house is empty.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Weimaraner puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be hip scored by x-ray before mating
• Bloat, a life threatening emergency in adult dogs
• A genetic predisposition in a small percentage of puppies to overreact to vaccines, causing fever and joint soreness

Your Weimaraner puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Weimaraner.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 24.9 to 40.8 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 42 inch (42 x 28 x 30 in, 107 x 71 x 76 cm) for an adult of up to 40.8 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Do slow feeder bowls work? Choosing one for a puppy that gulps
• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other large breeds

More on the Weimaraner

Previous: Volpino Italiano · Next: Welsh Springer Spaniel

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Weimaraner breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/weimaraner/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Trougnouf, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.