Breed library

Weimaraner

Also known as Braco de Weimar, Braque de Weimar, Grey Ghost.

Weimaraner photograph.
Weimaraner Freika-2.jpg - Rufus46. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Weimaraner_Freika-2.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Breed overview

The Weimaraner is a German breed of hunting dog of medium to large size, with history going back at least to the nineteenth century. It originated in the area of the city of Weimar (then in Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the state of Thuringia), for which it is named. It was recognised as a breed in 1891. It is an all-purpose gun dog, characterised by its speed and stamina, its good nose and eye, and its courage and intelligence; in Germany it is not considered suitable for keeping as a companion dog.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: GermanyBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • From 1879 the dogs were considered to be a blue variant of the German Short-haired Pointer, and were eligible for registration in the stud-book of the Kurzhaar Klub.
  • A breed standard was drawn up in 1896, and in 1897 a breed association was established in Erfurt with the name Verein zur Reinzucht des silbergrauen Weimaraner-Vorstehhund; this was soon changed to Verein zur Züchtung des Weimaraner Vorstehhundes.
  • In the early years of the twentieth century - the time of the Great War - the Weimaraner came close to extinction; it was reconstituted from the few surviving examples of the breed.
  • In the fifteen years from 2007 to 2021, the annual number of new registrations in Germany averaged about 485, with a low of 390 and a high of 607.
  • The Weimaraner is a German breed of hunting dog of medium to large size, with history going back at least to the nineteenth century.

Size and appearance

The Weimaraner is of medium to large size: dogs stand some 59 to 70 cm at the withers, bitches about 57 to 65 cm; weights are in the range 30 - 40 kg for dogs, 25 - 35 kg for bitches. The coat may be either short or long; a double coat of intermediate length is sometimes seen. The coat may be mouse-grey, roe-grey or silver-grey in various shades, or of a colour intermediate between these; minor white markings to the feet and chest are tolerated. The eyes are amber, ranging from pale to dark; the ears are pendent, with rounded tips.

  • Body mass reference: 25 - 35 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 25 - 35 kg. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Body mass reference: 25 kg or moreBreed reference body mass. female, minimum.
  • Body mass reference: Up to 35 kgBreed reference body mass. female, maximum.
  • Body mass reference: 30 - 40 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 30 - 40 kg. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Body mass reference: Up to 40 kgBreed reference body mass. male, maximum.
  • Body mass reference: 30 kg or moreBreed reference body mass. male, minimum.
  • Height reference: 57 - 65 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 57 - 65 cm. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: Up to 65 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
  • Height reference: 57 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
  • Height reference: 59 - 70 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 59 - 70 cm. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: Up to 70 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 59 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.
  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat length: short
  • Coat length: long
  • Height category: tall
  • Height category: very_tall
  • Weight category: large

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

  • Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 2.25 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 2.38 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.84 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.91 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Energy (C-BARQ mean): 2.26 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 2.30 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.57 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.78 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.18 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.97 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.60 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.53 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 0.87 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.
  • Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.63 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population Weimaraner.

Exercise and activities

The Weimaraner is a versatile hunting dog, and may be used to track, point to, flush or retrieve birds or other game. Registration is subject to successful completion of a working trial. In Germany it is not considered to be suitable for keeping as a companion dog. According to the breed club, it "... basically belongs in the hands of hunters due to its development and its characteristics ... It is not a companion dog, but a hunting dog through and through. As such, it needs work in practical hunting in order to preserve its balanced nature"; whelps are placed mainly with hunters.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat length: short
  • Coat length: long

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

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Breed history

Many theories of the origin of the Weimaraner have been advanced, but there are few documented historical facts; silver-grey dogs are shown in paintings by Antoon van Dyck in the seventeenth century and by Jean-Baptiste Oudry in the eighteenth. The breed is believed to have originated in the area of the city of Weimar (then in Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the state of Thuringia) - the city from which its name derives. It is sometimes claimed that the dogs were kept at the court of Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, in the early nineteenth century.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Weimaraner - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Weimaraner, revision 1369336648. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Weimaraner&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:Weimaraner Freika-2.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Weimaraner Freika-2.jpg - Rufus46. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Weimaraner_Freika-2.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.