Fun Weimaraner Dog Facts For Kids

Weimaraners, also known as gray ghost dogs, made their first appearance in the court of the Grand Duke of Weimar as sporting dogs in the early 1800s. Famous for hunting big game, Weimaraners went on to become the favorites of the Bavarian nobility.

The dog owes its name to Weimar in Germany its place of birth. Known for its solid gray coat, it captured the attention of the world when it featured in the portraits of modern American photographer William Wegman who photographed his two Weimaraners in human clothes reading newspapers, watching television, and doing other mundane chores.

The photos strikingly captured Weimaraners portraying human emotions and looking very much like their two-legged companions. This catapulted the dog into fame overnight.

Weimaraners are a favorite at any AKC sporting event. Don't be beguiled by their puppy eyes, they can throw their weight around to get things their way and can prove to be quite a handful.

If you liked these true facts about Weimaraners, then you'll surely like these facts about the wirehaired griffon and shar-pei too!  

Weimaraner Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Weimaraner?

The Weimaraner is a pure-breed dog with a solid silver-gray coat. A native of Germany, this breed was acquired by the German nobility by crossing between bloodhounds and various German and French hunting dogs including the English Pointer, Great Dane, German Short-haired Pointer, and several other breeds.

They were essentially bred to assist in hunting activities, for instance, catching large game like deers, foxes, and even bears!

What class of animal does a Weimaraner belong to?

Weimaraners, like other breeds of dogs, belong to the mammalian class of the animal kingdom.

How many Weimaraners are there in the world?

The exact number of Weimaraners in the world is not known since neither the American Kennel Club (AKC) nor the Weimaraner Club of America has kept a record of the breed's population. It is found mainly at pet stores, breeders, rescue homes, and shelters. Owing to its popularity we can guess that the number is fairly large.

Where does a Weimaraner live?

Weimaraners live in households as a pet. This medium-sized dog was once used to hunt big game, however, with time it has lost that particular use with hunting animals being widely prohibited. This hunting dog is now a great attraction at dog sports and events organized by the American Kennel Club (AKC).  

What is a Weimaraner's habitat?

The Weimaraner first came into existence in Weimar court in early 19th century Germany where this breed was guarded zealously and a kennel club started with the aim of protecting the dog breed.

However, in 1938 Howard Knight, an American sportsman successfully imported this hunting dog breed to America and in 1943 the American Kennel Club (AKC) officially recognized this breed.

Since then it has steadily gained popularity in the USA.

Who do Weimaraners live with?

Weimaraners are essentially companion dogs and thrive well within families. Due to their playful nature accompanied by excellent guarding skills they make great pets.

They are great with children but can be a little aggressive towards other pets especially small ones like hamsters, rabbits, small dogs, cats. Hence early socialization is encouraged so that they may mix well with other pets and strangers.

How long does a Weimaraner live?

The life span of a Weimaraner is around 10-13 years.

How do they reproduce?

Weimaraners attain sexual maturity about 6-9 months of age, however, procreation should not be encouraged unless they are about 18 months to avoid generic and genetic diseases like hip and elbow dysplasia (a condition where the bones are not joined correctly leading to painful limps).

What is their conservation status?

The Weimaraner is Not Listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) indicating that this dog breed is abundant in nature and not in any immediate danger.

Weimaraner Fun Facts

What do Weimaraners look like?

Belonging to the gun dog breed group, the Weimaraner has a solid short smooth coat of colors varying from mouse gray to silver which gives it an almost ghost-like appearance. A vision of aristocratic grace and elegance, Weimaraners have long drooping ears slightly folded framing their amber blue eyes.

They often have light gray patches between their ears and small lobes on the inside of their ears.

These dogs possess a whiplike tail and a fine streamlined athletic body with a tucked-in abdomen and strong fore and hind limbs which assist them in hunting big game. The underbelly may have a white spot if it is a true breed.

Although a short smooth coat is the set standard for AKC, long-haired Weimaraners are equally cute but their grooming needs may be too much for their owners.

Long-haired breeds of this dog have an undercoat which is absent in the short-haired breed. Weimaraner may have light blue eyes as puppies but it changes to amber or blue-gray as they age.

How cute are they?

Weimaraner puppies are absolutely adorable. Beware of their puppy eyes! They can put you in a trance.

How do they communicate?

This dog breed falls in the silent group of dogs. As with other dog breeds, this breed communicates using body language, like wagging its tail, shadowing you around the house to get its way, and occasionally barking. The primary allure of this breed lies in its blue puppy eyes which can convey emotions just like humans!

How big is a Weimaraner?

A Weimaraner is a medium-sized dog breed with males reaching a height of 27 in (68 cm) at the shoulder whereas the females reach a height of 25 in (63 cm) at the shoulder. They are slightly bigger than the Pointer, one of their apparent parent breeds, which reach an average height of 24 in (61 cm).

How fast can a Weimaraner run?

Used to hunting,  Weimaraners are highly active dogs with very high energy levels. Needless to say, they are fast runners having been bred for hunting sports and search and rescue operations.

How much does a Weimaraner weigh?

The average weight of a male Weimaraner is about 70-90 lb (31-40 kg) and the average weight of a female is around 55-75 lb (24-34 kg). Males are slightly bigger and heavier than the females as is the case with most dog breeds.

What are the male and female names of the species?

As is common in dogs, the male of the species is called a dog and the female a bitch.

What would you call a baby Weimaraner?

The young one of this dog is called a puppy.

What do they eat?

Being an active breed these dogs need a moderately protein-rich diet to keep up their health and stamina. They can be fed dog food available at supermarkets or home-cooked food too.

Owners, however, must keep in mind this breed's tendency to bloat which can lead to serious health complications. Therefore, the amount of food given should be monitored to ensure the dog's weight, health, and long life span.

Are they slobbery?

Although not drooling dogs, these dogs are avid chewers. They, especially Weimaraner puppies, will just about chew anything to shreds from shoes to remotes if proper training is not administered from an early age.

Would they make a good pet?

Weimaraners make for excellent pets owing to their high intelligence and energy level. They are among the best companion dogs who live for their owners.

Although originally bred for hunting and search activities, these sporting dogs are incredibly loyal, attached, and dependent on their human friends. If you are a health freak and need a partner for your exercise a Weimaraner is the best pet for you. It loves the outdoor and needs regular exercise and training to keep up a healthy life.

In addition, Weimaraners suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for long periods which may lead to behavioral disorders. These dogs' low maintenance needs also add to their overall pet appeal.

If you are buying make sure you go for reputable breeders so that your puppy is healthy and has a good pedigree. Overall a healthy and active breed, these dogs do suffer from certain health disorders like other dog breeds, for example, hypothyroidism, von Willebrand’s disease (an inherited bleeding disorder), hip and elbow dysplasia.

A Weimaraner puppy can also develop Entropion, an eye disorder where the eyeballs roll inward leading to eye injury and sometimes blindness.

Did you know...

Here are some interesting facts about this dog to further pique your interest.

Former United States President, Dwight D. Eisenhower owned a Weimaraner named Heidi while he was in office.

William Wegman photographed his Weimaraners impersonating Louis XIV and Little Red Riding Hood among several other famous personalities. His dogs even appeared on television featuring in short segments in children's t.v show Sesame Street.

These dogs are also affectionately called Weims and Silver ghosts after their names and distinctive appearance.

Their popularity in Germany rose to such a height that the German Weimaraner Club was founded in 1897 to guard the purity of this breed. Further only members would buy Weims and strict guidelines were issued for their breeding.

Weimaraners have been used as police dogs and trackers for their excellent sense of smell tracking abilities.

Yesteryear Hollywood star and later Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly was also a proud owner of a Weim which was a wedding gift to her from her brother.

The Germans were forced to export outstanding Weims to United States during World War II as it became difficult for native breeders to maintain them.

The Weims' popularity in the US fell in the '50s owing to irresponsible breeding which led to a fall in quality and temperament problems in the dogs.

Is a Weimaraner a good family dog?

Weimaraners' temperament makes them the perfect family dog. They are great with children and old people.

These dogs are goofy and extremely intelligent. They have been known to turn on and off faucets, close doors, and make quick escapes jumping over fences or chewing holes in netted fences. Hence they need constant attention and a good deal of training from the puppy stage to enforce good behavior.

With proper exercise, they are easy enough to control. Rest assured with this active dog in your life you will never have a dull moment.

Weims are not hypoallergenic, that is, they do shed although only moderately. So if anyone in your house has a medical history related to allergies you might want to skip this breed.

Their instinctive prey drive also makes them a poor choice for households with small pets. However, with early socialization and proper training, they can be taught to exercise control over their low tolerance.

Do Weimaraners need grooming?

The upside of owning these dogs is their low grooming needs. The short mouse gray to silver coat is manageable with weekly brushing to keep off the loose hairs.

A bath once a couple of weeks is more than enough to keep this dog stench-free. The ears, however, need regular checking for wax build-up and the nails also need to be occasionally trimmed so that you don't end up with scratches on your body.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these coatimundi facts and pharaoh hound facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable weimaraner dog coloring pages.

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