How to Care for a Weimaraner

The weimaraner is a durable and healthy dog, bred to hunt. Give her plenty of exercise, but more importantly, include her in all family activities, as she craves attention. Also, keep in mind that weimaraners are take-charge kinds of dogs and will run your house if you let them. Early training is essential.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Chamois Cloth
• Worming Medicine
• Dental Kits (for Dogs)
• Dog Beds
• Dog Bones
• Dog Brushes
• Dog Conditioner
• Dog Crates
• Dog Dishes
• Dog Food
• Dog Grooming Sprays
• Dog Leashes
• Dog Tags
• Dog Toys
• Dog Training Aids
• Dry Shampoo For Dogs
• Nail Clippers For Dogs

1. Vaccinate your weimaraner when you first get her and then get yearly booster vaccinations to maintain the dog's immunity to diseases. Also worm your adult dog every three months and consult your veterinarian about flea-control products.

2. Give your weimaraner high-grade dog food. The first ingredient should be meat if you want a quality product. Crude protein should be no less than 30 percent and crude fat no less than 20 percent. The fiber content should be 4 percent or less.

3. Feed your dog two to three small meals a day, as opposed to the traditional one to two large meals. Weimaraners are prone to bloat and need smaller portions of food to promote better digestion.

4. Socialize your weimaraner early on to be with children and other animals. They are generally good with children, but can knock smaller ones down because of their size and energetic natures. Be careful if you have cats or other dogs, unless a weimaraner is socialized with them early on.

5. Provide obedience training for your weimaraner when she is very young. They are quite boisterous and do well with crate training. Crate training will help with housebreaking and destructive chewing habits.

6. Walk or run your weimaraner at least once or twice a day, and give her plenty of time off the leash. They have a lot of energy. But remember not to exercise your dog after she has eaten, as the weimaraner is prone to bloat.

7. Brush your weimaraner's coat with a firm bristle brush as needed. For a really shiny coat, wipe it with a soft cloth. Shampoo as needed with a dry shampoo (a powder that is used on the coat and then brushed out). Weimaraners are medium shedders.

8. Trim your weimaraner's nails every two to three weeks, or more frequently if needed.

9. Understand the health problems that a weimaraner is prone to. These include bloat, hip dysplasia (a malformed ball and socket in the hip joint), tumors and hypertropic osteodystrophy (rapid growth).

10. Fence your backyard properly. The weimaraner has a strong instinct to chase prey and will go after other animals at the first opportunity.

11. Expect your male weimaraner to grow to 24 to 27 inches and weigh between 60 and 75 pounds by the time he is full-grown. Females will grow to 22 to 25 inches and weigh between 50 and 65 pounds.

12. Be prepared to enjoy a full 9 to 15 years with your weimaraner, as this is the average life expectancy for a weimaraner.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to be firm but kind when you are disciplining your weimaraner. They do not respond well to extreme force or negativity.
• Contact the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for more information on hip dysplasia.
• Weimaraners love to swim and play fetch.
• This breed needs to be supervised at all times when it is around other dogs, cats or smaller animals.
• Know that your weimaraner will need to be with the family at all times. They do not do well if left alone in the backyard and can be destructive.

[southcali]

on 2/24/2008 Please check for your local weimaraner rescue before buying a puppy from a breeder.(Never buy from a store) I have two rescue pups and both are amazing dogs but be prepared to be in the best shape of your life as they require a ton of exercise. Be prepared for a life changing experience...in a good way.

[baileysmom]

on 4/16/2007 HELP I love my weimy but need help housebreaking her!! She is 5 1/2 months old and has frequent accidents if we don't take her outside at least once an hour. She will sometimes nap on our bed or on the sofa,where ever we are, and she will piddle in her sleep. How do we correct this and teach her to give us a signal when she needs to go out? Any help and ideas would be most appreciated.

on 8/8/2006 Beware. Research causes for bloat and understand we do not truly know exactly why it occurs. My best advise is to let your dog rest for at least an hour after feeding (small meals) before strenuous exercise, and limit the amount of water he's allowed to drink when active. The primary effect is a swelling of the abdomen due to the inability for the gas to pass, in the form of burping or passing. I recommend you keep an emergency kit available on the web, or make your own using a section of small tubing (used to push down their throat to evacuate the gas) and tape, among other things. This is the most horrible form of death you can imagine. Learn all you can and rush him to the vet if you suspect bloat.

on 8/8/2006 Our dog sometimes doesn't listen to me outside. Maybe in his eyes, he only accepts one owner--my boyfriend. I was sad about it when I couldn't control him. But then I tried to explain why I don't allow him to lick everything and what I'll give him as a treat if he's a good boy. You know what? It works. Even still, I don't think he's completely willing to listen to me; at least, he understands what's best for him.

on 11/22/2005 A tribute to the Weimaraner intelligence. My partner's Weimaraner is a fairly young female (only 1 year), but she's learning manners. She had a chew issue when we first got her. We've used bitters to teach her not to chew on things, but have also taught her to point at an item before she chews on it or wait until we give it to her. She's still learning, but she's doing exceptionally well. She's also showing her desire to come in or out of the house by sitting at the door and lightly scratching. She's very patient and will wait for approval before jumping on the bed or the couch. I've never had a dog that makes me more happy!