Back in the 19^th century a breed of dog was developed called the Weimaraner.  The breed gets its name from the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Karl August, whose court was in the city of Weimar which is in Germany.  Originally this breed was bred for hunting and was usually owned by royalty who would hunt boars, bears and deer with their dogs.  Over time big game hunting declined in popularity and the Weimaraner was used to hunt smaller animals, among them rabbits and foxes as well as fowl.  For all intents and purposes this is a gun dog.

The history of the Weimaraner is not that clear.  It is alleged that the standards for the breed were developed as early as the late 18^th century, and some say that dogs with features that are very alike those of the Weimaraner can be traced back even further to the 13^th century.  There is a theory that the ancestor of the breed is actually the St. Hubert Hound which is now known as the Bloodhound or Sleuth Hound.  The whole intention behind developing the breed was to have a dog with noble looks and that was a reliable companion during hunts.

Elegant and athletic this is a breed that most people find are attractive and pleasing to look at.  Tradition calls for the docking of the tail and the American Kennel Club holds that as a standard of the breed.  However, in many countries, tail docking is illegal now and this breed is beginning to appear with its whole tail still intact although this is still fairly uncommon.  Also known as the Grey Ghost the Weimaraner’s eyes are one of their distinctive features and can be light amber, grey or blue-grey in color.

When it comes to being social with strangers this breed is not quite so much so as other hunting dogs are known to be.  Weimaraners are more protective of their owners and are known to be protective over their turf, making them rather territorial.  When it comes to making friends with strangers they tend to be rather unfriendly but provided they learn to be social while still puppies they will not be aggressive.  An angry Weimaraner’s hair will stand up on its back and its tail will stand erect so it is easy to tell when your Weimaraner is not too happy.

When it comes to intelligence this dog ranks among the top breeds and they display great sensitivity.  They also possess an uncanny ability when it comes to problem solving and this has even earned them the reputation of having a human brain!  When it comes to excellent working and obedience intelligence these dogs rank fairly high.

Although they can be somewhat stubborn at times this breed is nevertheless a very loyal breed that will never leave their master’s side.  In fact, they are capable of bonding so closely with their owner that they are known as “Velcro Dogs” because they will remain near to their owner all the time if given half the chance.  They are highly affectionate and loving toward their owners and need attention from them, even making it somewhat tricky trying to get them to sleep in their own beds!