Weimaraner

Temperament

The Weimaraner has huge energy and an equally big need for closeness. The FCI standard describes it as a versatile, easily trained, persistent and passionate hunter that is a good watchdog without being aggressive. The AKC gives it top marks for energy, playfulness, trainability and alertness. At home, it usually follows its owner step for step and happily squeezes onto the couch, and left alone it can be very unhappy, which ends in howling or a chewed-up door. It likes children, but a young, rambunctious dog can knock a toddler over. It is reserved with strangers but protects its own. Its prey drive is strong: cats, chickens and small animals can look like quarry, though a dog raised with a cat often accepts it. It needs calm but firm training.

Energy

calmvery energetic

Affection

independentvelcro pet

With children

not idealgreat

With other pets

difficultgreat

Trainability

stubborneager to learn

For first-time owners

for experienced ownersyes

With strangers

waryoutgoing

Playfulness

dignifiedeternal puppy

Shedding

minimalheavy

Grooming

easydemanding

Being left alone

strugglescopes well

Apartment living

needs a house and yardgreat in a flat

Barking

quietvocal

With other dogs

difficultgreat

Protectiveness

lowhigh

Drooling

hardly anya lot

Cold tolerance

feels the coldexcellent

Heat tolerance

strugglescopes well

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Weimaraner for?

The Weimaraner is a dog for a hunter or a very active person or family who runs, bikes or does dog sports every day and has time for training. It does best in a house with a yard, but living with its people, not in a kennel run. We don't recommend it as a first dog, for people who are away all day, or for homes with small animals.

Size and looks

Care and exercise

The UK Kennel Club recommends more than two hours of exercise a day for a Weimaraner, and that's no exaggeration. The AKC stresses that a leash walk isn't enough: the dog needs a chance to gallop freely, ideally in a safe area, plus work for its nose. Retrieving, tracking, canicross, bikejoring and, of course, hunting training all work well. Until it finishes growing, though, a puppy shouldn't run long distances. The short coat only needs a weekly going-over with a rubber mitt, while the longhaired variety needs more frequent brushing. The AKC names regular nail trims as the most important grooming task, since overgrown nails deform the feet, along with ear cleaning. Split food into two meals and avoid hard exercise for an hour before and after eating to lower the risk of bloat.

Health and breed-related conditions

According to the AKC, the biggest threat to a Weimaraner is bloat, a swelling and twisting of the stomach that is fatal without prompt surgery. Owners should know the signs: a swollen belly, drooling, unproductive attempts to vomit and restlessness. Very active dogs suffer more cuts, sprains and strains, and a habit of chewing things risks swallowed foreign objects. As with other large pointers, breeders X-ray the hips. The AKC gives a lifespan of 10–13 years, and in the British McMillan et al. (2024) study the median was 12.8 years.

• bloat (GDV)The AKC considers it the breed's most serious health problem; it needs immediate veterinary care.
• injuries, cuts and strainsVery active dogs get minor injuries in the field more often than average.
• swallowed foreign objectsWeimaraners love chewing things, which risks an intestinal blockage.
• hip dysplasiaAs in most large hunting dogs; parents are X-rayed before breeding.

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

The breed was developed in the early 19th century at the court of Grand Duke Karl August in Weimar, who wanted to create the ideal hunting dog. The Kennel Club notes that a dog of similar type already appears in a van Dyck painting from three centuries ago. Weimaraners first hunted big game, and when that became scarce they turned into versatile bird dogs. The German aristocracy guarded the breed jealously: the breed club enforced strict rules, and dogs sold outside its membership were reportedly sterilized. The breed became widely known outside Germany only in the 20th century. The AKC registered it in 1943, and the FCI recognized it in 1954.

Fun facts

• Because of its coat color, the Weimaraner is often called the “Gray Ghost.”
• The FCI standard allows only shades of gray: silver, roe and mouse gray, with at most small white markings on the chest and toes.
• The breed comes in two varieties: shorthaired, with a smooth, dense coat, and longhaired, with softer, longer hair.
• American artist William Wegman became world-famous for his photographs of his Weimaraners.

Frequently asked questions

This breed also appears in

• Large dog breeds
• Best dogs for kids
• Guard dog breeds
• Hunting dog breeds

Sources

1. 1FCI standard nr 99 – Weimaranerfci.be
2. 2FCI – nomenklatura, Weimaranerfci.be
3. 3AKC – Weimaranerakc.org
4. 4The Kennel Club – Weimaranerthekennelclub.org.uk
5. 5McMillan i wsp. 2024, Longevity of companion dog breeds, Scientific Reports (tab. S3)nature.com

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.