Breed Standard

The Weimaraner is athletic in appearance. Traditionally, the tail is docked. In countries where this is still carried out, the docked tail should measure approximately 6 inches in the adult dog, and this is part of the American Kennel Club breed standard. Tail docking is illegal in several countries, where the breed is shown with an entire tail. The British Kennel Club breed standard describes a tail reaching to the hocks and carried below the level of the back when relaxed, and the German breed club standard calls for a full tail that is strong and well coated, which can be carried above the line of the back when the dog is working. Weimaraners are great water dogs as evidenced by their webbed paws.

Moderately long, aristocratic; moderate stop, a slight median line extending back over forehead. Rather prominent occipital bone. The measurement from the top of the nose to the stop should be equal to the measurement from stop to occipital prominence. Flews moderately deep, enclosing powerful jaw. Foreface straight, and delicate at the nostrils. The skin should be tightly drawn. Nose grey. Bite – the upper teeth protruding slightly over the lower teeth but not more than one-sixteenth of an inch. Complete dentition is greatly to be desired. Nose-Gray. Lips and Gums-Pinkish flesh shades.

This breed’s short coat and unusual eyes give it a distinctive regal appearance. The coat is extremely low-maintenance, short, hard, and smooth to the touch, and may range from charcoal-blue to mouse-grey to silver-grey or even blue-grey. Where the fur is thin or non-existent, inside the ears or on the lips, for example, the skin should be pinkish rather than white or black. This breed does not have an undercoat, so extreme cold should be avoided. While their coat is short, this breed does shed. The Weimaraner’s coat color led to its nickname of “the Grey Ghost”.

In November 2009 and January 1, 2010, the United Kennel Club (UKC) removed the disqualification from both Blue and Longhair Weimaraners. A black coat remains an automatic disqualification, though a small white marking in the chest area only is permitted. Dogs with blue coats are disqualified from conformation/show competition,^[5] but are recognized as purebred Weimaraners by the AKC. There is another incidental variety, described as having the “mark of the hound”, where the dog is the usual grey color but with faint tan markings (similar to Doberman Pinschers). Weimaraners can have several unique physical characteristics such as small lobes on the inside of the ear, known as “Harrasburg Horns”, and “Grafmar’s Caps”, very light gray patches between the ears.^[6]

A long-haired variety is recognized by most kennel clubs around the world except the American Kennel Club. The long-haired Weimaraner has a silky coat with an undocked, feathered tail. The gene is recessive, so breeding will produce some long-haired puppies only if both parents carry the trait.

The Weimaraner is an energetic hunting dog, prized for its physical endurance and stamina, with a strong, instinctive prey drive. It may tolerate cats but usually does not, tending to follow the urge to hunt—no matter how long it has known a particular cat—and likely to chase and kill any small animal that enters the garden. A Weimaraner requires frequent exercise and will appreciate games and play. An active owner is more likely to provide the vigorous exercise and games required. A Weimaraner requires appropriate training to learn how to be calm and control its behavior.

Height – 12 to 13 inches at the withers; weight proportionate to height, between 13 and 18 pounds. A small, well-balanced dog within these weights is desirable, but these are ideal heights and weights and slight variations are permissible.

Proportion – The body approaches squareness, yet if measured from point of the shoulder to point of the buttock, is slightly longer than the height at the withers. The height from the withers to the elbow is approximately equal to the height from the elbow to the ground.

Substance – Bone moderate in proportion to size. Weedy and coarse specimens are to be equally penalized.