The Weimaraner, Germany’s sleek and swift “Gray Ghost,” is beloved by hunters and pet owners alike for their friendliness, obedience, and beauty. They enjoy exercise, and plenty of it, along with lots of quality time with their humans.
Developed in the early 1800s, the Weimaraner (WY-mah-rah-ner ) is a veritable puppy among dog breeds. The key figure of the Weimaraner’s early history was Germany’s Grand Duke Karl August, who held court in the town of Weimar. The duke, like so many European nobles of the age, was an avid sportsman. His dream was to develop the perfect hunting dog. In pursuit of this ambition, he is said to have crossed Bloodhounds with various German and French hunting dogs. The result was the Weimar pointer, or Weimaraner.
The duke and his fellow noblemen at first used these unique-looking dogs as big-game hunters, in pursuit of bears, mountain lions, and wolves. As Europe’s population of these predators decreased, the Weimaraner found new work as an all-purpose hunter who points and retrieves gamebirds.
