weimaraners

hhunter23

Active Member
Messages
514
im looking into buying one of these dogs, but know little about them. i was just wondering if anyone could tell me about them. i know they are good pointers and good family dogs, but i have also heard they are really high strung? any info would be greatly appreciated.






"Shoot Straight"
 
This month marks the three year anniversary of me losing my weimer. There is rarely a day that goes by that I don't miss him. They can be high strung for up to 3 or 4 years. They say that is a trait of just being slow to mature. He mello alot the older he got. That being said my current GSP and Visla drive my wife nuts. She asked me last week when I planned on getting another weimer.

As far as hunting my shorthair and visla absolutely have more style than old Mojo ever dreamed of having. They run bigger, they point with class and they look damn pretty doin it. But they do not and I doubt they ever will be the kind of dog he was on wild roosters. He was an absolute machine! Unbelief tracker and a warrior start to finish during the pheasant hunt. I kept one tail feather off of every rooster I killed over him. Started a kind of vase in my man cave. When he passed on I counted them up one day when I was missing him. 127 wild roosters over 10 seasons, not to shabby for Utah on public land!

So that's how my weimer experience went. Would not have traded him for the world! If you choose one I hope you enjoy it as much as I did mine. Thanks Mojo, I miss ya buddy!!!
 
I had a Weimer as well, they are great dogs, if you do not have young kids running around. My Weimer was still way high strung at six years of age. (human years). She was constantly knocking my kids down and running all over them. But other than that she was a great dog.
 
Love the grey ghost.
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I think if you are careful and look at the dispositions of the parents (which are heritable) you might do all right. However, as a veterinarian, I can tell you that I don't see many of them that I would want to own. That said, I don't see that many of them.

The worst thing that can happen to a do breed is to be too rare or too popular. Either way, it can mean that the breed suffers overall. In the case of being too popular, all of them are bred (even idiots) and lots of bad genes get passed along. In the case of being too rare, there is not enough genetic material out there of get a good diversity and some inbreeding is inevitable.

In the areas I have practiced, they are rare, so if you find somewhere where they are commonly bred but not overly so, you might get a good one.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
I have owned three GSP and one W. The greatest shortcoming of the W is their very thin coat of hair. I live in central Iowa and we have long cold winters. They do not handle cold weather very well at all and that is the primary reason I will not own one again (unless I move to Kansas or somewhere a little warmer). In 12 years of hunting with that machine (his name was Pike) I would loose very few cripples. They have a lot of hound in that breed and there are the best tracking dog I have ever hunted with and he was a powerful retrieving dog.

If you live in a cold climate (winter temps that consistently get in the teens) do not buy a W. If you live in Kansas, Texas, etc. it might be a good choice for you.
 
I have had two of them and will never own another breed of dog. My current weimer is great with my boys and is as hard of a hunter as I have seen. Like was said before not as pretty of a point as some, but a hunting machine!!!!
 
+1 on what Iowan said I had one, strangly enough called Ike. I was able to use him on chickens and grouse and early pheasants. He was a machine and even retreived well. By December he wasn't worth much he would be at my side freezing. I ran him in 3 field trials and he finished well at each.

My wife loved him but I just couldn't use him much in my climate. Only dog I trained and really liked I ever sold. Sold him to a guy in Missouri. I'll hunt pheasants at the close this weekend it will be around o degrees. My lab will work and hunt well Ike would have froze.
 
My current weim is a machine when it comes to playing fetch. We have a rocky river in our back yard. You can throw a rock into the river and he will bring back the same rock. I have no idea how he does it. He'll chase a stick or ball for hours--long after your arm is worn out. I intentionally through them in the thickest bushes possible but he still finds them. Unfortunately, he has virtually no interest in live birds or he could be a national champion. If they ever do a KFC field trial--watch out.

He is a house dog and might be the best dog we've ever had around children. My grandkids poke his eyes, pull his lips, play with his teeth and generally abuse him. He takes it all without complaint.

He is way too smart for his own good. He can open almost any door. We have to lock them or use child locks. He loves chocolate. He ate a three-pound box of chocolate candy once. He threw it up later and made an incredible stain. If you leave a chocolate cake on the counter he'll eat the whole thing without knocking off the dish.

He needs a good run everyday or he gets anxious and drives us crazy with his pacing.

My daughter also has a weimeraner. Hers is very birdy. He is also stupid.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-11 AT 09:06AM (MST)[p]I had a weim, won't have another! She hunted ok, nothing great. She was very protective she would bite me while wrestling with my kids. She bit the mailman and she is no longer with us. I wouldn't own another and everyone I know feels the same.

I went back to my good ol GSP and couldn't be more happy! Style while hunting is awesome! Disposition the rest of the year as a pet cannot be beat! She is great with my kids and calm inside the house. They are a smaller dog also, easier to keep.

She is having a litter of pups, let me know if interested.

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Wikipedia tells a lot on each breed for temperment, use and care. Most breeds are on there. That might help in your decision on what dog fits you the best.

4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-11 AT 09:28AM (MST)[p] They can be great dogs. They are extremely smart, loyal and can tend to be high strung but that's more of a breeding issue. When first brought over here they were fabulous hunting dogs and they caught on very well. Their beauty and lines were their downfall because they started winning in the show ring and eventually most of the good breeding to hunt, got reduced through the generations of breeding show quality, instead of hunting traits which was their purpose in Europe. If you ever saw some of the original dogs bred to hunt they were fabulous. Some breeders over the years didn't lose that in their dogs and if you want one to hunt make sure you go with somebody that has managed to keep using them in the field and has the pedigree to show it. Most shorthairs and pointers today will hunt circles around most Weimy's but when I was young I had a couple of males that were two of the best dogs I ever owned. If you want to hunt with one pick your breeder very carefully if not they can make a very nice pet and can be very good with children if you do your part. If you like to spend time working with your dog they'll be a wonderful breed and will amaze you with their intelligence and loyalty.
 
I currently have 2 weims, A 2yr old female and a 7 month old male. They are VERY energetic and get bored if not exercised. They can be very stubborn while training. Its true they do not not handle the cold too well. All that being said they are really great dogs. They are very smart, I beleive that contributes to their stubbornness, As mentioned above my female can open almost any door and I woke up this morning with the pup laying next to me in bed. He had opened his crate and got out. I have never seen a dog that has the dexterity they do with their paws. I also have to agree with the post above, take the time to work with them and they will amaze you but dont expect a low-maintenance dog or you will be dissapointed.
 
It is very hard to find an actual hunting weim, over the years its been mostly bred out of them. I know people, myself included, who used to run them in both the hunting and field trailing worlds. All of us have moved on to other breeds for several reasons. You have much better odds picking a pup out of an English pointer or even a gsp litter and having it be a good one. Weims cannot compare to the athleticism of the other pointing breeds. Most of them are knuckle heads, and I personally don't want to have to wait four years for my dog to settle down. That being said, there are still hunting lines available, if your a glutton for punishment. Try West End kennels out of Oregon.
 
>My current weim is a machine
>when it comes to playing
>fetch. We have a rocky
>river in our back yard.
>You can throw a rock
>into the river and he
>will bring back the same
>rock. I have no idea
>how he does it. He'll
>chase a stick or ball
>for hours--long after your arm
>is worn out. I intentionally
>through them in the thickest
>bushes possible but he still
>finds them. Unfortunately, he has
>virtually no interest in live
>birds or he could be
>a national champion. If they
>ever do a KFC field
>trial--watch out.
>

KFC field trial? Is that Kentucky Fried Chicken field trial? DOes he point greasy spoons?

All the Wiems I have seen were mental. Most were ok at best as far as pointers went. I have never seen one that would hold a candle to a GSP. Another thing I have noticed with Weims is I have see a couple with separation issues. Leave them in a house alone and look out. I saw one chew the seats out of a jeep once and chew through wall board. I don't think I would ever want to risk getting one. Ron
 
Well sounds like you are getting all kinds of advice.

We have 2 WEIMS and have hunted some birds over them. We have one weim that loves to hunt she will do any thing to please. The other has a better nose but is stuborn. I love these dogs they are not for everyone and they will try and make you crazy but they are fun to have around. They require exersize every day and I mean every day. They do and can have seperation issues and are not kennel dogs. They can act dumb and be as smart as they want. Today we caught one of them stepping on the trash can lever to open the can so she can pull out tissue.

I don't know how to rate these dogs as birds dogs but as family dogs they are great in my opnion as long as you take control. My dogs have done around 100 miles on the PCT trail with me that is what we do with them is hike. Our weims love the water and will swim at any chance they can. We snowshoe with them but they are not a dog for retreiving in the winter.

Good luck if you want a character get a weim if you only want a meek and mild bird dog you might want to look else where. Most good breeders will really quiz you before they will sell one they are not for everyone. People often buy them for their looks from puppy mills but you can get burnt pretty bad they have can similar hip problems that other retrievers have and the dispostion of the parent is important as well.




If there is any proof of a man in a hunt it is not whether he killed a deer or elk but how he hunted it.
 
I currently have a seven year old female weim. She is the best dog I have ever seen around kids. We have taught her to not run into them and she doesn't. They can climb on her and poke her all they want and the worst she will do is walk away. In the field she is OK. Her point isn't pretty and she gets to excited to hold it for long, but she is still fun to hunt over. The one thing not mentioned above is that they are close hunters. They hunt for their owner, a gsp hunts because that's what he does. I have had so many hunts where GSPs are running wild jumping birds at 100 YDS all day because they are so excited.....you won't see many weims that need a shock collar because they range close and want to be by you. This makes them great for woodland bird hunting. Like was stated above, they have a great sniffer because of their original breeding as big game hunters in germany.
She is the only dog I have seen that will sight-retrieve doves. I take her in thicker areas that I hunt with lots of brush. As soon as I lift my shotgun she looks for the birds and takes off as soon as I shoot, I rarely lose birds with her there. This fall I went on a dove hunt and lost 4 birds in one day in the thick brush.....doesn't happen when she's there.
They are needy though, and always want to be close to you, mine sticks her paws under the bathroom door if she knows I'm in there. They need a lot of attention and are for sure not a kennel dog that you can let out once per day, mine lives in the house and is calm and happy.



-----------------------------------------------
http://andymansavage.blogspot.com/
 
I've never hunted with or even just been around a weim or GSP That I didn't just want to kick the sshit out of. That being said tons of guys love there weims and GSP's. From what i've seen of them they just aren't the dog for me
 
If you're interested in hunting and are close to me I would be glad to help you train your dog when you get it.
 
>>My current weim is a machine
>>when it comes to playing
>>fetch. We have a rocky
>>river in our back yard.
>>You can throw a rock
>>into the river and he
>>will bring back the same
>>rock. I have no idea
>>how he does it. He'll
>>chase a stick or ball
>>for hours--long after your arm
>>is worn out. I intentionally
>>through them in the thickest
>>bushes possible but he still
>>finds them. Unfortunately, he has
>>virtually no interest in live
>>birds or he could be
>>a national champion. If they
>>ever do a KFC field
>>trial--watch out.
>>
>
>KFC field trial? Is that Kentucky
>Fried Chicken field trial? DOes
>he point greasy spoons?
>
>All the Wiems I have seen
>were mental. Most were ok
>at best as far as
>pointers went. I have never
>seen one that would hold
>a candle to a GSP.
>Another thing I have noticed
>with Weims is I have
>see a couple with separation
>issues. Leave them in a
>house alone and look out.
>I saw one chew the
>seats out of a jeep
>once and chew through wall
>board. I don't think I
>would ever want to risk
>getting one. Ron


Put a bucket of chicken in a field and I can almost guaratee he'd be the first to find it.
 
Why hunt with a pointer that won't punch out farther than 100 yards? My GSP will run big in the desert when I am after huns, chukar, or sage hens. By big I mean sometimes 300 to 400 yards. When she is in the hills hunting forest grouse she is in under 100 yards. A smart pointer will adjust range. A dumb handler will nag a dog all day long to stay close. There is only one reason guys want their pointers to be boot polishers. They don't trust the dog.
Ron
 
I hunted chukars in big country today and there were times the dogs were a mile out there. They weren't running wild, that's what they are supposed to do. They find birds and hold them til I get there.
 
Ron, my dog is what you would call a boot polisher because that's how I trained her. Where I hunt pheasant and quail its not a good idea to have a dog that is out running 100+ yards for property boundaries and such. Don't make it out to be a bad thing having a close hunting dog/pointer. And yes I do trust her.

4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
boot polishing dogs just don't find as many birds as a dog that runs big. Instead of the dog finding the birds you are finding them and the dog is along for the ride. I want my pointers covering ground that I don't want to walk. That is the reason for pointers. You say you trust her OK. If a bird flushes wild ddes she chase? If you flush over a point and the bird is a hen pheasant does it chase? If your dog will chase under these situations then you are keeping the dog close to control it.I am a Judge for AKC Spaniels I can read handlers as well as dogs. Ron
 
Ron, I get it you have judged every kind of dog in every kind of trial in the west.

My dog hunts with me and covers ground great, I cover some of it with her. She finds birds, points I shoot and she retrieves. Not much gets past her. I keep her between 20-60 yards sometimes a little farther if the rooster is running I give her the room she needs to pin him down so I can shoot him, unless he crosses a property boundary I dont have permission to be on. That is the type of bird hunting I do. And enjoy every minute of it!

Big running dogs are great in their applications. I hunted with Shummy a few weeks ago and his dogs can cover some country! I had alot of fun hunting like that, just cant travel that far as often as I want to hunt!

To each his own.

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No, I don't judge every trial just Hunt tests for Spaniels. I have judged in Utah, Montana, Idaho, And I judged the American water spaniel national hunt test in Wyoming. My Master Hunter Spaniel was the first Idaho Bred Spaniel to earn his MH title.
I get it you like the way your dog hunts. I just don't see why a guy gets a pointer when a Spaniel or a Lab would do better. I love spaniels for hunting Pheasant and Quail. I am not that wild about them for Chukar. So when I started to hunt chukar I got a pointer. Do you see what I am saying? I see it all the time. Guys getting pointers and keeping them at 50 yards or less.

You didn't answer my question. Will your dog stop to a wild flush, and is it steady to wing? How long will it hold point?
Most guys that hunt that close to their dogs are trying to over control the dog. Most of the time it is because the owner does not trust really trust the dog and the owner wants to shoot every bird.

Once a dog is allowed to set it's own range they really start to become a bird dog. I am not saying that a pointing dog hunting pheasant should be 200 yards out. I am saying that the dog figures out for it's self how far it needs to be. Not because it is being hacked in by the owner. It stays close because the cover is thick, and the dog is properly searching for game.I have hunted over a lot of different breeds. In my opinion nothing beats a flushing dog for Pheasant, and Valley quail. For Chukar NOTHING beats a big running pointer. Ron
 
First of all....to each his own.

I have a very bitable dog, that is also a close family companion and friend. I chose to hunt with my dog, not for my dog. Although I have tremendous respect for those who run AKC trials, and hunt this way, I hunt off of foot and in terrain that is more suitable to a close ranging dog. When hunting chuckar I do let her range further, and she responds well. I believe I have a versatile and utility animal.

Here is the great thing about dogs.....they are trainable. They have enough intelligence to understand basic commands and be trained to consistent habits to the owners specs. Allowing a dog to run free range is not only irresponsible in mixed properties (public and private) but it also limits the dogs abilities and does not express the dog's bit-ability.

The big running prairie dogs have their place in hunting to hold the bird until the hunter can get there. But also, hunting pheasants on tight property lines, they need to stay close and cover the country...with me and for me. I've seen too many dogs shot out of a farmer's field during the pheasant hunt. Do you really want to lose your "master hunter" because you don't want to "limit" your dog?

My pointer is a high energy dog that is methodical and covers territory with consistency. Although she may not be trained to trial in AKC or other long range competitions, she is trained for real life situations, and we are yet to lose game, which is more important to me than a score.

4b1db2ac644136c4.jpg
 
Neighbors used to have one... thing acted retarded lol Dad almost shot the thing after it got into a few of moms cats. (not that i cared) I wouldnt personally own one, good luck getting it to still still for 5 seconds. It will be labs for me as far as im concerned..
 
If it really matters, my dogs are broke to wing, shot and fall. The female does my taxes, and the male drives me home from the bar.
 
I own two. A seven year old male named Oxford and a five year old female named Lexi.

I don't hunt my dogs, as I am strictly a bowhunter, so I can't comment on that part of the equation, but I can tell you they have made wonderful family members. They live indoors with us and are very mild tempered and although I walk my dogs twice a day, 3 miles each time, they are not hyper in the least. Both are very mellow in the house.

My male is a barker when people come to the house and then Lexi will join in too. Other than that I could not ask for a better dog for a companion.

They need to be part of the family and they need to be excersied but unless I just got two total misfits of that breed, much of what said above is not true, at least in our case.

Here's a photo of Oxford. We call him the gentle gaint.

Oxford2.jpg


Here's Lexi, and although they are short coated, never once has the cold seemed to bother her. Not so with Oxford.

Lexi2.jpg


Here's Oxford on the point, but I am sure Lexi would have been a great hunting dog, much better than Oxford.

Oxford1.jpg


And here's Lexi who loves to chase balls and sticks 24/7. She has no quit in her.

Lexi1.jpg


Have a good one. BB
 
Oxford really doesn't mind hats and stuff on his head so much.

Oxford3.jpg


But Lexi hates it and her eyes says it all.

Lexi3.jpg



These were elf hats at Christmas this past year.

Have a good one. BB
 
I really appreciate all the insight that everyone has given. i am a very active person so the energy level doesnt bother me, it sounds like the majority of the opinions are staying pretty consistent. i like what i am hearing, although my wife is stuck on getting either a white/yellow lab or a chocolate. im still trying to talk her into the weims. we only want one dog right now or i would buy two and train them both. BB your dogs look good! they look like they are a big part of the family. again thank you all for the insight and i will let you all know what we decide to do.







"Shoot Straight"
 
hhunter23 check out Owyheestar kennel in Ontario Oregon I got one of my dogs there.They are breeding hunting wiems not show dogs and they have long hair carrier genes which I never heard about until I ran into them.It gives the dogs more of an under coat.I have two Weims one from Owyheestar the other from someone out of the paper.The one I bought out of the paper is not a long hair carrier she has a really thin coat not good for really cold weather she is a hunting fool though points, retrieves brings birds to the hand,soft mouthed and just won't quit.for the first 2 years she was a hand full but we learned take her for a walk every other day or so and she calmed right down.The digging,chewing,etc stopped when she was exercised.Now at 5yrs she'll sleep on the couch with you or retrieve the ball for hours on end.It's up to YOU she just wants to be with you.Now the dog I got from Owyheestar was mellower right from the get go.She is a long hair carrier so her coat is just a little thicker which helps keep the scratches and cuts down and helps with the cold a little better to.She is a good hunter to just not so obsessed with retrieving a ball or stick like the other one.She will retrieve them as long as the other dog is not around.Now in the field she does awesome on retrieves and they don't fight over the birds the first one too pick it up gets it no contest.I never did a lot of training with either one of my dogs. Both of them where in the field at 3-4 months old and retrieved the birds with no problem.I hunt chukars,quail,pheasants,grouse,the occasional early season duck.Chukars are the main target.Both dogs do hunt close, out to 70-80yards I wanted that too because I can't stand dogs running out 300-800 yards then go on point and have to try and get there in good chukar country that could take a long time to get there and half the time the birds flush before you get there at least with chukars thats what I've seen. Check out Owyheestar they don't just sell their dogs to anyone. Tell them Austin sent ya
 
well i pulled the trigger and put a deposit down on my first weimaraner! i wont be able to pick her up until next weekend. i went with a guy that was local, his dogs have excellent blood lines and i really like the color. i am very excited to own one of these dogs and i cant wait til i get to start training her. again thank you all for the input and thoughts. i will post pictures when i pick her up!! now i need to start thinking of names!






"Shoot Straight"
 
Your going to have fun. They like to chew just like a lab have plenty of toys for him or her.


If there is any proof of a man in a hunt it is not whether he killed a deer or elk but how he hunted it.
 
hunted behind these dogs my whole life they are super smart very loyal and stamina like no tommorrow,the down side,high strung,digging machine's(they make your lawn look like a driving range).

remember a dog is only as smart as it's owner,
a little work and you won't be disappointed.

good luck

"better to go ugly early before the good ugly one's are gone"
 
I grew up with labs and have a Wiem my 2rd so far and I think they are great dogs. Would never go back to labs again but.

They are not Kennel dogs, if your idea of a dog is it living in a kennel 90% of the time then only coming out to work and hunt. Dont get a Wiem. My dog goes almost everywhere with me and is a house dog they will not ever be good dogs if they spend most of there life in a kennel.

They are high strung they need exercise. I am a runner and log 15+ miles a week if not much more a my Wiem is right there for all of them. Turns out after you run a dog a few miles a day they are less hyper.

They are close hunters by design and bread they are not rangy this just depends on how you hunt if you want a rangy dog then get one. I hunt pheasant that usually get lots of pressure and never sit still so unlike the shoe polisher comments, a true pointer that ranges 100s of yards would be totally useless to me. I would probably do better with a house cat on a leash honestly ; ) Buts that's why there are different breads of dogs for different hunting situations.

They are smart and get into everything unless you stay on top of them. But like any other dog they need training. I have also never had a Wiem that listens well to someone other than there owners they just don't care about anyone else. So don't plan on trying to lend one out for someone else to hunt with.

With all of that being said they are great companions and great family animals and very loyal. Very versatile I duck and goose hunt with mine in addition to upland. He also tracks wounded deer which is something I never trained him for but has come in handy. But they don't have a much hair which is nice in the house but not great hunting in Jan.

When picking out a pup I would make every effort to meet the parents I have seen blood lines in Weim. that are pretty aggressive so I would check on the blood lines. Also make sure the parents are from a hunting blood line the blood lines have become pretty diluted in curtain lines since they have become so popular as just pets and not hunters.

My opinion on my Weim's is if you don't really like dogs and just want one to hunt with and the rest of the year be as little work as possible (and this is fine) there are better dogs.
If you want a companion and a hunter they are great.

Sorry I was so long winded but there were some crazy posts just had to get that out. Good luck with what ever you decide!
 
I could not agree more with what ShadowBuck just posted.

They need to be able to run free in the house once trained and they need to go places with you and be part of the family and exercised like Shadow mentioned, and if you will do that, you will end up with about as mild mannered dog as one could have.

Neither one of our dogs have ever dug in the yard, but once I get them out where they smell mice, squirrels, etc, my female is a digging machine and Oxford digs too, but not like Lexi.

We have a doggie door in our house and they come and go as they please into the fenced backyard. Never once have they tried to escape over the wall or fence which in one section is only 3 feet high.

Oxford loves the water, Lexi is just opposite.

When I am gone hunting, the wife works and walks the dogs before she goes to work, and the rest of day they just sleep in the house and full roam. Never once had they destroyed anything once they left the puppy stage. But when Oxford was a pup I lost a number of my favorite hats to his teeth, along with a few pair of shoes. But now we trust them unequivocally.

I don't know a lot about dogs in general, but I do think I know a lot about Weimaraners and if you ever want to call or PM on anything, feel free to do so.

Here's the digging machine at work. I have often told the wife I can't believe Lexi doesn't dig at home.

Lexidigs.jpg


I would sure like to see some photos of you new pup. There's not many puppies cuter than this breeds, blue eyed pups.

Have a good one. BB
 
These guys are being too nice about their dogs. Go over to Utahbirddogs.com and ask them. They will give you an honest answer.

If you will be using it for hunting there are sooooo many better breeds than a weim.

Over bred for shows, very few strong hunting lines left in the states and overprices.

If you want short hair find a reputable GSP or EP. If you dont mind long hair stick with a bullet proof Brittany line of over loyal Setter!!!

If you dont believe me check out utahbirddogs, those boys are smart and honest.
 
ya me and shummy had a few pms and i got cold feet and decided to wait. my wife decided she is alright with two dogs and i think im getting on bored with the idea, she is going to get a lab, while im looking at GSP, i talked to justr86 about his dogs and been looking other places also. but i will post pictures and let you all know when i get them. also i am a member of utahbirddogs, now and have yet to make my first post, ive just been getting the feel of things there. but what a great site.


"Shoot Straight"
 

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