In general, Weimaraners are wonderful family dogs. That being said, you should always research any breed you plan to purchase and adopt.
Weims might be great family dogs, but that doesn’t mean they are a great dog for your family.
Are Weimaraners Good Pets?
From my experience, Weimaraners are such good dogs, who are incredibly loyal and loving to their families.
No wonder they get the nickname “Velcro dog” – they follow you everywhere, even to the toilet.
Weimaraners are very smart and will grasp commands very quickly. Since they’re clever, they will test their boundaries now and then, so don’t get complacent!
They are generally a healthy breed, though you should be aware of the increased risk of bloat due to their deep chests.
Most Weimaraners are a good guard dogs and will alert their owner of possible intruders (or just postal workers, cats, passersby, etc.) and will protect their owner.
Thanks to their single-layer coat, they are fairly low maintenance and weekly brushing is usually enough. If their nails don’t get worn down naturally, make sure to trim them too and check their ears every week, especially if you have a swimmer!
They need a firm, but gentle hand when training – harsh treatment or punishments don’t work!
Weimaraner Temperament
As I mentioned above, Weimaraners are loyal to a fault. They are typically very affectionate, though some dogs may prefer it on their own terms. They can be a bit stubborn too.
I don’t have experience with other breeds, except an English cocker spaniel, but that was ages ago, so I don’t remember clearly and not sure if this is common.
But Nelly loves to approach everyone, much to my frustration, but I usually manage to predict her behavior and stop before she does. She got called “curious like a woman” a few times when I wasn’t fast enough. 🙂
Nelly also loves to sunbathe, even to the point that her stomach is red from the sun.
Weimaraner Exercise Requirements
Weimaraners belong to the Sporting Group (AKC) / Pointing Dogs (FCI) respectively. They were bred for hunting and are still used like this to this day, while they are also a popular companion dog. Weims are #40 of the most popular dog breeds of 2021 in the US (source).
Their history makes them a very, very active breed. If you are not physically active and your idea of taking the dog for a walk is a 5-minute walk around the block or just letting them out in the garden, a Weimaraner is not the breed for you.
Weimaraners are a high energy breed and while they love physical exercise, mental stimulation is just as important for them.
The best exercise that works for us:
- 40-60 minutes in the morning (bike/hiking, fetch, swimming, agility – depending on weather).
- 5-10 minute walk around the neighborhood on a “sniffari” (letting the dog sniff often).
- 40-60 minutes in the evening (biking/hiking, fetch, agility – depending on weather)
- Mental stimulation with puzzle toys, hide and seek, snuffle mats, game of tug a few times a day.
Your Weim might prefer other activities above others, so make sure you only do activities they enjoy.
Other exercise/occupation ideas:
- swimming
- agility
- canicross
- obedience training
- search & rescue
Weimaraners and Children
Weimaraners are great with children as well. It’s especially nice to see kids growing up alongside a Weim puppy. Both are equally boisterous as the other!
However, as the dog grows bigger, this can cause an issue as the bouncy large dog could knock children or even adults over.
As with any dog, supervision is necessary when it comes to children. You also need to teach your child how to behave towards the dog.
Are Weimaraners Good with Other Dogs?
From my experience, Nelly is great with other dogs. As long as both dogs are well-socialized, there shouldn’t be many problems.
I can see the difference with Nelly’s and other dogs’ play styles; she likes to play quite rough (but not aggressive) and not all dogs are like that.
However, most of the time, she will adjust her play style to the dog in question if the other is interested.
As long as your Weimaraner is well-socialized, they should have no issues meeting other socialized dogs.
Are Weimaraners Good With Cats?
In most cases, Weimaraners can live alongside cats just fine. Generally, Weimaraners have a strong prey drive, but it depends on the individual dog.
Even through the prey drive, most Weims can be taught to live with cats and tolerate them.
If that is not the case with your Weim, you will need to keep them separate to prevent accidents from happening.
Weimaraners and Other Animals
Since Weimaraners were bred for hunting, their strong prey drive can be a disadvantage when it comes to other household animals and pets. However, it is quite possible to have other pets along with a Weim.
Many Weimaraner owners have bunnies, chickens, lizards, tortoises, hamsters and with supervision they get along great.
Both animals need to get properly introduced, acclimated to one another and never be left unsupervised, just in case.
What You Should Know Before Getting a Weimaraner
As I mentioned at the start of this post, Weimaraners are very loyal to their owners. If they aren’t conditioned properly to you leaving them at home alone, they can develop separation anxiety.
They may bark, destroy things, dig, chew, howl, pee or poop themselves, pace and generally display signs of distress.
Since you already know that Weimaraners are a high energy breed, it would make sense to have a big yard for them to run it, right?
That is not the case. A big yard is useless for a Weimaraner if you’re not there with them. That means, as long as they get enough activity, they can live in an apartment as well.
Conclusion
Weimaraners are great family dogs if you dedicate your time to them. They are fixed on their humans and love to do everything with them.
If exercise or physical activity is a dirty word for you, you should look for a different breed.
Dana
I’ve always loved dogs, ever since I was a child, but I wasn’t allowed to have one. I dog-sit my sister's Weimaraner often. I decided to start this blog and share what I’ve learned about Nelly, the Weimaraner breed, and dogs in general from scientific papers and journals and my own personal experience. Learn more about Dana.
I had a weinmarener , golden retriever, labrador, and two pit mix
Of the 5 the most loyal, sweet , and lovable WEINMARENER i can not describe how special she was
I can confirm Weims are excellent swimmers. My local UK river had flooded the adjacent field. Rana the Weim loved to chase ducks. He set off after a bunch and as the river was in flood did not realise where the field ended. He ran straight into the river, which was a raging torrent. They are not the best at responding to calls. Last seen at high-speed heading down river. Never to be seen again. However, 10 minutes later he came padding back through the flooded field. Right as rain but he never went close to the river again.
Weims are wonderful family dogs, I had two young boys. They are extremely intelligent but don’t expect hours of training. He got fed up after 20 minutes. And after 30 just wandered off. So short but intensive training is best.
I had an aluminium door which he took to scratching whilst barking at it when callers came. I took his paw and gently scratched the door. I said “no” and he didn’t scratch the door again. Barked the house down though so good guard dog. Great with kids. Hated going to bed. Ears down, he would slink off to his bed.
To go absolutely berserk in the morning wanting his walk. This was easily trained out but repeated with the word “walk” or presentation of his lead. Wonderful dog. Long gone.
Author
Hi Dave,
thank you for sharing your experience! Nellie wouldn’t go into water for anything but to retrieve a stick or a toy. She’d just stare at the ducks. 😀 It can be an advantage!