Weimaraner

A Weimaraner is a no-fuss pup.  

• Bathing: Weimaraners don’t need a bath more than once a month, tops.  
• Brushing: Brush your dog weekly to remove loose hairs and keep their coat shiny and sleek. Try a rubber curry comb like the KONG Dog ZoomGroom for best results (your dog will love it, too). Weimaraners don’t shed a lot, but you will notice more fur around the house during spring and fall shedding seasons.  
• Dental care: Brush your dog’s teeth daily. Start when your Weimaraner puppy is young, if possible, so they get used to the routine. Regular brushing, combined with frequent dental treats and a once-a-year dental cleaning, can help prevent dental disease in dogs.  
• Ear care: Once a month, check for debris in the ear canal and examine the ears for signs of an ear infection (such as redness, swelling, or any bad smell). Call your vet if you notice anything.  
• Your vet may recommend at-home ear cleaning. You can wipe the inside and outside of the ears with a damp cloth or ear wipes, taking care to avoid the ear canal. Keep the ear canal clean and dry to avoid infections.  
• Nail care: Trim your dog’s nails once or twice a month. You’ll know it’s time for a trim when you hear the nails tapping on hard surfaces as your dog walks. 

The Weimaraner is a brainy pup, so they’ll be eager to make you happy and do a good job when it comes to training. Like all canines, Weimaraner dogs respond best to positive reinforcement; rewarding them with praise, training treats, and favorite toys teaches them to be on their very best behavior.   

During the Weimaraner puppy years, they’re particularly rambunctious—plus, they’re so smart that they can sometimes become bored during training. A certified dog trainer who uses positive reinforcement can help teach your dog good manners, and your Weimaraner will probably even enjoy these sessions.  

But you’ll definitely want to start obedience training as soon as possible. Begin with the basics, like sit, stay, and come, and work up to how to walk nicely on a leash.  

Regular socialization with other dogs and people, as well as introducing them to new places (think public parks, dog parks, and dog-friendly hiking trails), will help your pup acclimate to polite society. These social interactions give your Weimaraner a chance to explore new environments and situations, all of which they’ll probably come to love. 

Weimaraners typically do well on a high-quality commercial dog food. Choose a diet that’s AAFCO-compliant for your dog’s life stage (puppy, adult, or senior).  

Your vet can help you determine the best food for your Weimaraner, including serving size and feeding schedule, based on your dog’s age, weight, and activity level. Adding joint supplements to your dog’s diet can help protect their joint health as they age, but chat with your vet first about supplements, too.  

It’s important to know that Weimaraners can develop a life-threatening condition called bloat, in which their stomach distends due to food and/or gas buildup. To reduce the likelihood of this happening to your dog, take a few precautions when feeding your dog:  

• Offer food in a slow feeder bowl to stop your Weimaraner from scarfing too quickly. 
• Do not let your dog exercise for two hours before or after eating. 
• Do not use elevated food bowls to feed your Weimaraner—instead, keep their food bowl on the ground. 
• Feed your dog at least twice per day instead of one big daily meal. 

Weimaraners are canine athletes that need a lot of exercise—much more than the average pup. In general, a Weimaraner needs one to two hours of exercise every day. This breed will not be a couch potato, so look elsewhere if you want a more laid-back dog. 

The possibilities are endless—hiking, swimming, running, neighborhood walks, the dog park, backyard games of fetch, and other outdoor festivities will all be welcomed by this energetic bestie.  

These smart dogs need mental stimulation, too. Weimaraners love interactive toys and playing games, and they’re great at dog sports that challenge their minds, like flyball and agility trials.  

Weimaraners make great family dogs … as long as everyone’s active and on the go. These pups don’t like to be bored, and they don’t like to be left behind.  

Wherever you live, you’ll need lots of time in a fenced backyard or enclosed park for your Weimaraner to get out all the zoomies and wiggles they want. They need lots of room to roam, and they also love water—so, if you have a pool, live near a lake, or just set up a doggie pool in your yard, they’ll adore it.  

Before you choose a spot to splash, just make sure that the water’s safe for your pup and supervise them whenever they’re swimming. It’s also important that your dog is up to date on their leptospirosis vaccine.  

If you have frequent guests at home, the Weimaraner is happy to run and greet them. They’ll actually run to the door and happily sniff everyone who enters as if to welcome them and say hello. Once everyone’s gone, they’ll revert to being your bestie.   

Speaking of besties, they’ll likely enjoy having fellow dog pals. But when it comes to cats, their hunting instincts might convince them that cats are something fun to chase. That said, if your Weimaraner is well-socialized, they could learn to get along with feline friends.