Curious Weims Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We understand that you may have TONS of questions about Weimaraners. We do our best to answer those questions here on the Curious Weims FAQ page.  We also have additional resources and articles in the Curious Weims Resource Center. If you don’t find the answers to your questions on our site, don’t hesitate to contact us directly!

Tobias at Dusk (512 x 340)

Are Weimaraners curious and how do I develop that trait?

Weimaraners are absolutely curious, and that’s one of the large reasons we decided to call ourselves Curious Weims! Weimaraners always want to know what you’re doing, who is here, what was that sound, where you are going, etc. For that reason they make excellent guard / alert dogs. We absolutely LOVE the curiosity trait in Weims. We believe their curiosity has a lot to do with how intelligent Weims are! They have a desire to learn and investigate new things!

Sometimes this trait can become overwhelming and annoying, so here are a few ways to use this trait to help your Weim grow closer to you and your family without becoming a problem. If your Weim likes to pick up anything that’s dropped on the floor, then teach them the job of picking things (keys, newspapers, shoes, etc.) up for you. If your Weim likes using their paws to reach for things, then teach them tricks like shaking your hands or waving to you. No matter what you decide to do, just remember that your goal should be to redirect their curiosity into something positive and fun that will get them more involved in you and your families’ lives!

 

What do you think is the best thing about Weimaraners?

“A dog is a dog, but a Weimaraner is a person.” Each Weimaraner has an extremely different and unique personality, and many times, their personalities start showing when they are just a few weeks old. Many people call Weimaraners, “The dog with human emotions.” They truly seem to be in tune with their owners’ emotions, and when their owners are struggling, all they want to do is LOVE them, and when things are great, all they want to do is share in the enjoyment of life with them. Another one of our favorite things about Weimaraners is how intelligent they are. Weimaraners are very fast learners, and they learn new tricks very easily, no matter what their age! You can teach your Weimaraner many tricks, including how to ring a bell when he or she needs to go outside.

 

What is the typical Weimaraner temperament?

The Weimaraner is loyal, playful, friendly, eager to work, intelligent, and energetic. They are sometimes called the “dog with a human brain” because of their high problem solving abilities and their ability to learn to do just about anything. Weimaraners can be rambunctious and are definitely driven, particularly when young, and they require a firm and patient owner.

Because Weimaraners are hunting dogs, they are very active. They will not do well being cooped up in a kennel or your house all day long. They need at least an hour of exercise per day. The Weimaraner, like all dogs, are pack animals. If you don’t assert yourself as the leader of your family’s pack, the Weimaraner will. It is important to establish your Weimaraners lower place in your family early on, because this can be difficult to break them of later in life. You want them to listen to anyone in the family when commands are given.

This is a breed where either you own them or they own you. If they own you, you have a real problem. They are either the best dog in the neighborhood, or the worst. There is no in between. However, given a structured, disciplined environment you couldn’t ask for a more faithful companion. They have a very stable personality, and absolutely LOVE people.

 

Are Weimaraners as energetic as I’ve heard?

A Weim is full of energy, and they were bred to hunt in the field all day with their owners. Although some Weimaraners are more laid-back than others, in general, they tend to be energetic. Weims are inquisitive, intelligent and full of life. If you are not prepared to give your Weim daily exercise, be prepared for destruction – usually something that you’d rather they not destroy.

Some Weim owners run with them, others go hiking with them, and many go for walks and play a lot of ball with their Weims! Another great outlet is driving over to a near-by dog park and letting them wear themselves out. This also helps socialize them with other dogs and people, making them better able to handle new situations in the future. This is not a breed to be ignored or left alone (in the yard or the house) – they demand attention, and they always want to be with you and be involved in any of your activities.

 

Is it possible to pick out a calm Weimaraner?

Because their personalities and temperaments start revealing themselves while a Weimaraner is young, an experienced breeder can somewhat judge the temperament of the pups before they go to their new homes. However, even the behaviors of a hyperactive Weim can be curbed significantly in a structured, well-disciplined environment in which you assert yourself as the leader of the pack. All Weims are high energy dogs, and you should prepare yourself for that beforehand, because hoping you will get a CALM Weim is just setting yourself up for a potential disappointment. If you’re not alright with the energy levels that Weims have and the time it will take to make sure they have proper exercise, then you should consider another breed.

 

Are Weims loyal?

Weimaraners are extremely loyal to their family and family’s children. This is another one of the things that we love about the breed! However, it is important to socialize your Weim properly. When you have new guests entering the home, it is best to keep your Weim away from the door. Once your guests have entered your home and gotten settled, then you can bring out your Weim and introduce him/her to your guests.

Weims can also be protective of the children in the home. This can be a good and a bad thing. They may not understand that children “play fight” with each other. If a Weim sees your children play fighting, they may feel that the need to protect one of the children. This could potentially lead to unwanted aggressive behaviors such as growling. The best way to prevent this is to teach your Weim that it is okay when your children play fight. When you first bring your Weim into your home, it is important to supervise them with your children at all time. However, we have found that Weims who grow up with children are VERY good with them, and rarely have ANY issues being around children of all ages!

 

Do Weimaraners like to be with their owners at all times?

A nickname affectionately given to Weimaraners is, “the Velcro dog.” This is because they do like to be with their owners at all times. They are very loyal, protective, curious, and they like to know where you are and what you are doing at all times. Because of this, however, Weimaraners are prone to separation anxiety. As a new owner, it is important to spend some time away from your new Weimaraner so they learn that it’s alright to be alone and they don’t have to be EVERYWHERE you are.  For many new Weim owners this can be difficult because the puppies are SO cute, and they don’t want to hear them whine or cry when the pup is left alone.

Another important way to help avoid separation anxiety is to avoid making your comings and goings a big deal. When you leave, don’t spend time saying “bye” to your dog, and when you come home don’t go straight to them. Spend about five minutes doing something else before you go let them out. By doing this, you will teach your Weim that your comings and goings are nothing to worry about and they are NON-Events. They are also learning that you WILL come back, and this will greatly reduce your Weims potential for separation anxiety, and it might even save your curtains!

 

Do Weims experience separation anxiety?

Yes, separation anxiety is one of the key issues Weimaraners can develop. This is not something that’s genetic and can be avoided by breeding different bloodlines. Separation Anxiety is something that is caused by the STRONG bond that a Weim creates with its owners, and their desire to be with you ALL the time. As mentioned earlier, Weimaraners like to be with their owners at all times. Although it is tempting to want to spend all your time with your new Weim, this is one of the worst mistakes new owners make. They take them everywhere they go, and their Weim doesn’t learn to be on its own. Weimaraners can have a hard time understanding that you have to go to work or that they cannot come with you to places that dogs aren’t allowed. Because of this, the Weimaraner can feel like they are being punished, which will cause the Weimaraner to exhibit unwanted behaviors. This can easily be avoided by allowing your Weim to learn that it’s ok to be alone.

We strongly believe that crate training your Weim for at least the first year is VERY important. This is because they develop the ability to be alone and the kennel becomes their safe area / their home. Weims can be crate trained at any age, but it will be much easier to crate train them as a new puppy. Once you begin to crate train your Weim, you must be firm and consistent, yet loving. If every time your Weim barks or whines you let them out of the crate or give them attention, they will learn that’s all they need to do to get your attention. This will also create many undesirable behaviors, and completely undermine the point of crate training.

If your Weim has already developed Separation Anxiety, or something similar, please feel free to contact us at any time, and we will help you work through the issues you are having with your Weim! It doesn’t matter if you got your Weim from us or not, we’re here to help!

 

How do I train my Weimaraner?

The earlier you start with training, the better! As mentioned above, Weimaraners tend to assert themselves as the leader of the pack if you fail to do so. If you’re not in charge, your Weim will be, and that is not something you want. You can start with a few of the basic commands when they are younger, and add complex ones as they master the simpler ones. Positive reinforcement is the best way to train a Weim; they want to please their owners, so negative reinforcement will only cause them to get bored with training. You can train the Weim yourself, although we would recommend an obedience school that teaches you how to train your Weim.

My spouse and I are thinking about starting a family. How should we prepare our Weimaraner?

If you ever plan on having children, once again, it is best to socialize your Weim from the time they are a puppy. Do you have children in your family, such as nieces, nephews, etc., if so let them come over and play with your puppy. Even letting the neighborhood kids play with your Weim will make a bid difference. We also suggest that you do all of the behaviors that a toddler would do to your new Weim pup, such as: pull on their ears, pull on their tail, grab their paws, be a little rough with them, put your hands in their mouth, put your hands in their food and water bowl when they are eating, etc. Make sure that you are gentle when doing these things, because you don’t want to hurt them. The point of this is to help them avoid becoming aggressive when and if something like this happens. The goal is to prepare your Weim for things like this, and teach them the correct response when it does. The last thing you want is for a friend or family member to bring over their toddler who decided to pull on your Weims tail, and then gets bit because it scared your Weim and they didn’t know how to handle the situation. Teaching them how to handle that situation beforehand is YOUR job!

If you have a baby on the way, you can get a baby doll, and practice holding it and talking to it the way you would your new baby. Let your Weim smell baby clothes, toys, etc. You can also play sounds of babies crying so that your Weim isn’t alarmed when he/she hears the new sounds. Finally, do not make a habit of ignoring your Weim when the baby is around. Include your Weim as much as possible when you bring home your new baby, and you will avoid potential jealousy from becoming an issue.

Are Weimaraners good with children, and do they make good family pets?

We truly believe that it boils down to each family knowing how to train their Weim together. Yes, we said TOGETHER, not just the parents or one of the kids, but everyone in the family needs to be involved in caring for and training your Weim, no matter how old they are.

This is a totally valid and understandable concern that we get on a regular basis. To put it simply, yes they can be excellent with children and can make wonderful family pets. Weimaraners are loyal and loving to their family and they’re a fearless guardian and natural protector over their family and territory. Weimaraners are extremely kind to children but need to be monitored around very young children, because they are energetic enough to accidentally knock a small child down.

Children need to be shown how to respect their Weim, and they should also be encouraged to consistently participate in the obedience training of your Weims. This way, your Weim is taught to obey the children as well as the parents and they’ll consider the family a higher rank in the pack hierarchy than themselves. Weims, in general, can be pushy and many want to be the pack leader, so if the family does not consistently display that they are the pack leaders, a Weim may assume that role.

Weims are pack dogs and EXTREMELY intelligent, and if everyone in the family doesn’t work together when training a Weim, they will think to themselves “Well, if nobody is in charge, I’ll be in charge!” And when they assume the pack leader position, this can lead to problem behaviors and misinterpretation of the Weims actions. A Weim that believes they are the pack leader will attempt to keep their pack in line, and this can be seen as misinterpreted aggression. Always follow through with your commands; if you say sit, the dog MUST sit, and it’s not acceptable if they decide NOT to sit. Doing this will ensure they look up to you and the children.

All dogs have a potential to be holy terrors and learn bad behaviors, but one amazing thing about Weims is that even an old Weim CAN learn new tricks, we know this from experience! So, together as a family, train your Weim early and often in small doses, be your dog’s pack and lead them with patience and kindness, especially when they’re young and learning. If you do these things, WE PROMISE YOU, your Weim will not become a terror, but they will become such an incredible part of your family that you’ll wonder why your family went so long without one!!

At Curious Weims, we strive to help all new Weim owners avoid potential issues, and we try to be everyone’s biggest resource for anything you’ll ever need for your Weim, even if you didn’t get your pup from us!! Our New Weim Owner Binder is a great resource we put together, and we provide it to everyone who gets a pup from us. It has TONS of information on training your Weim, how to avoid potential issues, and tons more.

Do Weimaraners make good hunting companions?

Absolutely! Hunting is in their blood, as they were originally bred as hunting dogs. You may be starting to notice a pattern here, but the earlier you start training your Weim how to hunt, the better hunters they will be. Although it is possible to train a Weim to hunt at any age, their tracking tends to be more fine-tuned when he/she is trained at an earlier age.

 

Are Weims good house dogs, or do they always want to be outside?

Since Weims are hunting dogs, they LOVE the outdoors, but more than anything Weims want to be with their owners either inside or outside. Weims have a very short coat that is not well suited for living outdoors, and they EXPECT to live indoors with the family spending time soaking up all the love and affection they can!
For outdoor oriented families who have experience with dogs, the Weimaraner is a perfect companion. We would also say that couch potatoes should look elsewhere for a more suitable breed.

 

Do Weims make a good pet for a single owner or are they better for families?

For a Weim to be truly happy, all they need is lots of LOVE from their family / owner. Because that is the case, Weims do well with a single person, a couple, a family, or any mix as long as they are shown love and affection. They are also extremely good at adapting to changes in the family. Such as getting married, having children, or moving. As always, we suggest that you make sure to continue to give your Weim attention throughout the changes so they do not start to feel left out and decide to act out to achieve the attention they desire.

 

Do Weimaraners like to be around their owners everywhere they go?

If you are home or with your Weim, they will want to be right there with you! No matter if it’s a quick trip to the bathroom, or you’re headed to the kitchen to get something to eat, or you’re going to pick up the kids from school, your Weim will want to be your sidekick right there with you fighting crime!

So if you think it’s weird to be followed around or have another set of eyes on what you’re doing, or to be watched all the time, then a Weimaraner isn’t the breed for you!

 

Are Weims aggressive at all?

Weims are a protective breed, but not at all known to be aggressive or out looking for a fight, and they are NOT natural biters. Weims can be aggressive towards other animals if not properly socialized and should be taken around other animals at a young age so they know how to handle those situations. In a case where a Weim is under socialized or mal-treated, and they can develop problems with aggression. We feel that any dog in these situations can develop the same or similar aggression, and that’s a HUGE reason we’re very particular with whom we place our puppies.

 

What is the difference between males and females?

The main difference between Male and Female Weimaraners is size. Keep in mind there are always exceptions to these generalities. Females tend to weigh between 55-70 lbs and Males tend to weigh between 70-85 lbs full grown. Many people tend to believe that female dogs make better pets because they won’t display alpha type behaviors such as marking or be as “aggressive”, but that is just plain wrong. In a dog pack, females usually become the top dog, and they determine the pecking order. Because of this, females tend to be more independent, stubborn, and territorial than their male counterparts. Females will absolutely want love from you, but when they’ve had enough, they’ll typically move away from you. Males on the other hand are usually more affectionate, attentive, and demand more attention than females. Males also tend to be more reliable, more outgoing, less moody, and they are more accepting of other pets and take to children quicker. Male Weims will always want to play and can be easily distracted. They are fun loving until the day they die. Females tend to become a bit more opinionated and more reserved or dignified as they age. One other thing that sets Weimaraners apart from other breeds is how unique each and every Weim truly is. No matter the gender, each Weim has their own personality SPECIFIC to them, and watching them develop their personality is a lot of fun! Again we must stress there are always exceptions!! Both males and females are very sweet and loving, and whatever you decide, you won’t be disappointed!

 

Do Weimaraners shed?

The common perception is that since they have such short hair, they don’t shed, but Weimaraners shed more than you might think. Typically Weims shed their old coat twice a year as new hair grows in. Many people think that this is triggered by warmer weather, but that’s not true. The length of daylight we have in a day is what triggers the shedding as a part of their circadian rhythm. While Weims typically shed only 2 times per year, most shed a little all year long, and because of this, they benefit from frequent brushing to remove the dead hair and stimulate the skin. Even though they do shed, a Weims short hair is hardly a problem at all when compared to breeds with longer coats. For this reason, they are known to be great with people who have allergies, and we can attest to this first hand!

 

What are blue Weimaraners?

Blue refers to the coat color of a Weimaraner that is similar to the blue seen in Great Danes or Pit Bulls.  The color is traceable to one imported German Weimaraner bred under “controversial circumstances.” Blue is a disqualifying fault in the official AKC standard only because the AKC decided to adopt a new breed standard in 1971 that only recognized the Silver and Silver-Grey colors ability to be shown in the Conformation Ring or “Show Ring.” Other than not being allowed to show blue Weims in the Confirmation Ring, AKC accepts their color, and they are able to perform in any other competition or trial Silver and Silver-Grey Weims are allowed.

Many people believe that Blue Weimaraners are prone to being more aggressive or have a higher chance to develop health problems over a Silver or Silver-Grey Weim, but that is absolutely NOT the case. These potential issues are largely genetic, and the bloodline that’s bred is the largest factor that affects the potential for issues. This is why at Curious Weims we do a TON of research and background checking when we choose a new Weim with intentions to breed. Making sure our Weims are the highest of quality is extremely important to us, and it should be to you as well. For more information about Blue Weimaraners, please check out the following link: http://www.blueweimaraner.com/history.html

 

How much are the puppies?

Please contact us directly for the exact financial amount, but please realize you are not spending your money exclusively on a puppy. You are getting a pup through us, but you’re paying for everything we have already done and everything we will do for you! If and when we decide you and your family will make an excellent match for one of our pups, the money you will be paying us will be for the years of experience breeding and matching Weims with their forever homes. You are allowing us to take some very difficult decisions off your hands, and you’re paying for the right to call us, anytime, day or night, for the life of your Weim. You’re paying us to assist you with your training, to be your sounding board, and your nutritional advisor. You’re paying us for the vast amount of information we provide you with pertaining to your new Weim. You are paying us for having done the due diligence when it comes to making educated and intelligent decisions regarding which Weims we should breed that will produce the most beautiful and healthy Weims available for you and your family. Finally, you are paying us for the ability to return your Weim to us any time in their life, no questions asked, no matter the situation. So if what we offer sounds like something you’re looking for or you’d like more information, please don’t hesitate to get ahold of us!!

 

How do we go about reserving one of your Curious Weims?

Our process for finding the best FOREVER homes for our Curious Weims is best described on the Get a Curious Weim page, but here is a quick overview.

Whenever we have a new potential family contact us, the first thing we do is find a time to speak on the phone about any questions they might have about Weims, about us, about our pups, or about anything else they may want to know. During this call, we will ask quite a few questions about their family, living arrangements, familiarity with Weimaraners, why they want a Weim, and many more. During this call they will inform us as to what color and gender they are looking for and a potential second color and gender they would be alright accepting. These calls can last as long as an hour or more.

If we are satisfied with the potential of placing one of our pups with that family, we then have new families fill out our New Family Questionnaire so we can learn more about them and assist us in matching the perfect Weim with the perfect family! Once we review this questionnaire, verify any references, and follow up with additional questions, we will email them our Curious Weims Puppy Agreement, Curious Weims Payment Process document, and potentially additional information as well for them review and fill out. Once the Curious Weims Puppy Agreement has been received, and we are satisfied with placing one of our pups with that family, we contact them to let them know they’ll be on our New Family List for the upcoming litter.

At this point, we require a deposit sent through PayPal to reserve your spot on our New Family List for the upcoming litter. Deposits are ONLY refundable if you reserve a pup before they are born, and we don’t have the color / gender you are looking for. Once the litter has arrived, all deposits are NON-Refundable. If the pups are born, and we DO have the color / gender you reserved, then you and your family will now be locked in and will just have to wait till the pups are old enough to bring home!!

 

Do I get to pick my own puppy?

Our process is a combination of us choosing the best puppy for your family, and you having input into what traits, coat color, and gender you are looking for in your new Weim!

There are 2 main reasons for this process:

1. Our attempt to improve our bloodlines by deciding on which pups to “keep in the family.” We do this so we can raise them, evaluate them, involve them in many activities that will prove their value/contribution to our breed, and finally to use them to create more generations of outstanding Weimaraners.
2. We have years of experience determining which puppy should be with which families.

All pups that we decide not to keep in the family will be available to incredible forever homes where they will thrive and develop into amazing companions! One of the benefits of going to an experienced breeder is having their assistance picking the best Weim for you. We have years of experience in how our bloodlines behave, how they develop, and how to evaluate each puppy’s personality. Unless you’re a breeder with years of raising multiple litters of puppies you probably aren’t really going to be able to pick a dog based on anything but looks and your feelings toward a certain pup. Your decision will almost ALWAYS be an emotional decision, and that isn’t the best way to choose a companion that you will have for 10+ years. At Curious Weims, we see their personalities develop from the moment they are born, and we truly work hard to match you with the best possible pup for your family. With that being said, we definitely want your opinion and more input from you other than just the color and gender.

Examples of additional input we are looking for are as follows:
• We want a calm Weim
• We MUST have a supper friendly dog
• We MUST have a super aloof one
• We MUST have a dog that likes to cuddle
• We MUST have dog that demands its space
• The dog has to LOVE other dogs/kids/small animals, not just tolerate them
• The dog has to be super food motivated
• Super ball motivated
• super prey motivated,
• etc. etc. etc.

More likely than not, if you tell us the specifics you are looking for we will be able to pick one of the pups that will best match your desires in your new Weim. If you don’t know specifics, we can work with you to figure out what will be right for your family!  We spend tons of time getting to know the pups intimately.  We use our years of experience to match you with the best possible Curious Weim for you!!

One situation that somewhat side steps our process a small bit is when our litter only has 1 pup with a certain color and gender. If we decide not to keep that pup in the family, then they will typically end up being placed with the first qualified person who places a deposit on that color and gender.

 

If you have additional questions not answered in the Curious Weims FAQ, don’t hesitate to contact us directly.

Thanks you for reading the Curious Weims FAQ!

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