Page 272 - ShowSight, November 2020

the
Weimaraner
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WEIMARANER CLUB OF AMERICA, ILLUSTRATIONS BY LINDA J. SHAW AND LORNA GODSILL
HEIGHT
Height at the withers: dogs, 25 to 27 inches; bitches, 23 to 25 inches. One inch over or under the specified height of each sex is allowable but should be penalized. Dogs measuring less than 24 inches or more than 28 inches and bitches measuring less than 22 inches or more than 26 inches shall be disqualified.
Medium size with regard to height needs no explanation as it is clearly defined with a disqualification for those who deviate from this size. When compared to people and objects of known proportion, the medium size of the Weimaraner is apparent. Height is always measured from the withers to the ground.
HEAD
Moderately long and aristocratic, with moderate stop and slight median line extending back over the forehead. Rather prominent occipital bone and trumpets well set back, beginning at the back of the eye sockets. Measurement from tip of nose to stop equals that from stop to occipital bone. The flews should be straight, delicate at the nostrils. Skin drawn tightly. Neck clean-cut and moderately long. Expression kind, keen and intelligent. Ears—Long and lobular, slightly folded and set high. The ear when drawn snugly alongside the jaw should end approximately 2 inches from the point of the nose. Eyes—In shades of light amber, gray or blue-gray, set well enough apart to indicate good disposition and intelligence. When dilated under excitement the eyes may appear almost black. Teeth—Well set, strong and even; well-developed and proportionate to jaw with correct scissors bite, the upper teeth protruding slightly over the lower teeth but not more than 1/16 of an inch. Complete dentition is greatly to be desired. Nose—Gray. Lips and Gums—Pinkish flesh shades.
A medium-sized gray dog, with fine aristocratic features, he should present a picture of grace, speed, stamina, alertness and balance.
ORIGIN AND PURPOSE
The Weimaraner breed dates back to 13th century art and literature. The Grand Duke of Weimar, for whom the breed is named, is responsible for standardizing the breed to its modern form. The Weimaraner developed into one of the prized continental hunting breeds during the 19th century, excelling with various types of game. They exhibited instinctive hunting abilities such as tracking, searching, pointing, retrieving, and locating downed large game. What made the Weima- raner unique was its need for human compan- ionship and kind handling. With the decline of big game, along with the introduction of guns to bird hunting, Weimaraner breeders placed more emphasis on pointing instincts.
In 1896, Germany recognized the Wei- maraner as a breed. Despite opposition from the German breed club, a few individual dogs came to North America in the first part of the 20th century. The breed was eventually recog- nized in the United States and Canada.
The Weimaraner is now used in Germany on all furred and feathered game. In North America, they are used almost exclusively on birds. The modern Weimaraner has main- tained its stamina, hunting versatility, and need for human bonding.
STANDARD: APPROVED DECEMBER 14, 1971
GENERAL APPEARANCE
A medium-sized gray dog, with fine aristo- cratic features. He should present a picture of grace, speed, stamina, alertness and balance. Above all, the dog’s conformation must indi- cate the ability to work with great speed and endurance in the field.
268 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2020