The Weimaraner Standard describes our breed temperament as friendly, fearless, alert and obedient, but this is only part of the personality. Demanding, loving loyal and surprisingly headstrong also fit, giving the dog not only a willing attitude but a drive to be a complete member of your family. Owning a weimaraner is like always having a young child in your life.

If you think of a weim as a toddler with toddler’s needs and then figure this into your life style, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect with your new puppy. Some people are not willing to make this much of a commitment and will then have some major problems with a weim as their choice.

Weimaraners can be very energetic and will need frequent exercise to keep them happy. They do not do well left alone in a kennel. They seem to think they were put here to occupy your couch and sleep in your bed. Just remember the toddler’s needs and you will have the right mindset.

As for fencing, the weim is a sporting breed, bred for hunting and will leave your unfenced area very quickly if allowed. Invisible fences work well for some families. Theft is a very real threat, so make sure your weim is not left alone in your fenced yard for very long. Unfortunately, Wm. Wegman has increased the popularity of our breed, making the weim a target for dog snatchers.

In my forty two years with weims, I have found them easy to work with for almost any task. Some pedigrees produce weims that are more obstinate and difficult to train. This is not a desired trait and should not be encouraged.

Hyperactive personalities and nervousness are other undesirable traits that should not be bred into our breed. Currently, we have many high strung, very active weimaraners being produced to support the demand for our new found popularity.

Weimaraners are easily trained if you know how to train. Consistency is a key. A solid, assertive correction is also sometimes necessary. Puppy classes are great if you can find them in your area. This is a breed that needs obedience training and you can start at a very early age. As soon as you get the new baby home, you can start by teaching the new pup not to jump up. Set your goals to not let the puppy jump up - ever! Push him/her down with your hand and repeat "off" with each event.

Crate training is a good idea and should be used for any breed. The crate provides a secure "den" plus some freedom for you. Crate training is basically providing a small, secure place where the new pup can’t get to household things and will wait until you let him/her out before using the potty. New pups need to piddle about every 2 hours or so. If you confine them when you are busy with other chores and let them outside immediately when they wake, they will do their duty and then can run around the house for almost 2 hours before another trip outside is necessary. Care should be taken not to leave any dog in a crate for any length of time. Weims left in crates for hours will quickly become unmanageable, plus, this is cruel. Some families have a member go home at lunchtime and play with the pup and take care of the "toddlers" needs so that the day doesn’t seem so long.

While they are not noted as a "barky" breed, weimaraners left alone in a back yard will quickly become barkers. A well bred weim is not aggressive or a consistent barker if raised in the right surroundings. If you are looking for a protective breed a weimaraner is not a good choice.

A note about bad habits: Any dog is going to develop bad habits when left alone with little attention for long periods of time. Typical bad habits are digging, barking, jumping up, destructive behavior(ripping up your couch) and maybe lots of chewing. A weimaraner is an intelligent dog with a need for stimulation and companionship and will keep you aware of this constantly.

This article is intended for the potential new weimaraner owner and has focused on what to expect when seeking a weim for a pet and companion. I mentioned little about field work, obedience competition, or show dogs. The weimaraner does great in all of these areas.