The Weimaraner breed was developed for hunting although the exact origins are unknown. A dog of the Weimaraner type appeared in a Van Dyke painting in the early 1600's. The breed is believed by many to have come from the German short-haired pointer, crossed with the bloodhound, mastiffs and various schweisshund breeds. The Weimaraner takes its name from the Grand Duke of Weimar, Charles August and was used by the nobility to hunt big game, wolves, wildcats, deer, bears and mountain lion. As the big game hunting declined the breed was used to hunt smaller animals like fowl, rabbits and foxes. The breeding of this dog was kept a close secret in Germany for many years and it was not introduced to America until 1929. It was in 1943 that the American kennel club granted official recognition to the breed.

These dogs have sleek, short grey coat and amber or blue eyes. They are the tallest of the gun dog group and are elegant, noble and athletic in appearance. The tail is normally docked to around 15cm. They are graceful and have speed, stamina and endurance giving them a tremendous presence. The breed are capable of working in the field whether from hunting or show stock. There is a long haired variety of the breed which is less common, it also has a silky coat but has an undocked, feathered tail.

Weimaraners are highly athletic and trainable and excel in a variety of dog sports such as agility as well as obedience and field trials. They are fast and powerful but make excellent family dogs given appropriate training and exercise. They love family life and are friendly, intelligent and quick-witted. The breed is very protective of their family and can be territorial so make excellent guard dogs. They must be trained consistently and with patience and confidence from an early age so that they learn to mix with people and other animals. Weimaraners lively temperament may be a little to much for families with small children. Lots of exercise and attention is essential to prevent the dog making its own fun and getting into mischief. It must be remembered that the dog is a hunting dog and while they will usually tolerate cats they may well chase and kill other small animals that enter the garden.

Those familiar with the breed will acknowledge that they suffer from two common behaviour disorders, the first is separation anxiety. This disorder includes panicked effort to rejoin the owner, excessive drooling, destructive behaviour and associated injuries such as broken teeth. The second disorder is unacceptable aggression; this can be prevented with extensive socialization at an early age but a certain amount of aggression is innate to the breed.

They are affected by usual canine health problems such as bloat and hip dysplasia but with no great frequency, the two more unusual problems they are prone to are spinal dysraphism which is a severe but non-lethal condition which affects the gait and stance and causes the dog to crouch, and ear infections which are easily acquired due to the drop-eared conformation. The average lifespan of the Weimaraner is 12 to 13 years.

Some famous owners of Weimaraners are former US President Dwight D Eisenhower, movie actor Brad Pitt and NYPD Blue star Esai Morales.