The Weimaraner is a dog that was originally bred for hunting in the early 19th century. Early Weimaraners were used by royalty for hunting large game such as boar, bear, and deer. As the popularity of large game hunting began to decline, Weimaraners were used for hunting smaller animals like fowl, rabbits, and foxes.
The Weimaraner is an all purpose gun dog. The name comes from the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Karl August, whose court, based in the city of Weimar (now in modern day Germany), enjoyed hunting. The Weimaraner is athletic in appearance. Traditionally, the tail is docked. In countries where this is still carried out, the docked tail should measure approximately 6 inches in the adult dog, and this is part of the American Kennel Club breed standard.
Tail docking is illegal in several countries, and in these countries the breed is shown with an entire tail. The British Kennel Club breed standard describes a tail reaching to the hocks and carried below the level of back when relaxed, and the German breed club standard calls for a full tail that is strong and well coated, which can be carried above the line of the back when the dog is working.
This breed's short coat and its unusual eyes give it a regal appearance different from any other breed. The coat is extremely low maintenance, short, hard, and smooth to the touch, and may range from charcoal-blue to mouse-grey to silver-grey or even blue-gray. Where the fur is thin or non-existent, inside the ears or on the lips, for example, the skin should be a pinkish tone rather than white or black.
According to the AKC standard, the male Weimaraner stands between 25 to 27 in (64 to 69 cm) at the withers. Females are between 23 to 25 in (58 to 64 cm). Of course, there are many dogs taller or shorter than the breed standard. The breed is not heavy for its height, and males normally weigh roughly 70-80 lb (32–36 kg). Females are generally between 55-70 lb (25-32 kg). A Weimaraner should give the appearance of a muscular, athletic dog.