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Animal register · DogIn the app

Weimaraner

Weimaraner Pointer, Weim

The Weimaraner comes from Germany; the FCI lists it among the continental pointing dogs and recognises a short-haired and a long-haired variety. The FCI standard describes a medium to large hunting dog of functional working type, sinewy and very muscular, with amber eyes and broad, fairly long ears; the coat is silver, roe or mouse grey, only small white markings on the chest and toes are permitted, and any colour other than grey disqualifies. It gives a height of 59–70 cm and a weight of about 30–40 kg for males, and 57–65 cm and about 25–35 kg for females.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends more than two hours of exercise a day, a large house and a large garden, and grooming once a week. The PDSA says Weimaraners make wonderful family pets in the right hands and do best with owners familiar with the breed, but does not recommend them for homes with smaller children or smaller pets because of their very strong prey drive, says they can develop separation anxiety if left alone, and advises socialising them from a young age and leaving a gap between eating and exercising. PetMD adds monthly ear cleaning and a monthly bath.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Weimaraner — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
large — The Royal Kennel Club S479
Adult weight
males 30–40 kg, females 25–35 kg — FCI S478
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S479
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S479
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S479
Lifespan
more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S479

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • an active familyS479
  • family lifeS480
  • a large house and gardenS479

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS479
  • powerful dog — needs an experienced ownerS480
  • large dog — not for homes with small childrenS480
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS481
  • shedsS479
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS480

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S479

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short or long (two coat varieties) — The Royal Kennel Club S479
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S479
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S479

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S479

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 15–18 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S479
  • Height at the withers: males 59–70 cm, females 57–65 cm — FCI S478
  • Adult weight: males 30–40 kg, females 25–35 kg — FCI S478

Training

  • No. 21 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 99, group 7 (pointing dogs); origin: Germany. — FCI S477

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Weimaraner need?

According to our sources, the Weimaraner needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S479.

How long does a Weimaraner live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Weimaraner is: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S479.

How big does a Weimaraner get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Weimaraner, according to our sources: Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S479; Adult weight: males 30–40 kg, females 25–35 kg — FCI S478.

How much grooming does a Weimaraner need?

Coat and grooming of the Weimaraner, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S479; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S479; Coat: short or long (two coat varieties) — The Royal Kennel Club S479.

Who is the Weimaraner a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Weimaraner as a good fit for: an active family — The Royal Kennel Club S479; family life — PDSA S480; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S479. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club S479; powerful dog — needs an experienced owner — PDSA S480; large dog — not for homes with small children — PDSA S480; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PetMD S481; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S479; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PDSA S480.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 90 (7.5 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.
  • Care: checking and cleaning the ears every 4 weeks — a task for the child.
  • Care: a bath every 4 weeks — a reminder for the parent.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S479S481

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Hip dysplasia, a poorly developed hip joint that can lead to arthritis, occurs in the breed; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips scored. — PDSA S480
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S480
  • Certain cancers can occur in the breed. — PDSA S480
  • Distichiasis, where small extra eyelashes grow on the inner surface or the edge of the eyelid and can rub the eye, can occur in the breed; ask for parents tested under the eye scheme. — PDSA S480
  • Entropion, where the eyelids turn inwards and irritate the eye, can occur in the breed; ask for eye-checked parents. — PetMD S481
  • An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which can affect weight, skin and energy levels, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S481

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Further tests for best practice

  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S479
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S479
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S479

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S477FCI — Breeds nomenclature: WEIMARANER (99)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/WEIMARANER-99.html
  11. S478FCI — FCI Standard N° 99: Weimaraner (English PDF, official valid standard 19.03.2015)https://WWW.FCI.BE/Nomenclature/Standards/099g07-en.pdf
  12. S479The Royal Kennel Club — Breeds A to Z — Weimaranerhttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/gundog/weimaraner/
  13. S480PDSA — Weimaraner breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/weimaraner
  14. S481PetMD — Barri J. Morrison, DVM, reviewed by Jo Cornett, DVM (updated Jan. 3, 2025) — Weimaranerhttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/weimaraner
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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