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10 Wonderful Weimaraner Facts You Never Knew

Otherwise known as the “Gray Ghost,” there’s always been a sense of mystery with these dogs. There’s more to the breed than just being excellent hunting and tracking dogs. In fact, there’s probably a lot of things you didn’t know about these dogs.

Like did you know they’re one of the most intelligent and clever dog breeds in the canine kingdom? Interested in learning what behavior is specific to the Weimaraner breed? Do you know about the Weimaraner that specialized in tracking down missile parts?

If questions like these intrigue you, stick around! In today’s article, we’re counting down the 10 most interesting and little-known Weimaraner facts that you didn’t know.

RECOMMENDED: 100 Most Interesting Dog Facts

10. Some Weimaraners have “tiny horns” on their heads.

No, we’re not saying that these mischievous playful dogs are little devils – though they can act like one at times. And we’re also not talking about the typical “horns” that you see on rhinos, cattle or goats.

Rather, there are some Weimaraners who have a tiny flap of skin that sits on their head, right above their ears. But not all dogs of this breed have this of course. It’s believed that dogs with these “little horns” were descended from the Harrasburg line of Weimaraners. 

In fact, it’s why they’re frequently known as the “Harrasburg Horns.” However, Weimaraners aren’t exactly special with this set of horns. Similar breeds, such as the Vizsla and German Shorthaired Pointer, both have these horns (or at least similar horns), too.

So, did you check your Weimaraner’s head yet? Do they have the Harrasburg Horns? If they do, let us know in the comments below!

9. Weimaraners are born with some of the most unique physical traits and highlights.  

Dog breeds that have unique coats are often born with a simple and plain coat. For example, the spotted Dalmatians don’t actually have their spots as a newborn puppy. And the Blue Heeler’s unique coats are actually solid white when they first arrive in this world.

However, the Weimaraner is the opposite. Instead of their solid-colored coats, Weimaraners are actually born with tiger stripes that streak through their entire bodies.

And while this looks amazing, it doesn’t last very long. In just a few days, these tiger stripes start to fade and the solid gray coats start to emerge.

But stripes aren’t the only cool thing about a Weimaraner puppy. These dogs are also born with bright, light-blue eyes. As the dog ages, the blue gradually turns into a gray or amber color. 

8. They’re nicknamed the “dog with the human brain” for a reason.

Did you know that Weimaraners are some of the smartest and most clever dogs in the world? They’re so intelligent that they’ve apparently earned themselves the nickname, “dog with the human brain.” But just how intelligent are they?

For obedience and working intelligence, Weimaraners are the 25th smartest dogs. This essentially means that these dogs can learn a new command with just 5 to 15 repetitions. Plus, they’re able to obey a known command, on the first attempt, with a 85% or better success rate!

But what ultimately landed them the title of “dog with a human brain” isn’t from obedience and working IQ. Rather, it’s from their freakishly high adaptive IQ. 

This type of dog intelligence refers to what the dog can learn for himself. Weimaraners are clever dogs that are great at learning from previous mistakes and experiences. Plus, they’re some of the best problem solvers. Does this sound like your dog? Let us know in the comments!

7. They’re one of the fastest dog breeds ever on land.

Weimaraners are fast dogs. After all, they were bred to hunt small and agile animals, such as rabbits, foxes and fowl. But just how fast are they? According to Parade.com, the Weimaraner can run a remarkable 35 miles per hour!

For reference, the world’s fastest horse runs about 55 miles per hour. And the world’s fastest dog, the Greyhound, can reach 45 miles per hour in full stride. All in all, the top speed of the Weimaraner makes them one of the 10 fastest dog breeds alive.

6. A Weimaraner and his owner set the world record for fastest mile time in 2016. 

How do we know these dogs are some of the fastest? Well, we have some proof to back up that statement. In 2016, a man and his furry companion broke the unofficial record for the “human-dog mile” in Santa Barbara, California.

This race is essentially a dog on a leash, while the human and dog run a single mile. The dog named “Kaydom,” was a 5 year old Weimaraner who the owner rescued from a shelter 3 years prior. Since then, they’ve been logging in 40 miles per week as running buddies.

So it’s not surprising that Kaydom and his owner blazed through the mile in just 4 minutes and 13 seconds. And according to the 39 year old owner, Brian Duff, he was just trying to run as fast as he could to keep up with Kaydom through the mile-long run. 

Who knew these dogs had it in them?

5. Out of all the AKC breed standards, only the Weimaraner’s breed standard has this unusual word.

Official AKC breed standards can tell you a lot about a dog breed. And oftentimes, you’ll find words that seem to perfectly fit the bill. For example, only 4 breed standards include the word “majestic.” One of which is the calm and magnificent Cane Corso.

But did you know that the Weimaraner’s breed standard is the only standard to include the word “trumpet?” And no, they’re not describing the brass instrument. Instead, the word “trumpet” actually refers to the protruding temples on the Weimaraner’s 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.

– AKC’s Weimaraner Standard

It’s pretty much the spot behind the eye socket of the side of the skull. And while we still have no idea why the word “trumpet” was used to describe this trait, we do know that “trumpets” are a beautiful complement to their facial features.

4. There’s an unusual behavior that’s often seen in the Weimaraner breed.

Does your Weimaraner “nook?” If you don’t actually own one of these dogs, then it’s okay to be confused. Nooking refers to the behavior where the dog kneads and sucks on their stuffed toys. 

We still don’t have a full explanation for this, but some believe that it’s caused by early separation from their mothers. Others believe that it’s just a thing Weimaraners do for comfort.

And although some say that this trait is seen specifically in Weimaraners, it appears that it’s not exclusive to this breed. It’s just that Weimaraners have this trait far more often than any other breed.

3. US President Eisenhower’s Weimaraner was a huge hit with the people of America. 

Of all the celebrities that have owned a Weimaraner, ex US President Dwight D. Eisenhower may be the most famous of them all. His Weimaraner’s name was Heidi, and she was a personality that people couldn’t get enough of.

When media photographers tried to snap pictures of the First Lady, Heidi would lunge at them. Newspapers would write all sorts of ridiculous stories about Heidi.

For instance, one reporter stated that she ate two poached eggs on toast, along with bacon, for breakfast every single day. Others reported that her meals consisted of cooked ground beef mixed together with kibbles. 

And finally, there was the rug incident, where Heidi’s bladder failed on a 20 thousand dollar rug in one of the White House reception rooms! Since then, Heidi moved away from the spotlight and lived peacefully at the Eisenhower farm in Pennsylvania. 

2. One heroic Weimaraner entered the Animal Hall of Fame for saving his owner’s life.

Not only are dogs a great companion and friend, but oftentimes they’ve even saved their owners’ lives. We’ve heard of these heroic stories time and time again. And on Easter Sunday in 2007, a Weimaraner named Herman Jr did it again. 

Herman’s owner got up in the middle of the night feeling ill, so he decided to go for a walk around the house and watch some late-night television. In a sudden, the owner collapsed and couldn’t move while struggling to cry for help. 

Herman took notice and immediately ran upstairs to wake up his wife. The wife woke up and, when she found her husband, called 911. 

It was a 100-percent blockage of the coronary artery, which has just a 50% survival rate. Without the quick actions of Herman Jr, his owner may not be alive today. Two years later, the heroic Weimaraner was inducted into Iowa’s Animal Hall of Fame, and rightfully so.

1. During the Cold War, one Weimaraner specialized in locating the most unusual thing.

One of the most impressive qualities of the Weimaraner is the nose and as a result, the keen sense of smell. It’s why they make excellent tracking dogs for small game and missing people.

But during the Cold War, there was one Weimaraner that specialized in tracking missile fragments. Dingo was his name. And Dingo, along with his German Shorthaired pointer friend, were crucial in recovering pieces of missiles so scientists could study the success or failure of these missiles.

The team of dogs worked hard everyday no matter the weather. In fact, in the intense heat, these dogs were given a custom terry-cloth jacket with pockets to hold ice cubes as a way to cool down. 

These dogs had a 96% recovery rate, and the program was so successful that numerous military and research agencies wanted the services of these dogs. The program eventually ended in 1965, but Dingo and Count were the first and best recovery missile dogs in history.


So what was your favorite Weimaraner fact? Did we miss any that deserve to be on this list? Let us know in the comments section below.

More Dog Facts:

Connie Robbins

Friday 6th of May 2022

One fact that you probably don’t know yet is that Sherwin Williams named a paint after the color of the Weimaraners , it’s name is “Spalding Grey”.

Connie Robbins

Friday 6th of May 2022

One fact that you probably don’t know yet is that Sherwin Williams named a pair after the color of Weimaraners , it’s name is “Spalding Grey”.

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