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Reflecting on a lifelong passion for Weimaraners, sharing memories of their intelligence, versatility, and deep bond with their owners.
Dr. Dana Massey
This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, February 2014 issue.
In 1950, my father—a farmer, rancher, and avid sportsman—brought me a Weimaraner puppy. Daddy had English Setters, Pointers, and a Bulldog. Mother had a Poodle and a Standard Schnauzer. However, that Weimaraner ruled the house, the home place, and the ranch. His name was Quirt, and for twelve years, he was my constant companion and protector. He swam in the Gulf of Mexico with me, he ran next to me when I rode my horse, and he sat on the gun range for hours as we practiced trap, skeet, and live pigeon shoots. He nipped at me if I swam too far out, barked at me if I pushed the horse too hard, and put his life on the line when intruders broke into the house at Christmas in 1956.
The Weimaraner breed has come a very long way since 1950. The temperament, health, versatility, and popularity have all improved. I can remember going to the vet and Quirt not being allowed inside because the vet was afraid of him. Breeders have brought our Weims a long way—they’ve always been great family dogs, but now they are socialized and biddable.
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One reason so many of us have Weimaraners is that they are extremely smart. They are said to be human-like in their ability to learn and do! But they can be stubborn and willful—with a mind of their own. This needs to be channeled through training. Training a Weimaraner means earning his love and respect.
A hard, tough hand is usually not met with success. A Weimaraner is not a kennel dog—nor is he happy to be distanced from his people—as he may become destructive and sometimes vengeful.
The AKC and other worldwide registries provide many venues for Weims—conformation, hunt tests (both pointing and retrieving), field trials, tracking, obedience, agility, fly ball, among others. Additionally, Weimaraners excel in being therapy dogs, service dogs, cadaver dogs, drug dogs—and I’m sure I’m missing some of their talents! The versatility of a Weimaraner is one of the main attractions to the breed. If you get a Weimaraner, you need to keep them busy and give them plenty of exercise and attention. Channel their energy and intelligence for a great companion. Ignore it—and you’ll be forever sorry.
The Weimaraner is often referred to as a gentleman’s hunting dog by many people. He hunts and retrieves for the hunter—he is bonded and loyal, working hard to please his companion. Normally not a big running, brush-busting field dog—he certainly can do that too. What does a versatile hunting dog do besides hunt? He retrieves. The Weimaraner Club of America and the Weimaraner Association of Canada have ratings tests which showcase the retrieving ability of Weimaraners—who can work like a Labrador Retriever! The Weimaraner can be a steady, reliable, hardworking retrieving dog.
Through the years, the Weimaraner has been prized for his tracking ability…and rightfully so. Many of us joke that it is almost “cheating” to do tracking with a Weimaraner. It is natural to them, and earning TDs and TDXs for young Weims is not uncommon.
That a Weimaraner has the energy to do many, if not all, of these is a testament to its versatility—which is a plus. But always remember—a Weimaraner is a breed that NEEDS to do SOMETHING—that is a fact. Every day Weims appear in rescue because the owner didn’t keep him busy…a tired Weimaraner is a happy Weimaraner.
Anyone who has ever had dogs has dozens of stories and a favorite dog or two. So, I would be remiss in not storytelling for a bit. Following are a couple of stories about specific dogs from my life—it always brings a tear to my eye when I talk about the favorites who have gone over the Rainbow Bridge—but they are the foundation of my love and passion for the breed.
My first real show dog was Guapo. He was a mischievous, funny dog who made people laugh. From the obedience judge who caught him nosing through her purse and dragging out her lunch, to the hunt test judge who, after Guapo had seven points, told us to “pick that vacuum cleaner up before he clears the field,” to the tracking judge who told me to go “flush that pheasant and get back to tracking.” He made me think it was easy. He finished in about 10 shows and he taught me what it was like to train a Weimaraner. By the time he was 3 years old, he was an Am/Can CH with a title in every area a Weim could compete in—remember this was before the plethora of titles we have now. I remember once I submitted his name for a program of awards as Am/Can CH, JH CDX, TD, NA, NRD, SD, VX, CGC TDI—it showed up as AmCan CH Weimshadow’s Smooth Criminal ETC—all that work boiled down to an ETC!
Then there was Flirt. Any of the longtime Weim people know who you mean when you say “Flirt”—and many called her the “Win’k of an Eye” bitch. She is a WCA Hall of Fame dog—a busy bee who could easily have been a Weim who was returned to the breeder if not kept busy. I remember her coming out of the crate at the Houston airport in July 1992. Michael Kemp (I found out later who he was) was there picking up a bulldog puppy. When Flirt strutted out of that crate holding the teddy bear in her mouth—tail up and “here I am world” attitude, Mr. Kemp said to me, “That’s a Best in Show one there!” At 8 weeks he called it!
To this day, though, she was my heart dog—from 8 weeks old as a puppy, through a resounding show career, a Pedigree top producer, and an all-around performance dog—she taught me how to win, how to lose (you can’t point the finger at the judge), and what I wanted to do in the Fancy. She was Am/Can CH Bis/Biss Nani’s Win’k of an Eye VCD1 (TD CD NA NAJ) JH NRD VX CGC TDI HOF BROM—and she is the most titled AKC Best in Show Weimaraner.
Two stories about Flirt: She won the breed at the Host Specialty for the Nationals in Rhode Island from the Veteran Class—after receiving Pedigree Top Producing Dam and winning 1st place in the agility trial. She was 8 years old—and everyone was on their feet clapping and yelling as she took the victory lap—out in front at the end of the lead with her signature reach and drive. She ended her life as a service dog for my grandson Braden, who is a quadriplegic. She retrieved his toys, pushed him to an upright position, and was his constant companion. Twelve years was not enough with her. Funny, I still miss her—and her busy bee ways!
Fred was a sweet, loving, beautiful dog—and he was the last one I had who would have protected me to his very death. Who names a dog “Fred”? An 8-year-old child who watches The Flintstones, that’s who! Fred was officially Am/Can CH BISS Ashmore Win’Weim Royal Flush JH BROM. Fred was my real introduction to the huge responsibility of owning a stud dog. He was a Pedigree Top Producer, and in about 15 breedings had over 50 champions with over 60 performance titles. He produced five Best in Show winners—in the US, Canada, and Australia.
Fred taught me to say “No.” Probably 2/3 of the breeders who asked to use him, I said no. I worried so much about where the puppies would go, who was raising them, how to keep up with them, and if the breedings would be successful. We all make mistakes—mine was maybe saying ‘no’ too often—but the ‘yes’ breedings were so successful—and I have those breeders to thank who put up with me as the stud dog owner from hell. Thanks, Ready-Freddy! How do you end a discussion about a passion that has lasted for 62 years? It is a love. It is a romance.
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