"The Weimaraner"
Throughout its earlier career the Weimaraner was sponsored by the sportsmen nobles in the court of Weimar. Long accustomed to many types of hunting, these men determined to meld into one breed all the qualities they had found worthwhile in their forays against the then abundant game of Germany. In short, the dog had to have good scenting ability, speed, courage and intelligence.
Formerly the Weimaraner had been a big-game dog used on such quarry as wolves, wildcats, deer, mountain lion, bear etc. By the time big game in Germany became a rarity, the breed was supported by a club originally started by a few of the men who had drawn up the dog's specifications. They were amateur sportsmen who desired to breed for sport rather than for profit. Accordingly, it was not easy to purchase a Weimaraner in Germany and was practically impossible in any foreign country. One had to become a member of the club before purchasing, while gaining admittance to the club meant that the applicant's previous record of sportsmanship must assure proper maintenance of the club's breeding rules. One of these rules demanded that litters resulting from matings deemed unsuitable by a breed survey were not given place in the stud book; another, that specimens, even from approved litters, which did not measure up physically and temperamentally were to be destroyed. Hence there was no chance of a boom in the breed.
America came to know the Weimaraner back in 1929 when an American sportsman and dog breeder, Howard Knight, was made a member of Germany's Weimaraner Club. Permitted to bring back two specimens, he helped found the club in America and served as it's first president. The club has made every effort to carry out the same principles that mapped the career of the breed in its native land.
It should be mentioned in passing that with the demise of big-game hunting in Germany, the Weimaraner was trained as a bird dog used on various types of game in upland shooting and as a water retriever noted for its soft mouth. However, both Germany and in America the dog has been used more as a personal hunting companion than as a field trial competitor.
Obedience trials incited the first interest in the breed over here, even before recognition was granted in 1943 by the American Kennel Club. A bitch qualified for her CD in three straight shows in 1941, and later, another specimen went through all degrees except the tracking test before reaching it's tenth month. Curiously enough, the Weimaraner has seen more actual competitions of various kinds in America than it did in all its decades in Germany.
As for temperament, the dog is not happy when related to the kennel. He is accustomed to being a member of the family and he accepts the responsibilities which that entails.
As taken from the Official Publication of The American Kennel Club
"The Complete Dog Book"
19th Edition Revised