Prospective Weimaraner owner from Australia

[oceanaussi]

Hello everybody!

I’m a prospective Weimaraner owner from Queensland, Australia! I currently have an 8-year-old Kelpie x GSD and bought my own house on a fenced acre. I've done quite a bit of research on the breed and think I'm up to it (at least I hope so). As I will be moving into my new house and have some renovations to do I plan to get a puppy by the end of this year (after mid-November as we're on holiday before).

I don't want to show but I'd love to do dogsports like agility, flyball and tracking but I wont do hunting or lureing. I also will go horseriding with him. Therefore I'm looking for people who have done this. Originally, I"m German but as I'm living in Australia now I have to get a pup over here so if there any Australians with good and/or bad experiences with a breeder, please let me know! It would be highly appreciated!

I'm a bit scared as a lot of people told me it's not a dog for everyone. Well, of course it's not - to be honest I don't think I could handle a BC or Lab. I know it's a dominant breed and that there're some anxious ones around but I think a lot of Weim owners still go to work every day without their dogs. I'm looking forward to read all your experiences with these beautiful dogs!

[marjolein]

Welcome here from me and my LH's. There are quite a few peeps from down under on this board so I'm sure they'll be able to help.
Whereabouts in Queensland are you?

p.s. I'm pretty sure a Lab is a lot easier than a Weim......

[Rachel]

There are many good Australian breeders on this site that will give you some tips. I would say that if you want an active life style with your dog that they would enjoy that very much. Of course a breeder will ask you many more questions such as do you work full time? Plus many more questions. The lab is easier than the Weimaraner. I used to own one as a youngster.
If you want any more advice then click on mywebsite and find my email address and just ask
Rachel

[greyghost]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

When I first started to look for a Weim 11 years ago my research showed me I was not going to manage one. I then found out about the American lines who were supposed to be more affable and then decided I could probably cope with a bitch. Lines have changed a lot since then.

All I can say is it was the BIGGEST shock to the system EVER. Abbie was my first dog ever unless you count the strays I used to bring home as a kid.

I didn't have contact with a forum for help in those days, muddled through best I could. Luckily I have a strong character and won through but it wasn't until I met up with a lot of other Weim people and started training with very knowledgeable people who advocated positive reward training that I started to realise the full potential of my girl. She was 6 then. I lost her when she was almost 9 and then took on a rescue Weim who is now 6.5. She is a totally different character to Abbie.

Do you work full time? Will somebody be at home during the day?

Maybe it is a question of finding the right Weim for you as they are all different but they are all pretty much willfull and you need to get on top of them before they walk all over you. Have a word with some breeders and be guided by the breeder as to the character of the pup before making your mind up.

[Lois]

Hi Melanie?
I think it was you that contacted my by email regarding purchasing a Weimaraner. I am pretty sure I answered all your questions but you will get lots more info on the breed on this forum.
I don't have any pups available from my litters but there are several other Aussie breeders on this forum that may be able to help you.
Good luck!

Lois

[Cheryl]

Welcome, my Icelandics and weims got along famously w/each other, we had many good times but then I wouldn't recommend any other horse other than the Icelandic...very dependable and careful, wonderful breed, can be trained more reliably than most dogs;)

[Kobie]

Hi,
Welcome from Belgium...

My experience in weims is that if you are femiliar with handling and training dogs, you should be able to train a weimaraner. In our obedience school, you see all kinds of breeds, shepperds, dobers, labs, golden retreivers, weimaraners,... It's not always the weimaraner who isn't listening or is difficult during classes, BECAUSE.... People that don't have experiences with dogs, choose often for a lab or golden breed, as they THINK it's a breed that will be in no time educated, but you see often that just these people can't manage their dogs...
Dogs are like children, you have to controle them, or they WILL controle YOU, just simple like that !
I have now 2 European weims and 1 Aussie weimaraner... The Aussie girl is more easier to train, as she isn't that nervous of character and more layed back.
Of course, it doesn't mean that her education is a peace of cake...
Good luck with your desision....

[oceanaussi]

Thanks everybody for welcoming me! I live about an hour north-west of Brisbane.

My comment about the Lab and the BC was a bit misunderstood I think. I don't mean I couldn't handle them trainingwise but I don't think I could handle their personalities. Of course I'm generalising now but a Lab is normally an easy-going dog who loves just about everybody and everything. It's one of these dogs which walks up and down the street and loves to get pet by everybody. That would totally clash with my personality! I love to be by myself (well, the dogs and me) and I don't want a dog who is too good for this world. I want a dog where I don't have to be afraid of that it gets stolen or that somebody enters my yard - with a Weim and his aloofness of strangers, he wouldn't let one touching him or entering his territory. Is that clearer now?

I'm not really worried about training being too difficult. If anyone would have met my girl when she was young, you'd know what I'm talking about.

Yes, I do work full-time but I have another dog and a fenced acre where they can run around free and safe. And like I said all my spare time is for the dogs... and a little bit for my partner. I love to do different things with my new pup. Although I haven't got a pup yet, I'm already looking for the right clubs. We'll start with obedience training and I will do the rest from home at the beginning. I have a full agility course at home and got exercises I can do with a pup so it get's used to all the equipment. Once grown up and able to do everything like jump etc, we'll go and do flyball, proper agility, frisbee and of course we'll continue obedience. I also like to do tracking and I might give the Schutzhund a go if possible. Hera did her Schutzhund in Germany as she wasn't allowed to do it in Australia. I also heard about 'Utility' but I think this involves hunting and as a Weim is a hunting dog and has strong hunting instinkts I don't want to promote them. Should be enough activity for a Weim and me?

I've contacted a few Weimaraner breeders here in Australia and I think I found some with a Weimaraner character I'm looking for. I'm going to meet these breeders within the next few months and hopefully then make a decision. It's all still another 6 months until I have a puppy but there so many things to prepare.

Looking forward to hear/read everything about your Weims and hope to be able to add a bit more once I've got mine!

[sieglinde]

Hi Mel and welcome to the Forum from us here in sunny Spain.
Hope you enjoy the company of other Weim-Lovers!!!!

[weimaranermama]

Hi,
Welcome from Holland too. When you do enough work to train your weimaraner, they will be very quiet at home. They like to work with you and for you.
But .......a weimaraner is still a huntingdog and when he has the hunting genes in his mind, he will show you that he likes to hunt anyway.
The weimaraner does not need to be trained as Schutzhund, he will protect you, when it is necessary out of him self.
Succes with looking and buying a good puppie.
Gr.Ina

[jacksar]

HI MEL
I think I got an e-mail from you a a couple of weeks ago, I refered you to a breeder, hope you had some luck! But don't forget Weimaraners were bred to hunt and hopefully always be in their genes. As long as they are trained to obey you should not have any problems. Hopefully there is not any breeders out there who are trying to breed the hunting instinct out. To watch a Weimaraner work in the field and going on point, to me is poetry in motion. I will see you on Sunday at the Weimaraner Champ/open show
Jackie

[oceanaussi]

Get the Champagne out! My boy has been born!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It finally worked out and I just received a call from Ingrid. They have 8 puppies: 5 girls and 3 boys - one of them MINE! They were born last night starting at 5 pm. All happy and sound!

OMG I'm soooooo exited!

I'm going to see Ingird and the pup when he'a about 4 weeks old.

Here're his parents:

MBIS/MBISS Am/Can/Aust Ch Graytsky's Smokin' in Havana (Imp USA) 'Mac' (http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/profile.asp?dog=16875)

Aust Ch Grausturm Live the Dream 'Mischka' (http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/profile.asp?dog=11576)

It's still a Q-litter, so now the name search is on again.

Welcome to this world, my little champion! The world will greet you with open arms and you will have a great life and turn many heads, I know that for sure!

[marjolein]

Congrats to both you and Ingrid!!

[greyghost]

Sounds like you are positively QUAVERING with excitement in QUEENSLAND .

Why not just call him 'Q' as in James Bond

Congratulations 'mummy' ;D. Pictures required as soon as possible

[Wetdog]

Congratulations!

Since it's going to be a he---a name I always liked, Quaid or Quade .

[greyghost]

How about 'quid pro quo' (something for something - exactly how a Weim's brain works ;D

[tasha]

awww how lovely enjoy your new little bundle whatever you decide to call him.

[oceanaussi]

On Tuesday I'm going to visit the breeder and my little Quentin!
On the 11th March he's coming home!

I'm so exited! I have so much stuff for him, he will love it!

As I had so much time while waiting for my boy I changed a lot of my views on owning a Weimaraner too.

So when Quentin comes home, he's going to puppy school and later obedience. We're enrolled in a retrieving training course and confirmation show training. We'll also do tracking and I became a member of the field and retrieving clubs so later down the track we will do some proper Weimaraner field work! We will do a mantrailing course in July which will be very usable for us as my partner is a cop often searching for missing people and I'm in the State Emergency Service.

I promise some beautiful puppy pics next week when I get back!

[chesarasara]

Hi, Is Quentin a Long Hair?

Greg