Training Your Weimaraner: Best Tips, Common Mistakes, and More!

So you’re getting a Weimaraner! Your amazing pup has a couple of centuries of breeding specifically for hunting game animals, so early training is necessary and we have a few helpful tips to help you with your Weimaraner, otherwise known as the Gray Ghost.

Understanding Your Weimaraner’s Personality and Training Needs

Originally developed by nobility in Weimar, Germany, Weimaraners and their owners hunted big game like bear and deer. Over time, the nobles bred strong, courageous, athletic dogs with massive stamina and excellent tracking abilities. The gray coat was likely a happy accident that they liked and kept — giving rise to their nickname of the Gray Ghost.

The most important thing to remember about Weimaraners is they are hunting dogs. These dogs have excessive energy and training needs that people aren’t always ready to provide.

The Best Training for Your Weimaraner

Weimaraners thrive on positive training with rewards and clear expectations. Rewards vary from one dog to the next, and can be treats, toys, praise, or a combination. It’s up to you to discover what your Weimaraner responds best to as a reward.

Most trainers say that about 99% of their training is reward-based and teaches dogs what TO do instead of what NOT to do. That’s not to say that a dog should never be told “no.” Sometimes, a quick correction that stops an unwanted behavior, followed by showing your Weimaraner what you want them to do is exactly what they need.

Harsh training methods can make dogs shut down and stop learning. So, finding the right trainer for you and your Weimaraner may take some time

Training your Weimaraner will take patience and consistency. If training isn’t your thing, remember that these dogs are extremely active and will get into trouble just as quickly as you can turn around. It’s in your home’s best interests if you buckle down because young Weimaraners chew constantly.

Weimaraner Training Timeline: 8-12 Weeks

Reputable breeders wait until pups are 8-10 weeks old before sending them to new homes. Experts say this is ideal because mother Weimaraners teach pups social skills that can prevent some fear-based issues.

When you bring home your Weimaraner puppy, be ready for a bundle of cuteness! Their first lessons involve crate training and teaching puppies to respond to their name. Potty training isn’t usually complete for several months until they have full control over their bladders, but should begin the moment you bring them home.

Socialization also begins the moment you bring them home — introduce them to new people gently. Using treats can help encourage your pup to be calm around new things.

This is also a great age to begin teaching simple cues and behaviors:

• Sit
• Down
• Stay
• Leave it
• Look/Eye contact
• Nose touch
• Name
• Potty training
• Loose leash walking
• Crate training

Crate Training a Weimaraner

Weimaraners are prone to separation anxiety and don’t do well without their people. Instead, they are gun dogs — bred to work with their human handler, helping hunt and retrieve big and small game ranging from deer to birds.

Blue Ghosts need practice being alone and crate training is the way to do that safely. Start with the crate open all the time — feed your pup all meals inside it and give them a treat or praise every time they venture inside independently.

Then, close the door, give your pup a treat, and open it. Gradually increase the amount of time you keep the door closed until you can lock it and walk away without your pooch panicking. Eventually, you’ll be able to leave them for longer periods.

Weimaraner Training Tips: 12-16 Weeks

At this point, they’ve had most of their puppy vaccinations and you can take them to more public locations. Continue socialization work, and get them out into more varied environments.

Take all the cues you’ve been practicing at home on the road! Go to dog-friendly stores that aren’t too crowded to practice sits, downs, and nose touches.

Socialization with a Weimaraner

Weimaraners are big, strong dogs that benefit from early and frequent socialization. Before you go out and let your pup play with other dogs to “socialize” them, it’s important to understand what trainers mean when they talk about socializing dogs.

The shortest definition means making a dog socially acceptable by teaching them to be neutral when meeting people or animals. So, that super friendly Weim who jumps on people, lunges while on (or off) leash, and barks at everything? Not socialized properly.

The process takes time and consistency. There’s a great window that typically ends around 16 weeks, where pups are most receptive to socializing. That doesn’t mean you can’t socialize them later, but it’s easier during this age. You can often avoid unpleasant reactivity later by taking care of this when they’re young.

Weimaraner Training Tips: 16-24 Weeks

Continue focusing on those basics: Recall, leash manners, and socialization will help you keep your Weimaraner focused on you and not the cat crossing the street. Try not to rush the basics, because no matter how far you take your Weimaraner’s training, you’ll always find yourself “going back to basics.” Besides, there is plenty of time to teach your pup all the fun tricks. There is no age where your dog will simply stop learning.

Bonding

The first few months with your puppy are spent more on developing a relationship with your dog than worrying about a perfect “heel.” Be sure you spend time just playing with your dog — without doing any extra training. They deserve time to be silly too, and it’ll help your bond blossom.

Weimaraner Training Tips: Six Months and Beyond

At this point, your Weimaraner should be reasonably solid on all the basics! And as a bonus — they can probably control their bladder for more than 30 minutes. Yay!

They’re also getting bigger, and their prey instincts have probably hit full-force by now. If your leave it cue isn’t solid, make it solid now.

Weimaraner Exercise Requirements

By now, you’ve noticed that your Weimaraner pup is full of energy. Although you can’t work six-month old pups very hard, you can get them out for short walks and training sessions several times per day.

During walks, take your time! There’s no reason to rush and the time you allow your pooch to sniff will also help wear them out, because sniffing takes up a lot of mental energy.

Common Weimaraner Training Mistakes

Try as we might, people aren’t perfect and that sometimes leads to training mistakes. Here are the most common:

Inconsistency: All dogs thrive on consistency in training. Teaching your Weimaraner in the same way every time you train will help them learn faster.

Harsh Punishments: Weimaraners can be sensitive to harsh corrections and may even shut down. Be sure that any corrections you must issue are necessary and immediately followed by showing them what you want.

Forgetting to Socialize: Socialization cannot be ignored! Teaching your pup proper manners in public will save you frustration and make your Weimaraner a joy to be around.

Setting Boundaries: Be sure to set clear boundaries and don’t deviate. Make it easy for your dog to understand expectations.

Over/Under Feeding: Weimaraners are active dogs, but overfeeding during training is still possible. Make sure you’re keeping an eye on both their body condition and how much food they receive during training and at mealtime.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © DragoNika/Shutterstock.com