Smooth Haired Weimaraner vs Dingo - Breed Comparison

The Smooth Haired Weimaraner is a beautiful silvery-grey dog that was once bred for hunting way back in the 19th century.

He has always been described as an all-purpose gun dog bred from crossing different German and French hunting dogs with the Bloodhound.

History of this dog dates back to 1897. This is when a club was formed in Germany for the breed.

The Dingo dog was in all probability, introduced to Australia thousands of years ago. He isn’t your usual domesticated dog and in fact it is a feral dog native to Australia.There are stories that suggest that while they may have once been pets, they were abandoned so that they reverted back to their wild state.

They became pests for Australian farmers, going for their livestock, and huge fences were erected. The different climates in Australia have meant different kinds of Dingo developing, so while the desert ones are like the desert sands - golden yellow to red the alpine ones are rarer and are cream colored.

These wild canines were also introduced to Southeast Asia some 3,500 years ago, however the dog’s exact origin is debatable. There are any number of groups of people who could have brought the dingo to Australia, and among some of these are Indian mariners or maritime hunters.

The dog has been found in many parts of mainland Australia but never became established in Tasmania.There has also been an effort to remove the Dingo from farming areas. It is interesting to note that the first Dingo, referred to as the Australian dog, was registered at the London Zoo in 1828.

The lean, well muscled Smooth Haired Weimaraner is athletic to look at, brimming with energy and vitality. The coat is smooth and short and is a magnificent steel grey to silver coat which even tends to be a blue-grey color.

The short coat makes the dog low maintenance. He is also a low shedding dog. He is a medium to large sized dog standing at between 57 and 70cm in height and weighing in the region of 25 to 40kg.

The tail has always been docked, giving him that distinctive, dignified appearance. The tail then measures about 6 inches in length.

These dogs are also excellent water dogs with their webbed paws. The ears of the dog are medium length and floppy and the eyes are light amber or a blue-grey color.

Temperament:

You just have to look at the Smooth Haired Weimaraner and you can see how he just loves being with his human owner all the time, so much so that he is known for separation anxiety. Sometimes he can become so distraught separated from his owner that he can even injure himself trying to reach his owner. Being separated for too long can cause him anxiety issues.

Certainly this dog is going to need the right kind of training and socialization to calm him. They’re also full of energy too and are going to require a good amount of exercise.

An interesting fact with these fascinating feral dogs, is that like humans, they’ve got rotating wrists. This characteristic of theirs allows them to use their paws much like the human hand to catch their prey. A domesticated Dingo can therefore learn how to open doors.

The Dingo is a medium sized dog standing at roughly 52 – 60cm in height, measuring up to 1.2 meters in length and weighing roughly between 23 to 32kg.

He has long canine teeth, a long muzzle, upright ears and a long, thick tail. The coat is essentially one color, sandy, white, cream, tan or black and sometimes there are white markings on the chest, the paws and around the muzzle.

The fur is typically shortish and thick — though the hair's thickness and length will depend on the climate of the area. The Dingo is a moderate shedder and a good brushing of the coat twice a week will keep the thick coat shiny and healthy.

Temperament:

These wild canines are social animals, and in the wild they live in packs. There are some that opt to live on their own.

They’e territorial, but they are able to share their living space with humans. They’re generally shy around humans, but a Dingo that is trained and socialized can get along well with children and pets in the home.

Your distinctive silvery-grey Weimaraner with his velvety ears and striking eyes is such a loving dog, desiring to be with his human family as much as possible.

They are also good with children. Their loving nature and eagerness to please will ensure that you have a fully integrated 4 legged family member in your home who wants to be involved with everything you're busy with.

Dingoes have been domesticated successfully. Some people swear by them as making a fantastic pet. However, they’re wild dogs and can be unpredictable.

There are others who have tried to keep the Dingo as a pet but who have discarded them when they proved to be a danger in the home.

Dingoes can be trained but they’re high energy dogs and require a lot of exercise. How do you feel about owning a Dingo as a pet? Many people feel that its not fair to bring an essentially wild animal into your home. They feel that there are plenty of rescue dogs dying for a home without human beings searching in the wilds for an unusual pet, and regretting it later on.

There are some common dog illnesses that most dog owners fear, and hip dysplasia is one. Fortunately the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals tells us that Weimaraners aren’t prone to this dysplasia the way some dogs are.

One cause for concern however is bloat, and as a deep chested dog breed, the Short Haired Weimaraner can be prone to this life threatening illness.

Known also as gastric torsion, the stomach swells up and the dog becomes lethargic and restless. Immediate veterinary intervention is required. One way to diminish your dog’s chances of getting bloat is to rather feed him two smaller meals a day as opposed to one large meal.

Also, skin allergies are fairly common with these dogs. If redness appears on the skin or the skin is dry and itchy with a rash and he is losing his hair, you may well need to get your pet to the vet. It is why we always recommend giving your pet some raw meat added to the diet and this can help to prevent skin allergies.

The Dingo is a long-lived dog and you can expect your Dingo to live till anything between 15 and 20 years.

When it comes to health issues, they are robust and resilient, having less medical problems to contend with than your regular dog.

However if you see that your Dingo is not his usual robust, energetic self, get him to the vet as soon as you can.

Training:

Every dog, especially the Smooth Haired Weimaraner with his anxiety issues, should be trained and socialized, and these dogs are easy to train because they’re intelligent and they want to please.

Grooming:

The short silvery coat simply requires a good brush-down twice a week to remove the few loose hairs there are. Even if you don’t need to brush him, just do it because of the type of dog the Weimaraner is.

He loves the closeness of owner and dog. It’s a good time to check him over for ticks and fleas, to feel for unusual lumps, to look inside his ears for signs of infection, to check his eyes too, that they’re bright and clear.

Diet:

If you feed your Smooth Haired Weimaraner commercially manufactured dog food, it needs to be one of the best ones with fairly high protein content. If feeding kibble, you can enhance the food by adding in some tasty home-made food. The Weimaraner’s stomach is easily upset so you want to add in easily digestible home-made food free of exotic spices and richness.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super tasty and nutritious. Your Weimaraner will love such simple, good food and you can add a little to his dry kibble twice a week.

Also important is to add in some raw meat as this ensures a healthy skin. Make sure he has a constant supply of cool, fresh water.

Caring for your Dingo will be different to caring for your usual pet dog. You have to remember the Dingo is an ancient, wild species with some unique characteristics. Having a Dingo as a pet and companion may not be an easy task, and it is why many people selfishly dump their Dingoes – they didn’t quite live up to what they had in mind.

Training:

Your Dingo, just like any other dog you’d have, will require training and socialization, and the earlier the better. No training will simply mean you having an unruly pet in the home.

Diet:

Your Dingo can be fed just like you would with your other dogs. You can feed him quality dog kibble as his main diet, but you can also add in cooked rice, vegetables and chicken. Your Dingo is essentially a wild dog, so you will definitely want to include some raw meat into his diet from time to time as well.

Ensure that there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water available.

Excercise:

A Dingo is used to running free so he will require plenty of outdoor exercise. He can also be put on a leash and taken for a walk. He’ll love joining you in your activities such as running alongside you as you jog or cycle. He can adapt to life in the city if he is well exercised but he isn’t suited to a small home or garden.