Smooth Haired Weimaraner vs Golden Retriever - 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 Golden retriever originated in 1800s at Scotland by a British aristocrat. The British lords in the Scotland were very much interested in hunting. For hunting purposes they needed an excellent hunting dog. As the result Golden retriever originated as a brave and beautiful dog.

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.

The Golden retriever always gets in the top ten ranking in USA. They are very intelligent and beautiful. Also they are very active and they take more years to mature as they like being silly and playful. Up-to four years they seem to play like a puppy. As the breed is set in for hunting waterfowl and ducks, they need a regular exercise such as walking or running. They love to roam in the yard and run in the beach.

They love to be always with his master and so it will be inside the home. They can be involved in doing regular home activities. Their characteristic is not to be a watchdog, as it barks when a stranger comes and after that they love to make friendship with him. They don't like to spend time alone and hence love to make new friends. When you think of buying a golden retriever puppy you should check whether the breeder is a reputable breeder.They must be well trained for a good result. When bringing it to many different areas they will gain more knowledge and intelligence. The nails can be trimmed at a regular interval which will be good for the foot of your dog.

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.

Children friendliness

They love so much to play and spend time with children.

Special talents

The Golden retriever has a good energy which helps them to be a great hunting dog.

Adaptability

They have a high sensitivity level and will enjoy moderate weather. They don't like apartment life as they love to roam freely and explore new areas.

Learning ability

They also have a high intelligence and so learns tricks very quickly. They love to hold something in mouth and run.

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.

As the golden retriever gains weight very easily, they should not be overfed. They are prone to get cancer, hip dysplasia, heart problems, eye defects and skin allergies.

Hair fall

The golden retriever sheds hair profusely. The shedding can be reduced by brushing 3 times a week as it will remove the dead hair.Mild shampoo containing omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids must be used so that it will prevent hair fall and provides healthy skin and fur. The hair can be trimmed but it should not be shaved as the pet will get problems during winter. Adding a drop of olive oil in the dog food will reduce shedding.

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.

Feeding the puppy

The puppy should be fed 3 times a day and it should be morning 7 and noon and evening within 6. They should not be fed after 6pm and should not be given water after 7pm as to make them a perfect watchdog. Peas, potatoes and flaxseed provide nutrition for them. Chicken fat is good for their skin. Chicory root and chelated minerals are good for their health.

Feeding the adult

The Golden retriever can be fed by normal nutritious and proteins content food as they will gain much energy for them.

Points for Good Health

As the golden retriever has chances of getting bone problems they should not overfed.

Games and Exercises

They are having high energy levels and hence they require playing for 2 hours daily. The breed was set in for sporting and hunting and so it likes to play, run and jog.