Smooth Haired Weimaraner vs Hermes Bulldogge - 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 Hermes Bulldogge is not a breed in itself, but is actually a line within the English Bulldogge line. The Hermes family in the United States bred this line for several years. The Hermes Bulldogge line is the largest of the re-creations from the English Bulldogge. They are inspired by the arena dogs from the days of the Roman Empire. Greg and Linda Hermes have bred healthy, smart, resilient and agile dogs. The desire of the Hermes was an attempt at recreating the 17th century dog.

They used a variety of breeds to create the Hermes Bulldogge, most of whom are never disclosed. Some of the dogs that were probably used include: English Mastiffs, American Bulldogs, Old English Bulldogges, and pit Bull Terriers. This family of dogs are playful, friendly, and good family dogs. They have a strong prey drive which makes them good hunters but not as good around other small animals or small children. The Hermes have been breeding the Hermes Bulldogge since since 1983. The puppies are all hand raised, child friendly with great health.

When discussing the Hermes Bulldogge, one must go back to the root of the English Bulldogge. That breed comes originally from England and various lines have been recreated by various breeders. The breeding of the Old English Bulldogge with Mastiffs and Pits lead to other lines that the breeders called Old English. But most fanciers believe that only two lines of the original Old English Bulldogge remain and that is the Leavitt and the Hermes.

Some form of bulldog has been in existence since 700 years ago and as it was mixed with a variety of other breeds it took on other forms over time. The English Bulldogge was a definite couch potato. Instead of being bred for a job or look, the Bulldogge was developed with temperament, ability and health in mind. This has made for a great family dog without a lot of veterinarian bills.

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 Hermes Bulldogge, much like the original Olde English Bulldogge, is taller, healthier, more athletic than the original English Bulldog. They are medium height, with a large head, a strong body and a deep, wide chest and broad shoulders. Tails might or might not be docked but the ears are never docked. They n have a moderate amount of wrinkles and a longer, less smashed face than the original. It is easier for the Hermes Bulldogge to breath, to fly and to live in warmer environments that it is for the English Bulldogge. His eyes are lower in his head but in the front center.

They are very dark almost black. Eyelids should cover the white of the eye and they have rounded cheeks. They have a short muzzle and short face. Broad, thick lips finish out the face with very large, square, broad jaws.

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

If socialized properly this line of bulldog is harmful to me.

Special talents

Strong and athletic, his strength and stamina.

Adaptability

He is not very adaptable. Apartments are not good for this dog. He needs to run and if possible to hunt.

Learning ability

He is very intelligent but stubborn which affects his learning ability.

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 Hermes Bulldogge is healthier than most bulldogs. His face is not as smashed and he is not as wrinkled. He can breathe easier than other Bulldogs. The two major concerns are hip dysplasia and bloat.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia also some elbow dysplasia: can cause lameness and arthritis

Bloat

Terminal unless treated immediately. Can be prevented by not feeding large meals before or after heavy exercise.

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

When feeding a Hermes Bulldogge puppy be sure you feed puppy meal for bulldogs or medium dogs. For first year fee 2-4 times a day 2 cups food.

Feeding the adult

Feed the adult a solid adult dry food. 2 cups twice a day.

Points for Good Health

Better health than most lines of Bulldogs. Few wrinkles and less problems breathing as he doesn’t have a smashed face.

Games and Exercises

He doesn’t need a lot of exercise but daily walks and lots of play time. He can enjoy Lure Coursing obedience, agility and obedience