Effective Training Tips for Families with Weimaraner Puppies

weimaraner

Weimaraners are some of the most elegant dog breeds around. They’re sleek and sophisticated, and they’re an absolute delight to have around the house when they are properly trained, socialized and in the care of people who take pride in the behavior of their dogs. The Weimaraner is a dog that is bred to do field work. This is a dog that you will see hunting, and it can be quite aggressive because of that role in its life. However, it’s also a very intelligent, very well-mannered dog that’s easily trainable and very adaptable. This breed is so mild-mannered in most situations that it proves to be a very simple dog to train, and it makes a great family dog.

It’s sleek, fast nature in the woods; its fearlessness and its ability to do a job with great speed and agility make this beautiful breed very interesting and desirable for hunters. However, it’s also the kind of breed that gets on well with children, and families love this dog at home because of its short, easy to groom coat. Did we mention it’s a lovely breed? But before you bring home a Weimaraner  to become a part of your family, it’s important to understand what it takes to train this dog. Knowing how to train a Weimaraner and what to expect of the process is a must.

You Can’t Be Shy about Asserting Your Dominance

This is a breed that must know right from the start who is in charge. If you think that your dog is going to respect you if you let it get away without rules or firm discipline from the start, you are in for a bit of trouble. This breed requires a strong leader as it is happy to become a part of a pack that has a strong leader. A family unit without a strong leader is going to find that the dog begins to make the rules and does what it wants with no regard to the feelings and opinions of those in the household.

What this means is you have to hide your pleasure or laughter when your new Weimaraner puppy does something ‘cute’ or funny. You can laugh all you want later, but you cannot let this puppy see you amused by his antics, nor can you go without issuing a warning to the dog for behavior you do not want to see again.

Discipline Even Playing Nipping and Aggressive Behavior

Puppies are like children; they play hard. They are rough and tough and they might nip and bark and jump and roll around on the floor with the kids. While this might not bother you, this is a very strong, very agile breed as it gets older. Not addressing this behavior from the start is enough to cause issues in the future. Even if it is playful nipping and silly behavior on the part of the dog, it might be disciplined immediately to prevent this behavior from becoming more dangerous and stronger as the dog grows older.

Potty Training

It’s no more fun with dogs than it is with kids, but at least you don’t have to endure the filth of a public restroom when your weimaraner has to use the bathroom right this very second. Dogs of all breeds would much rather not urinate where they sleep, so crate training is essential with a dog of this nature. You’ll want to begin your training with a new crate that’s not too big for your puppy, and you will not want to leave the puppy in the crate for more than 4-8 hours at a time – even if you work long hours. This is a dog that must not be left unattended in the home when potty training, since puppies are not concerned with your flooring or toys or shoes; they’ll go whenever they need to go, no matter where they’re located at that time. They’re very easy to train with a lot of praise and consistent scheduling. For example, take the dog out at the same time each morning, before work, after work and in the evenings. When you have a schedule the puppy is familiar with, it’s less likely he or she will go in your home.

Be Consistent with Praise

One of the most important things you can do when obedience and potty training your puppy is to be consistent. You must be able to discipline and praise your dog at all times when it is required as this is what’s going to help the animal learn to behave, listen and adapt to the rules of your household. Even just one incident as a puppy that seems silly and innocuous should be addressed for the safety of your dog as it grows older.

Finally, it’s important to remember that dog’s have the attention span of a toddler. They don’t remember anything that happened more than 30 seconds ago (this is not an actually fact, but they do have short attention spans so 30 seconds may or may not be true). This means punishment is often ineffective when the dog does something when you are not around. If you are going to punish your puppy, only do it if you catch the dog in the act of behaving inappropriately or you risk the dog wondering what on earth you’re yelling at him or her about.

Dogs in this breed learn very well with praise. When you praise the dog for good behavior, you are more likely to end up noticing that the dog has more success in any type of training. Positive attention is productive for everyone, whether it’s used on a dog, a child or an adult. When people notice the positive, it makes dogs feel good and it encourages them to want to find a way to receive that praise again.

Your new Weimaraner puppy is going to be an absolute joy to your family provided you are consistent and dominate enough to train the dog on your own. Otherwise, you might notice that your new dog doesn’t fit in well with your family.

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One Comment

  1. I have a blue male, and let me tell you, he is by far the absolute most stubborn animal I’ve ever had the overjoyed pleasure of having in my house. He was very easy to potty train, and didn’t have any accidents after about 4 months of age. He will act out from time to time, mainly to get attention. His current thing is pulling the throw pillows and blankets off the couch onto the floor so you can find them later. He doesn’t destroy them, he just pulls them off the couch onto the floor and leaves them be.

    At 2 years old, he’s never destroyed a single shoe, piece of furniture, or electronics. He has however, destroyed plenty of stuffed toys (both for pets and for kids), and can work his way through a rawhide chew in about 10 minutes. And if he wants your attention, he has no problem standing between your legs, all 105lbs of him. We also got him fixed early in an attempt to help stem his growth spurts, which seems to have worked. His parents where both very large for the breed, with his sire being a bit over 135lbs of pure muscle.

    Another thing to mention, these dogs have a tendency to find a “person”. While they are great in the house with the entire family, they will always have that one person they gravitate towards. In our house, it’s the 9yr old daughter. He is without a doubt her shadow, but it does make taking him to the dog park with her a bit difficult. If another dog is near her and get’s overly excited, he’s not afraid at all to interject himself between her and the other dog, nor to act aggressively to protect “his person”. And as for the rest of us, I’ve never seen a more loyal or fierce guarding animal in the house. Granted, we keep him behind a gate in the hallway between the bedrooms at night (vice crated when we leave the house), but even when I come home in the morning from work, he’s on full alert and ready to go until he’s sure who’s in the house. Then it’s “happy puppy mode”.

    I’ve worked with many types of dogs over the years, from police and military working dogs, to hunting dogs, to slap-happy-yappers, and I have to say, even with him needing a consistant hand and knowing who’s in charge, my weim has been one of the absolute best dogs I’ve ever had across the board. Just don’t let him get ahold of anything plush (ie stuffed animals).

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