History of Weimaraners
Weimaraners were first seen around 1810 in Germany. Originally there dogs were used for hunting large game such as deer, wild cats, bears, wolves, and mountain lions. After the larger game had declined, the hunters breed them to have more of the pointer and retrievers characteristics for hunting smaller animals and birds.
Weimaraners became a recognized breed in Germany in 1896. The following year 1897 The Weimaraner Club of Germany, which only the people with the highest sportsmanship were admitted, was organized to control the breeding purity and to set regulations on the breed, this included a ban on selling puppies to non-members of the club. By doing this not a single Weimaraner was aloud to leave Germany until a man named Howard Knight from the United Stated was introduced to these dogs while visiting his German friend Herr Grossman in 1929 for a hunting trip. Mr. Knight was so impressed with this dogs abilities, that he did everything he could to become a member of The Weimaraner Club of Germany. Eventually his membership was excepted, but only after he had taken an oath to permit no other breed ever be crossed with these Weimaraners and to protect the purity of the breed. He had finally acquired two dogs that were chosen and shipped by his friend Herr Grossman. Mr. Knight found out that the Germans were so serious about keeping them pure that the had been neutered making them unable to breed.
After nine years of trying he had finally convinced the Germany of his sincerity to keep up the purity of the breed. At this time he obtained two bitches and one stud for breeding. This is what broke the ban, and after that many were exports.
During World War II, people stationed in Germany were allowed to purchase the dogs that the returned home with the soldiers. Included in the dogs that came to the states was a Weimaraner named Heidi, owned by the General of the U.S. Armed Forces in Germany, President Eisenhower.
After the war, when things were back to normal the Weimaraner Club of Germany went back to there strict rules for the breed, with the exception that they would allow up to one-half of a litter to leave Germany.
Weimaraners Were Recognized by th American Kennel Club in 1943. In 1941 the Weimaraners Club of America was founded with Howard Knight as president of the club. They applied many of the same policies and regulations as the Germans.
