Temperament is a
blend of many things. It is the result of genetics and environment.
REMEMBER: YOU CANNOT TRAIN IN WHAT MOTHER NATURE LEFT OUT
!!!
We believe in the breeding and promotion of the Total dog. In our breeding
decisions we use the concept of a three legged stool. Each stool has three legs
supporting it: 1 for temperament, 1 for health and longevity and 1 for
structure. Without each of these legs having stability, the stool will collapse,
and you will be left with a 1 or 2 dimensional dog, rather than with a well
rounded specimen.
We place most importance on temperament. Now, consider that 99.9% of breeders
(even puppy mills) will tell you that they breed for temperament. We would wager
that about 90-95% of these breeders truly believe this, so it is important to
ask each breeder how he or she describes good temperament and then also how he
or she raises puppies to maintain their genetically strong dispositions
(assuming they have genetically strong dispositions). Ask specifically about the
drives of the parents (Are they toy motivated? Do they concentrate and make eye
contact? Are they birdie? Do they like to retrieve? How do they react when
strangers come to the door? Are they good with kids and other dogs?, etc.)
We believe that good, true, strong temperament is composed of trainability,
alertness and pride, devotion to owners, sociability and the ability to recover
quickly from any traumatic experience. Let's expand a little on each of these
characteristics.
1. Trainability:
Weimaraners are very intelligent
dogs, dedicated to their owners. They are fast learners, and have proven
themselves in field, obedience, agility, therapy, tracking and other performance
activities. Weimaraners exhibit a bit of independence, but this is a breed
quality, as they are pointing dogs. A dog cannot successfully run a field,
hunting birds if he will not leave his master's side. Some dogs learn at a
faster rate than others. This can be affected by the type of training,
motivation, and also genetics. A hyperactive, worried dog will lack focus and
concentration, so we strive to breed dogs who are trainable and have
demonstrated this in their daily activities.
2. Alert and Proud:
An alert Weimaraner should be perceptive of
its environments and know what occurs constantly. He should not need to alert you to any noise or person who walks
by your fence. He should be able to recognize the difference between a real and
a perceived threat. When watching something he is curious or concerned about, an
alert dog will have bright eyes, right ears and his muscles will be tight. A dog
who has a "could care less" attitude does not fit this mold any better than a
nervy, paranoid dog who is frantic with energy and emotion at anything new or
different. Realism is the key here.
3. Sociability:
A Weimaraner should be social
with people. He may not be as social with other dogs. By social, I do not mean that your
Weimaraner should want to rush
up to everyone with enthusiasm and big kisses, but he should be able to sit and
accept affection from a person who you deem alright. In a room full of
strangers, he should be able to 'meet' each person with a sniff, and then be
accepting of their presence. What he does as far as jumping up, begging for
food, trying to get pets, or laying calmly will depend on his training. However,
and this is the important part - he should be outgoing enough to meet these
people when they arrive (or when he enters the room). He should never run and
hide or show fear. Likewise, he should not have to erupt into a barking frenzy,
especially after having acknowledged the strangers.
4. Recovery Times:
This is perhaps the most important part of
temperament. Any dog, no matter how brave, can be spooked from time to time.
Thunder, an umbrella opening, a gun shot, a flag flapping in the wind - these
can all make a dog (or human too) jump. It isn't the initial fear that we are
concerned with, but rather how quickly the dog recovers from the fear. For
example, if a dog and his owner are walking and a stranger springs open his
umbrella, you and your dog will probably jump a little. A dog with a good
recovery will quickly collect himself and probably go, sniff the umbrella and
then carry on like it was no big deal. In a perfect situation, the dog will do
this on his own. Some need their owners to tell them to go and investigate which
is still acceptable, provided the dog takes the owner's cue and is not still
reluctant. The dog who continues to bark and hackle or to cower and hide behind
his owner simply hasn't recovered from a brief fear. That is not desirable.
Now, these descriptions are all wonderfully idyllic, but how can breeders (us
included) strive to get all of these traits in each puppy? First of all, we want
to see these positive traits in the parents. Then we want to learn about
littermates to the parents, and also about other dogs in the pedigree. This will
give us a good base, as some bloodlines are renowned for strong temperament
while others (some prominent lines, too) are known for less than desirable
temperament.
From here it is helpful to look at how certain bloodlines have crossed with
others (particularly in an outcross breeding). In a line breeding (and even more
so in an inbreeding) it is critical not to double or triple up on dogs who were
known to have or produce poor quality temperament.
Once the puppies are born, we begin to socialize them and evaluate their
temperaments. They are handled daily, and mom is kept happy so that she cares
for her pups well. We never want to see a dam growl at her pups - the pups must
have a thoroughly positive first eight weeks of life. As part of their
socialization, puppies are introduced to new sights and sounds daily (once their
eyes and ears are open) and also to a variety of people (young, old, men, women,
dark, light, tall, short, etc). They do not follow strict routines. They rotate
between different rooms in the house, so
they are exposed to many different things.
By the time puppies leave our home for yours, they have walked on hardwood,
linoleum, carpet, cement, bricks, rocks, grass and snow (depending on the
season). They are crate trained, have traveled in a vehicle, have eaten in a
variety of places (inside, outside, crate) and are totally used to being loved
and being with people. They are ready to enter phase 2 of their lives: your
home!