Smooth Haired Weimaraner vs Basque Shepherd - Breed Comparison

Smooth Haired Weimaraner vs Basque Shepherd - Breed ComparisonBasque Shepherd is originated from Spain but Smooth Haired Weimaraner is originated from Germany. Basque Shepherd may grow 9 cm / 3 inches shorter than Smooth Haired Weimaraner. Basque Shepherd may weigh 11 kg / 24 pounds lesser than Smooth Haired Weimaraner. Both Basque Shepherd and Smooth Haired Weimaraner has almost same life span. Both Basque Shepherd and Smooth Haired Weimaraner has almost same litter size. Basque Shepherd requires Moderate Maintenance. But Smooth Haired Weimaraner requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Gun dog
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Spain
Germany
Height Male:
47 - 61 cm
18 - 25 inches
57 - 70 cm
22 - 28 inches
Height Female:
46 - 59 cm
18 - 24 inches
57 - 70 cm
22 - 28 inches
Weight Male:
17 - 29 kg
37 - 64 pounds
25 - 40 kg
55 - 89 pounds
Weight Female:
17 - 36 kg
37 - 80 pounds
25 - 40 kg
55 - 89 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
11 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 9
6 - 8
Size:
Medium
Large
Other Names:
Basque Herder, Basque Sheepdog
Weim, Grey Ghost
Colors Available:
fawn, yellow orange or copper coat with other shades being red, blue and black
Silvery Grey
Coat:
smooth and soft to rough and coarse
Short, sleek and smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Sweet
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

basque shepherdThe Basque Shepherd is one of the oldest dog breeds. With this Spanish dog, you’ll find paintings dating back 12,000 years ago. The Basque Shepherd is known as a landrace breed, which means the dog hasn’t gone through the same selective breeding programs as what other breeds have. Landrace breeds have more variations in appearance and temperament than regular breeds.

The Basque Shepherd has 2 distinct varieties, the Gorbeiakoa and the Iletsua. The smooth-haired Gorbeiakoa has a softer coat that is fairly short while the rougher-haired Iletsua has a lighter coloured coat, and unlike the Gorbeiakoa, the ears are not typically erect.

Even though this is an ancient breed of dog, only the Royal Canine Society of Spain recognizes the breed with the two varieties, and in January 1996, the two breeds - Iletsua and Gorbeikoa – were recognized.

smooth haired weimaranerThe 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.

Description

Two Varieties

basque shepherd puppy - descriptionThe Basque Shepherd is a strong, well proportioned dog with brown eyes and medium sized ears, which sometimes have folds. This medium-to-large dog has a beautiful fawn coat of medium-length hair that can be straight or slightly wavy. He has a long feathery tail that will wag readily when he sees his owner. You’ll find other colors for the Basque Shepherd shared between the two varieties - a yellow orange or copper coat with other shades being red, blue and black. His hair is shorter on the head and he doesn’t battle with hair over the eyes.

An Intelligent Breed

The Basque Shepherd is a highly intelligent dog and also very energetic. Of the two different kinds of Basque Shepherd, it is the Gorbeiakoa which is the more outgoing. The dogs will require a firm owner and they thrive on the discipline when it is combined with lots of with lots of exercise and activities.

The Basque Shepherd is generally friendly with people, if not a little reserved with strangers. He gets on well with children and other pets in the home, although socialization and training will be necessary to bring out their best.

smooth haired weimaraner puppy - descriptionThe 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.

Characteristics

basque shepherd dog - characteristicsThe dog is well suited to being a family pet, loving to spend time with family, being a people-oriented breed. He gets on well with children as well as other pets in the home, but can be reserved with strangers.

He doesn’t have an aggressive nature, and yet he does what it takes to protect his beloved human family.

He is full of energy, hardy and tough. He loves his human family and wants to be included in all their activities. He is energetic though and as a responsible dog owner, you want to make sure that your Basque Shepherd has enough space to run.

smooth haired weimaraner dog - characteristicsYour 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.

Health Problems

basque shepherd puppies - health problemsBecause this is an ancient breed, the Basque Shepherd doesn’t have to contend with genetic health problems such as more modern breeds. Just like other dogs though, he could be prone to certain conditions such as hip dysplasia, eye problems, ear infections and cancer. As a larger breed, he may also be prone to bloat.

Chronic Ear Infections

Breeds with floppy ears, such as the Basque Shepherd will be more prone to developing ear infections. To prevent infection, keep his ears clean and dry. If you’re unsure, the vet can guide you how- and what to do.

Hip Dysplasia

This is a disease which is common to other dog breeds too and not just the Basque Shepherd. This condition affects the hip joints and can result in chronic pain for the dog and also lameness. Checking your dog’s weight is important and the pain can be managed with medication.

smooth haired weimaraner puppies - health problemsThere 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.

Caring The Pet

basque shepherd dogs - caringThis is a medium to large breed dog and he should therefore be fed a high quality food which has been formulated for medium to large breeds. Because he is a herding dog, you might want to also look at an active-dog or working-breed formula to supply him with that much needed energy.

Grooming

The Basque Shepherd’s coat is lush and long with either straight or wavy hair. Regular brush at least twice a week will maintain the coat, get rid of loose hair and prevent fleas.

Training

The Basque Shepherd is an intelligent breed that will respond well to socialization and training. He is a breed that loves sports too because of this very high energy levels. You need to be careful with the Basquae Shepherd around small children, not because he is aggressive in any way, but because he is highly active, and his exuberance and boisterous antics could see him unintentionally knocking over small children.

Training:

smooth haired weimaraner dogs - caringEvery 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.

Comparison with other breeds

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  26. Basque Shepherd vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  29. Basque Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Basque Shepherd vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Basque Shepherd vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Basque Shepherd vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Basque Shepherd vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Basque Shepherd vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Basque Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Basque Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Basque Shepherd vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Basque Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Basque Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Basque Shepherd vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Basque Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Basque Shepherd vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Basque Shepherd vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Basque Shepherd vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Basque Shepherd vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Basque Shepherd vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Basque Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Basque Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Basque Shepherd vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Basque Shepherd vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison