Majestic Tree Hound vs Longhaired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison

You may be used to the sleek, silver shorthaired Weimaraner, but did you know you get a beautiful long haired version too? Known also as the Long Coated Weimaraner or the ‘Gray Ghost’, with its mesmerising amber eyes, the less common long haired variety shares a similar history as the more familiar short haired version.

The dog originates in Germany and was developed to be a hunting dog. It is believed that the silver dog dates back to the early 1800’s, and in 1897 the first breed club in Germany was formed to protect the future of this dog.

The longhair coat is recognized in all countries except the American Kennel Club.

The Majestic Tree Hound is a fairly new crossbreed dog. While the actual breed is very recent, the stem stock goes way back to medieval times.

The dog’s heritage goes back to the St. Hubert Hound named after Francois Hubert. He bred the best scenting hounds in Southern France.

In fact when France experienced political unrest that resulted in emigration to the United States, they brought their dogs, among them hound dogs which were then crossed with other dogs. Bloodhounds, English Foxhounds, American Coon and Big Game Hounds have all contributed to the Majestic Tree Hound after a long time of breeding to bring forth a hound that had sharp scenting abilities as well as a balanced temperament.

The origin of the Majestic Tree Hound is the United States.

Today they are not seen much outside the United States. The first Majestic's were registered with the National Kennel Club in April 1980.

The Longhair Weimaraner with its eye-catching grey coat is a large dog that stands between 58 and 70cm and weighs between 25 to 40kg.

These dogs, unlike the short haired version, have the tail traditionally long and the tail is feathered. The eyes are a blue-green, amber or grey color. The grey coat is soft and silky and even though it is quite long, a brush twice a week will keep it in tip-top condition.

Temperament:

The Longhaired Weimaraner’s temperament is the same as the short haired variety. He is also a superb field dog with excellent hunting skills.

They’re very active dogs, looking for plenty of mental and physical stimulation. For first-time dog owners, this might prove to be too demanding, so the long haired Weimaraner might not be the best first-choice dog to get.

They can be aggressive when meeting new people and he will certainly require training and socialization if you want him to be calm and obedient.

The Majestic Treehound is a large sized working dog. This dog is a cross between the Bloodhound and the Black and Tan Coonhound. Both male and female stand at roughly 61-76 cm in height and weighs in at about 33 – 50kg.

If you want your dog to become a parent, you can expect between 2 to 6 of the cutest puppies.

The coat is smooth, short and dense and comes in a number of colors such as black, black and tan grey and white as well as red and blue ticking.

The dog has sunken brown or yellow eyes, particularly long, floppy ears, a deep chest and a long tail. The tail is set high and is thick at the base and is essentially carried in accordance with the dog’s mood. The tail is never carried over the back. There was a time when the tail of the Majestic was docked, giving him an attractive, compact look. They are powerfully built dogs with a dignified look to them.

Temperament:

The Majestic Treehound has always been a most fearless and adept hunter and he is a dog that just loves being busy. They are also loyal and devoted companions for their human families.

He is a huge dog but he is gentle, good natured and kind with children and is also willing to get on well with pets in the home. You won’t find him being much of a guard dog though because he is just too friendly for this.

He is a dog that is going to need regular exercise, and his sheer size and exercise requirements will make it that he is better off living in the countryside than in the city.

He is an intelligent dog who will be easy to train. Training and socialization will be good for him as he knows exactly how to behave in different situations. He doesn’t want to be left on his own for too long because he bonds closely with his owners and wants to be around them constantly.

Your Long Haired Weimaraner is a friendly, alert dog that makes for an excellent companion and watchdog. The fact that he is also restless, confident, independent and strong-willed means that training and socialization will be necessary to make him pleasant and obedient.

You can’t always count on him to be amicable as he also has a bit of an aggressive side.

The way your Long Haired Weimaraner turns out will depend on heredity, the personality of the owner as well as training and socialization.

These dogs want to be with their human family and will follow the owner around and contentedly lie at their feet. Once he's trained, the Weimaraner is guaranteed to make you a fine family companion.

This large attractive dog has a gentle nature and is loving and affectionate towards his human family, getting on well with children and other pets in the family.

As with most little dogs, this big dog doesn’t like to be left alone for a long time. With training and socialization he becomes obedient and amicable, knowing how to behave well so that he can be taken anywhere.

Treat this loving dog with love and care and he is guaranteed to make you a splendid family pet.

Hip Dysplasia is a medical threat to all dog breeds and fortunately the Weimaraner is a dog breed that has a low rate of dysplasia. When buying a Long Haired Weimaraner, try and get one from breeders who have had their breeding dogs hip-tested.

You’ll notice that the Weimaraner is a deep-chested dog and he is prone to bloating, which can turn out to be life threatening for your dog if not treated immediately.

The stomach twists and is swollen with no bowel movements. The dog is restless and in distress and needs immediate attention. To help, instead of giving one large meal which is gobbled up quickly, give him 2 smaller meals.

Skin allergies are also quite common in these dogs and you don’t want your silver dogs coat going off as it is his crowning glory.

If he is scratching, his skin is dry, red and itchy, get him to the vet as it can even be parasites at work, causing an allergic reaction.

The Majestic is a robust breed, and with good food and exercise he can live to be between 10 and 13 years of age.

It has been discovered that like many other dogs, he can battle with hip dysplasia. Large dogs are more prone to hip dysplasia. It is an abnormal formation of the hip socket. It’s a serious condition that can cause arthritis and lameness.

Hip dysplasia often begins when a dog is still a puppy. One of the symptoms is difficulty with getting up after lying down, pain in hip joints and even loss of muscle mass. You will need to get your pet to the vet. The vet will perform a complete physical exam on your dog and then talk to you about treatment.

Grooming:

When you bring a Long Haired Weimaraner home, you will need to invest in brush and comb for his long hair. They’re active dogs and love nothing more than running in a field, rolling in mud and being very active.

His coat will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it looking silvery and shimmering. Check the ears, eyes and teeth whenever you brush him and get used to cleaning his teeth regularly too.

If in doubt about how to keep your pet well groomed in terms of looks and health, speak to a dog expert, your vet or professional groomer.

Diet:

Your ‘Gray Ghost’ dog has been a very successful hunting dog, and they are high-energy gun dogs. As a large dog he will have particular nutritional needs to fuel his energetic lifestyle.The dog’s high activity levels need to be taken into account when looking at his diet.

Buy the best commercially manufactured food. Add to his kibble some cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and cooked or raw vegetables from time to time as well as bits of raw meat. Your dog will thank you for keeping his meals simple but nutritious.

Grooming:

Occasional brushing, perhaps twice a week, will be enough to maintain this dog’s short coat. The long ears tend to drag on the ground, collecting dirt and moisture, and the ears particularly will need to be washed or wiped down and checked inside for infection.

Exercise:

This is a dog with high exercise requirements. A walk a day for him is a good thing but it won’t be enough – he will need some rough and tumble games and want to join you on hikes, swimming and jogs.

Diet:

Majestic Tree Hounds require nutritious food. If you want to use commercially manufactured food, make sure its the better one as some of the cheaper brands put fillers, preservatives and colorants in and this can cause a whole lot of damage for your dog.

Buy quality food for your pet. The idea is to keep things simple for your big dog so that he doesn’t succumb to digestive problems. Apart from top quality kibble, homemade food will be excellent for him. Boiled chicken cooked in some coconut oil with some brown rice and pasta and some cooked or raw vegetables will be delicious for your dog. You can add it to his dry kibble. Remember to ensure he always has cool, fresh water.