Both Longhaired Weimaraner and Standard Schnauzer are originated from Germany. Longhaired Weimaraner may grow 19 cm / 8 inches higher than Standard Schnauzer. Longhaired Weimaraner may weigh 14 kg / 31 pounds more than Standard Schnauzer. Both Longhaired Weimaraner and Standard Schnauzer has almost same life span. Longhaired Weimaraner may have less litter size than Standard Schnauzer. Longhaired Weimaraner requires Moderate Maintenance. But Standard Schnauzer requires High Maintenance
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.
Coming out of Germany in the 14th and 15th century is the Standard Schnauzer or Mittelschnauzer. Both the Giant Schnauzer and Miniature Schnauzer are descendants of the Standard Schnauzer. The first name for this breed was the Wire-haired Pinscher until 1879. The breed is a working breed that is popular in Europe and was first in a dog show in 1879 in Hanover, Germany. In 1997 they won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club in New York.
These medium size Schnauzers were bred in the Middle Ages to be versatile in working and herding in Germany. There seems to be artwork from the 14th through the 16th centuries featuring this breed of dog as a hunter. It is believed that the common ancestors of the Standard Schnauzer is the German Pinscher and the gray Wolf Spitz, along with the black German Poodle and the Bolognese.
It was 1850 when the breed gained recognition as a purebred with distinct and recognizable features. Those are not all the same features that the dogs of today show. These dogs had thick hair on their face, a double coat that is wiry, and their tails were cropped. These dogs were initially Wire-haired German Pinscher then in 1879, a dog named Schnauzer won Best in Show in Hanover. By 1900, the breed was being called Schnauzer everywhere.
The first breed standard was written under the Wire-haired German Pinscher name in the early 1880’s. This standard allowed for a lot of different colors, but the salt and pepper of today was not introduced until the late 1800’s. Then the standard was rewritten in 1907 for the Standard Schnauzer with this as the dominant color.
The first official Standard Schnauzer imported to the United States came in 1905 even though there is a claim that one competed in the 1899 Westminster Kennel Club in the Miscellaneous Class. Following the first World War, the breed became increasingly popular in the States. At that time the US club was called the Wire-haired Pinscher Club of America in 1925. Both standard and miniature sized schnauzer are included in this club.
The breeds were separated in 1933 and became the Standard Schnauzer Club of America and classified by the American Kennel Club as part of the Working Group. In 1926 they moved the Standard Schnauzer to the Terrier Group. By 1926 the Schnauzer Club of Great Britain was formed.
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.
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.
Today’s Standard Schnauzer is a square, robust, medium sized dog. The breed boasts heavy eyebrows and thick beards. They are salt and pepper or black and their coat is wiry and stiff. The breed have excellent muscle tone and a body in proportion height to length. Their build is rugged, and coat is dense.
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.
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.
There are a couple of major hereditary health issues faced by the Standard Schnauzer.
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.
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.
1Feeding the puppy: At 8-12 weeks feed four times a day. At 3 to 6 months feed three times a day. At 6 to 12 months feed twice a day.
4. Games and Exercises – The breed is extremely athletic and needs daily exercise. They are playful with dogs and people and they are family dogs. They want to go wherever you go. Hiking, running, jogging and organized activities.
They are great at obedience, agility, flyball, disc dog, herding and tracking. They have also been involved in search and rescue, bomb detection, and cancer detection.