Weimaraner vs Billy - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Billy is originated from France but Weimaraner is originated from Germany. Both Billy and Weimaraner are having almost same height. Billy may weigh 8 kg / 17 pounds lesser than Weimaraner. Both Billy and Weimaraner has almost same life span. Billy may have less litter size than Weimaraner. Billy requires Moderate Maintenance. But Weimaraner requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Gun dog
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France
Germany
Height Male:
58 - 68 cm
22 - 27 inches
59 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
Height Female:
56 - 66 cm
22 - 26 inches
57 - 65 cm
22 - 26 inches
Weight Male:
22 - 32 kg
48 - 71 pounds
30 - 40 kg
66 - 89 pounds
Weight Female:
20 - 29 kg
44 - 64 pounds
25 - 35 kg
55 - 78 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
11 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 5
6 - 8
Size:
Giant
Large
Other Names:
Chien de France-Comte
Weimaraner Vorstehhund Raner Grey Ghost Weim Weimer Pointer
Colors Available:
White or off-white; may have orange or lemon patches or mantle.
from charcoal-blue to mouse-grey to silver-grey or even blue-grey
Coat:
harsh, short
short, smooth and hard
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Alert, Courageous, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Outgoing, Stubborn
Courageous, Friendly, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Playful, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

The Billy (or Billie) Dog is a rare breed developed in France and mostly still only found in France. Created in the 19th century by Monsieur Gaston Hublot de Rivault and named after his home, Chateau de Billy, he is hunting dog of high quality. The Billy dog was developed by crossing the Poitevin’s original three lines – the Larrye, the Ceris and the Montemboeuf. In developing the Billy, Rivault favored the colors found in the Ceris and Montemboeuf strains as opposed to the tricolors of the Larrye strain. The Billy is a scent hound from all the lines leading back to the monks of the Saint Hubert Monastery in the middle ages, in Belgium, then refined in Gaul (France). The Billy line was considered the most elegant French breed and they were the last breed to come from that large scent hound type that the French nobility and royalty loved to breed.

In 1886 the Federation Cynoloquique Internationale established the standard for the Billy breed. The breed was a great hunter with resilience, speed, scenting and fortitude. The Billy hunted in large packs in pursuit of Wild Boar and Roe Deer. This was accomplished by the crossing of great hunters developed for their specific skills. The Ceris was amazing in its skill to hunt down wolves and hares. The Montemboeuf was a large, elegant dog that hunted wild boar and Larrye for his strong scent ability. Since these three breeds were true French breeds, the Billy was a true aristocratic scent hound in a pure scent hound line.

This gregarious, handsome dog became extremely popular in France in the 19th century. Unfortunately, the World Wars of the 20th century would take their toll on this rare breed and they were almost extinct by the late 1900’. There were only two hounds left by the end of the Second World War. Anthony Rivault, the son of Gaston, set about saving the breed by incorporating the lines of Harrier, the Poilevin and the Porcelaine with the two remaining hounds. From there the breed has been revived and is no longer on the verge of extinction. They are still rare and certainly not “popular”, but they are excellent hunters, especially hunting in packs. Today they are considered one of the breeds used to develop the Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Orange in France and there are several packs that hunt roe deer in France, while a couple packs are used to hunt wild boar.

weimaranerThe Weimaraner is a German breed also know as the Grey Ghost. He was bred to hunt by royalty in the early part of the 19th century. They went after large game including the bear, boar and deer. Once these large game hunts disappeared, the breed became known for hunting small prey like rabbits, fowl and fox.

They are an all-purpose gun dog, hunting, chasing, tracking, pointing and retrieving. They got their name from the city of Weimar in Germany as a favorite of Karl August, the Grand Duke of Saxw-Weimar-Eisenach who hunted with the dogs. They are believed to have descended from either the St. Hubert Hound and Bloodhound, or the Chien-gris dogs.

The breed did not arrive in the United States until the 1920’s. Before that they were barely known outside the city of Weimar. By the 1950’s they were very popular in the States with President Eisenhower having one at the White House.

Description

The Billy dog is powerful, beautiful and built extremely well. He is large but he should also be light weight and lean. He has an athletic look, powerful muscles, and strong bones. He has floppy ears, dark eyes with dark rims and a white coat. This breed has a medium size head with a domed forehead and square muzzle. The ears are high on the head, flat and floppy while the neck is long and strong. Shoulders are also long and the back broad, the thighs muscular and the feet round. He has a long fluffy tail. The coat is short and can be seen through to the skin. He has white skin with brown spots and the fur is white or off white. The females are smaller than the males. He is a great family companion as well as a hunter. They have high pitched voices and they can be howlers. They have a strong prey drive and are great hunters. They can be great companion dogs for any family, just watch them with small children and small animals. They are big enough to need a lot of space and a lot of exercise. Scent hounds can be stubborn, and that trait is not lost on the Billy dog.

weimaraner puppy - descriptionA very athletic and elegant breed, muscular and lean, the Weimaraner is built for stamina and speed. They are a very unique looking breed, nick named the Grey Ghost due to the appearance and coloration. The breed has a very short coat that fits like skin over his bone structure. It is smooth and hard and runs from a blue-gray to silver-gray to charcoal-blue. The skin is pink not black, the coat is thin with no undercoat.

They should not be black but they can be a longhaired Weimaraner, according to US AKC Breed Standards. In the AKC standards the tail is docked. This has now been changed in standards around the world as many countries are banning tail docking. They have webbed paws and striking amber, blue-gray or gray eyes. The long haired version can only be produced when both parents carry the recessive gene

Characteristics

Even though the Billy Breed is very rare and faced potential extinction it is a terrific sporting dog who loves children, other dogs, and adults. He could be a good family dog if his exercise needs are met. He is social, gregarious, and gentle with people. They are happiest in a pack and do not do well in a one dog household. They form extremely strong bonds with their people and household. They are friendly and outgoing. This makes them a poor choice for guard dog. They have an exceptionally well-developed prey drive do they might be aggressive toward any animal smaller than them. This includes the family cat, other smaller dogs, hamsters etc.

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness they love children, might not know how big they are

2.Special talents speed

3.Adaptability Not apartments. Large dog needs room to run

4.Learning ability – Very intelligent, very stubborn

Health Problems

Despite their history of almost becoming extinct the Billy dog is a hearty and healthy group. They do tend to get Bronchitis and colds due to the short, thin coat. Keep them indoors during winter. Another area of concern is the ears. They are prone to ear infections so keep their ears clean. They should not be exposed to cold weather. The Billy life expectancy is 10-14 years which is very good for such a large dog.

Health Problems

weimaraner puppies - health problemsThere are a few conditions and diseases that the Weimaraner is subject to but surprisingly for their size hip dysplasia is rarely one of them. There are prone to

Bloat – Gastric torsion when the stomach twists itself and cuts off blood circulation and digestive processes. Bloat is deadly unless caught quickly.

Skin allergies - they have allergic reactions to parasites.

Ear infections – make sure you keep the ears clean and dry.

Elbow Dysplasia – can cause lameness or arthritis.

Cryptorchidisn – the dog is missing one or both testes.

Hypothyroidism – can be treated with medication as with humans.

Von Willebrands Deisease – bleeding disorder

Hunting Accidents like sprains, strains, and cuts.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

The Billy dog is large, muscular and lean. Do not overfeed him, but you can safely free feed. Watch to be sure he does not gain too much weight and if he does go to two feedings per day.

Health issues

As previously mentioned this is a healthy, long-lived dog. Watch for ear infections and keep him out of extreme cold.

Exercise/Games

This is a very athletic, active hunter, who needs a lot of exercise. Daily walks are good, but he needs 45 to 60 minutes of exercise every day. Remember he was bred to hunt and loves to do so. Find activities that let him use his athletic skills and strong sense of smell. He needs a big yard to romp in. He will excel at obedience, barn hunt and agility. A lure game might be good also, but he would be happier with a scent oriented “find it” game.

Caring for Pet

weimaraner dogs - caring1 Feeding the puppy - Feed high quality dog food with high protein but not rich foods. Rich foods cause digestive issues and eating to fast, too soon before or after strenuous exercise do to threat of bloat. Also do not use the raised foot bowls as they hold an even great risk for bloat. Feed puppy 3-4 meals per day.

2.Feeding the adult Feed high quality dog food with high protein but not rich foods. Rich foods cause digestive issues and eating to fast, too soon before or after strenuous exercise do to threat of bloat. Also do not use the raised foot bowls as they hold an even great risk for bloat. Feed the adult twice a day.

3.Points for Good Health stamina and speed

4. Games and Exercises – This is a very athletic and energetic dog. They need activity and will become destructive without it. They develop separation anxiety very easily. They need both physical and mental stimulation. They are great at agility, course running, field trials and CAT.

Comparison with other breeds

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