The Weimaraner is a relatively new breed – many dog breeds date back thousands of years, but the Weimaraner has its origin in 19th century Germany. It was originally developed to hunt large game – bear, boar and deer. As large game became less prevalent, the Weimaraner was more used for small game – rabbits and birds, for instance. Today, the Weimaraner is still considered to be a hunting dog, but you will be more likely to find him in dog shows or as a companion animal.
Best Dog Foods For the Weimaraner Diet On Amazon
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The Weimaraner falls somewhere between the classification of medium-sized and large dogs. Usually, a male will weigh 70-80 pounds and stand 25-27 inches at the shoulder. Females will weigh 55-70 pounds and stand 23-25 inches. Weimaraners are short-coated dogs, and shed very little, although there is a less-popular long-haired version. The coat is generally light to dark grey, and the eyes can be very startling – light amber, blue-grey or grey.
The Weimaraner is a very versatile breed, suited to hunting, agility and a variety of sports. Some are still used for hunting. What this tells you is that the breed is high-energy, so the Weimaraner diet will differ from that of other breeds.
What is the Right Weimaraner Diet?
If your Weimaraner weighs 70 pounds, usually he will need around 1688 calories every day. If your dog has been spayed or neutered, the calorie count will be a bit lower. Much of your Weimaraner’s diet requirements will depend on his or her level of activity. If your Weimaraner is very active, for instance, he might need 3750 calories or more in any given day. So, as you can see, there is a substantial range here. It really depends on the individual dog.
No Large Breed Food
I know, you’re scratching your head now and saying “But my Weimaraner is a big dog! Why not large breed food?” The reason is simply this – dog foods for large breeds are usually lower in calories. Weimaraners being very active dogs, they don’t do well on reduced-calorie foods.
So, what to feed? Usually, a Weimaraner can eat almost any good quality food. Dry food is always best – not only is dry food better for their teeth and their digestion, if you try to feed your Weimaraner canned dog food, you will probably go broke quickly thanks to the expense.
Now, when I say that you should feed “good quality” dry food, Weimaraners may actually have different requirements than other large breeds. My Boxers, Janice and Leroy, do very nicely on generic dry dog food. Weimaraners, however, are often intolerant to barley, wheat and corn, and those ingredients are very common in generic dog foods. You might have to take it up a bit on the expense scale if you have a Weimaraner.
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Feeding on a Schedule
Regular readers know that I free-feed. I do not feed on a schedule; I just buy a big bag of dog food and dump it in a huge basin and let Janice and Leroy have whatever they want, whenever they want it.
Weimaraners, though, seem to do better on a schedule. So, you should measure out the recommended amount of food for your Weimaraner and deliver it over two feedings per day. If your dog has not finished all the food within half an hour, then remove what is left. If you have a Weimaraner puppy, feed him three times a day until he is a year old, at which time you can switch him over to an adult feeding schedule.
Health Problems in Weimaraners
Weimaraners are prone to conditions like hip dysplasia, hyperuricosuria (an elevation of uric acid) and autoimmune thyroiditis. They can also be prone to eye disorders like entropion and dystrophy. Some of these conditions can be aggravated by excess weight.
Weimaraers are also prone to gastric torsion (bloat) because they are deep-chested dogs. Again, this problem can be aggravated if your dog is overweight. This is a serious condition, because the stomach fills with gas or air, and can even become twisted. Then, emergency treatment (sometimes surgery) is required.
The point that I am trying to make here is that a Weimaraner diet should be focused on helping the dog to maintain a healthy weight. Excess poundage can cause all manner of problems, and some could be fatal.
Separation Anxiety
I know, you’re saying “What in the heck does separation anxiety have to do with the Weimaraner diet?”
Maybe not much, but maybe a lot. Weimaraners seem to be a lot more prone to separation anxiety than other breeds. Your dog’s anxiety level can be affected by his diet, and his ability to digest his food effectively can be affected by anxiety. So it’s kind of a two-way street. Many veterinarians and animal behaviorists believe that Weimaraners who suffer from separation anxiety do best on a really good diet, with little grain and lots of protein. It’s something to think about, if nothing else.
How Long Do Weimaraners Live?
Generally speaking, a Weimaraner will live to be about 11 years old. The better the Weimaraner diet, the better the chance of longevity. The best Weimaraner diet is one that is rich in protein. What you have to remember, though, is that not all proteins are equally good.
When it comes to protein, you should select a dog food that contains more whole meat than meat meal. The less plant protein the better. You also want to find MCFAs (medium chain fatty acids) that come from compounds like coconut oil. Grain free food is thought to be best, but consider this in the context that dos are omnivores – they do need carbohydrates. They can get them, though, in the form of sweet potato pulp and other non-grain additives.
Keep in mind too, that every dog is unique. Even one Weimaraner might have different nutritional needs from another. One might need more calories than another. One might need more fat, or more protein. Generally speaking, you should keep an eye on your dog, pay attention to what you’re feeding, learn to identify when a certain food is not agreeing with your dog, and when he seems to be “off his feed.” As a dog ages, his dietary needs can change.
The Best Weimaraner Diet
Keeping all that in mind, there are some foods that will be better for your Weimaraner’s diet than others. The following are the best foods for our Weimaraner.
1. Farmina Natural & Delicious Chicken Grain-Free Formula Dry Dog Food
[easyazon_link identifier=”B008YQISR4″ locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”n” tag=”natur0da-20″ cart=”y” cloak=”y” localize=”y” popups=”y” type=”link” link_id=”1314″]Farmarina dry dog food[/easyazon_link] originated in Italy, but has been recently made available in the United States. It contains no gluten, no grain, and is absolutely GMO-free. There is also no vegetable protein in this dog food. The main protein sources are chicken, egg and herring. So if you dislike the idea of a dog food that contains grain, this could be the right food for your Weimaraner’s diet.
2. Victor Ultra Pro 42 Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00DBFSDW8″ locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”n” tag=”natur0da-20″ cart=”y” cloak=”y” localize=”y” popups=”y” type=”link” link_id=”1315″]Victor Ultra Pro 42[/easyazon_link] is one of several Victor grain-free formulas, any of which would probably be suitable for a Weimaraner diet. The protein content in this dog food is 81%, and it comes from meat, poultry and fish. The carb content is just 17%. This makes Victor Ultra Pro 42 a really good food for an adult Weimaraner diet.
3. ACANA Duck & Bartlett Pear Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
ANCANA Duck & Bartlett Pear dog food is another grain-free dog food that would be highly suitable for a Weimaraner diet. Duck meat forms 50% of the food, and it also contains deboned duck, duck meal, duck liver and lentils. This food is approved for all life stages. And yes, it does include Bartlett pears, which are very good for dogs of all breeds.
4. Merrick’s Grain-Free Real Buffalo and Sweet Potato Recipe
The name pretty much says it all. The main ingredient in this dog food is buffalo. It also includes chicken meal, salmon meal and sweet potatoes. There is no wheat, soy or corn. Merrick’s Grain Free is a very good choice for the Weimaraner diet.
What About Your Weimaraner Puppy?
The foods that we have talked about up to this point have all been for adult Weimaraner diets. But what about puppies?
Ideally, you should choose a puppy food that is specially formulated for large breed puppies. That old story (the one you heard on the Purina commercial) about “Puppy Chow for a full year” is not necessarily accurate. You should actually switch your Weimaraner puppy over to adult do food once he has achieved about 90% of his weight, which usually happens at about 11 months.
I like the following foods for Weimaraner puppies.
5. Fromm Large Breed Puppy Gold formula
Fromm Large Breed Puppy Gold Formula is similar to the adult dog food in that it is grain-free and very high in protein. It contains salmon oil, which is very helpful when it comes to eye and brain development. And it is very good for dogs like Weimaraners, who may tend to grow more rapidly than puppies of other breeds.
6. Canidae Life Stage Large Breed Puppy Formula
This puppy formula is made with duck meat, brown rice and lentils, and is especially designed for puppies that will grow to be large dogs. The duck meal in this formulation works to reduce the likelihood of inflammation in the joints as the puppy ages, and it’s also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It’s a low-fat formula, too, so you won’t have to worry about obesity in your puppy.
The Senior Weimaraner Diet
Given that Weimaraners can live into the double digits, you do have to think about what you will feed your dog as he ages. As your dog gets older, his appetite will probably be less, and he will need fewer calories. You could just cut back on your regular dog food, or you could feed a good quality senior dog food like this one.
7. Canidae Pure Dry Dog Food for Seniors
It’s a little lower in calories than the usual Canidae offerings, and it will help you with managing your Weimaraner’s diet as he ages.
Best Dog Foods For the Weimaraner Diet On Amazon
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Come to think of it, I’ve never actually seen a fat Weimaraner! But I suppose they’re out there somewhere.
The thing is, much of the time old dogs can find it difficult to metabolize certain nutrients. That’s why we have dog food that is specific to senior dogs.
8. Orijen Senior Dog
This is another senior dog food that can be great for an older Weimaraner diet. Orijen Senior is made from wild-caught fish, turkey, chicken and free-range eggs. A full 80% of the protein is made from fish and meat and the food also contains chondroitin and glucosamine for joint health.
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The Final Word
That’s it, from puppyhood to the senior years, what you need to do for your dog when it comes to your Weimaraner diet at all stages of your dog’s life. You have a very special type of dog, and his nutritional needs might be somewhat different from those of other breeds. So know what your Weimaraner’s diet should be, and make sure he gets what he needs. You can expect to have your Weimaraner for about 11 years – make sure that those years are happy and healthy.