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5 Weimaraner Colors & Shades (With Pictures & Facts)

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

weimaraner

Sleek and beautiful, the Weimaraner breed turns heads everywhere they go. From street corners to canine competitions of all types, they have won hearts, medals, and accolades based on their looks, physical abilities, and temperament.

The most common coat and color of the Weimaraner is so iconic that they even earned the breed the nickname of the Gray Ghost. With a nickname like that, you would be forgiven for thinking that Weimaraners only come in shades of gray, but that’s not true. In fact, there’s quite a bit of variation in Weimaraner colors and coats. Let’s explore some of the diverse examples of this show-winning dog.

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Weimaraner Colors

According to the AKC the 3 standard Weimaraner colors are:

weimarner coat colors

 

Though the Weimaraner is often called the “Gray Ghost,” gray is not the only coat color. However, in the United States, only gray coloration variations are accepted for show. The AKC recognizes all the variations, so they’re eligible for all other forms of competition and can be registered.

The rules are different in other countries. Some of the colorations recognized in the United States aren’t even recognized by the canine governing bodies in other countries. Another issue is that all Weimaraners carry the dilute gene that gives them their distinctive washed-out appearance. That is why you won’t see a solid black or chocolate Weimaraner.

1. Gray Weimaraner

light grey weimaraner
Image By: cri92, Pixabay

Gray is the most common Weimaraner color and is considered to be the breed standard. However, the gray color of Weimaraners is actually a diluted chocolate! That’s why it appears to be almost white-washed, which is what gave them the nickname of the Gray Ghost.

If you look closely, you can see that the gray Weimaraner color has an almost brown appearance, making it seem more like a taupe than a true gray. If your Weimaraner is brown, they’re likely mixed with some other breed, like the Doberman Pinscher.

Shades of Gray

Even among the gray Weimaraners, there is some notable variation. Though they’re all considered to be gray, there are three shades that you might find on a Weimaraner.

Light Gray

The lightest Weimaraners are considered light gray or deer-gray (as the Germans call it). They look very pale compared to other Weimaraner colors, but the appearance is sort of a washed-out tan.

Silver Gray

The medium gray shade is often referred to as silver. It has a silver-gray color that appears closer to taupe, especially if not in direct sunlight.

Mouse Gray

The darkest gray Weimaraners almost appear to have washed-out tan coats. This dark gray is called mouse gray, and it’s the darkest of the gray shades. If your Weimaraner is darker than this, it’s likely actually a Blue Weimaraner.


2. Blue Weimaraner

blue weimaraner
Image Credit: casc, Pixabay

Though this color variation is considered blue, it’s diluted black. This results in a blue appearance, though no actual blue is present. As mentioned, the AKC recognizes blue Weimaraners and can be registered and used in competitions and sports, but they’re not eligible for showing.

Outside of the United States, the blue Weimaraners aren’t even recognized. They’re almost unheard of in other countries, though they’re slowly making their way across the ocean in small numbers.

Like the gray Weimaraners, the blue Weimaraners come in varying shades.

Light Blue

The most white-washed-looking Blue Weimaraners are considered to be Light Blue. Though much darker than the grays, they look like a very faded black.

Dark Blue

The dark blue Weimaraners look like they have a faded black coat, which is essentially the truth. They don’t appear blue at all but much darker, even though they have such a washed-out appearance.

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Other Color Variations

Though most Weimaraners appear to be solid-colored, some have unique markings. Some of these markings are still acceptable for showing, but others are disqualifying traits. Still, that doesn’t mean anything is wrong with a dog that exhibits any of the following markings. It just means they’re not recognized as part of the breed standard by the AKC.

3. Colored Point Weimaraners

Some Weimaraners have tan points, similar to Doberman Pinschers’ markings. They appear on the face, chest, and possibly paws. They can look so similar to Doberman colorations that it can make the Weimaraner hard to tell apart from a Doberman!

With the gray Weimaraners, the points will typically be so lightly colored that it can be challenging to distinguish them from the rest of the dog’s coat.

In a blue Weimaraner, the markings are much darker and more visible.


4. White Blaze Weimaraners

white blaze Weimaraner
Image Credit: Csanad Kiss, Shutterstock

According to the AKC standard, a small white mark on the chest is perfectly acceptable and very common on the Weimaraner. But it must be small to be acceptable and can only be located on the chest. The only other acceptable white markings are small ones on their lower legs.

If the white blaze on a Weimaraner’s chest is large, it’s outside of breed standards and won’t qualify for showing. White markings in other areas will also disqualify the dog, though they are common in some bloodlines.


5. Piebald Weimaraners

If you see a Weimaraner with white fur, potentially even covering most of the body, they’re a piebald. This can result in various patterns and colorations, but it includes the dog’s natural color and the white Piebald patches. Sometimes, this can result in a spotted or speckled appearance, giving the dog a unique look for a Weimaraner.

A Piebald Weimaraner isn’t created by crossing them with another breed. This is a naturally occurring variation, but it’s not very common.

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Coats

Traditionally, most Weimaraners have a very short and sleek coat that shines in the sunlight. While it is the most common, Weimaraners can have three coats. The AKC recognizes all of them, but only the shorthaired variety is acceptable for showing in the United States.

Shorthaired Weimaraner

This is the most common type of Weimaraner. The shorthaired Weimaraner has incredibly short hair that doesn’t need trimming and requires very little in the way of grooming or maintenance. However, they still shed some, and they’re not hypoallergenic.

woman hugging a silver gray weimaraner
Image Credit By: Romuald_Gałęcki, Pixabay

Longhaired Weimaraner

You’ve likely seen or encountered a shorthaired Weimaraner before, but if you’re in the United States, a longhaired Weimaraner is much less common. That’s because this variation is recognized but isn’t showable. However, the longhaired Weimaraner is fully recognized in other parts of the world, where they’re accepted for all types of shows and competitions.

As you might expect, longhaired Weimaraners have a much longer coat than the shorthaired variety. Because the longhair gene is recessive, two shorthaired Weimaraners can give birth to a longhaired one.

While the shorthaired Weimaraners have a single coat, the longhaired dogs usually have an undercoat beneath their topcoat. You’ll generally see longer hairs on the legs and belly, but their hair shouldn’t be too long or soft anywhere.

Stockhaar Weimaraner

This is pretty rare, and you can’t breed for it, but occasionally, when a longhaired Weimaraner is mixed with a shorthaired, the result is somewhere in between. Their hair is longer than that of a shorthaired Weimaraner. This type of coat is called Stockhaar.

Generally, the Stockhaar coat is still a single coat with no undercoat, but the guard hairs are much longer, particularly on the shoulder, ears, neck, and tail. It’s usually longer and thicker than a shorthaired coat but noticeably shorter and less scraggly than a longhaired coat.

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Recognized but Not Shown

Since you know all about the colors and coats you can find on Weimaraners, it’s important to make a quick distinction between them. Weimaraners are recognized by the AKC and often compete in dog events, competitions, and shows.

However, some colors and coats we covered are recognized and can be registered with the AKC, but they’re not showable. For the variations that are recognized but not showable, all other types of competition are open. They can compete in field events, canine sports like agility, hunting tests like the NAVHDA, and more.

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Conclusion

Though Weimaraner colors vary in shades and hues, there are only two colors: blue and gray. There is plenty of variation in the colors, but all purebred Weimaraners are either blue or gray unless they have a genetic variation like Piebald. In that case, they will have white mixed with their natural color.

See also: 


Featured Image Credit: RitaE, Pixabay

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