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Training Weimaraners: Stopping Aggressive Behaviours In Your Dog

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 Training Weimaraners: Stopping Aggressive Behaviours In Your Dog


Training Weimaraners
Dog Training 

There may be many reasons for aggressive behaviors showing up when training Weimaraners. They can result from a dominance issue between you and your dog, or possibly from a trigger event during your Weimaraner’s puppyhood that was not appropriately sorted out at the time. An attack from another dog can also be a cause of aggression. No matter what the cause, I can only advise that you address the issue as quickly as you can. Allowing aggressive behavior to remain over a long period of time makes changing the behavior much more difficult and can be dangerous, to you, other people and to your dog.

You must remember when training Weimaraners that they were bred as hunting dogs and they are powerful, smart, and athletic. However they can also be wonderful household pets provided they receive proper training and are able to get enough exercise. Unlike some other dogs bred for hunting such as Labradors and Retrievers, Weimaraners can be quite aloof towards new people. They can be protective of their family (pack) and also become somewhat territorial over time. Because of this tendency they must be fully socialized when young to stop them becoming aggressive. If your Weimaraner becomes frightened or angered, the tail will probably point upward and the hair could rise up down the centre of its back, the dog’s iris and pupil of their eye may possibly also dilate (ie: get bigger).

Starting Early: The Source of Aggressive Behavior in Weimaraners


Aggression in your Weimaraner can start from 6 weeks of age and this the crucial time for your puppy to experience lots of socialization with other dogs. This process takes place best with their own litter and should continue on at least until the puppy reaches 14 weeks old. This is not a hard rule however, and socialisation should never really stop! Consequently it is best to:

never remove a puppy from its litter before it reaches eight weeks of age.

Don’t discipline your puppy harshly up to 10 weeks old and always treat your Weimaraner puppy gently during this period.

Do not use hitting, yelling loudly or any other harsh treatment or punishment as this can breed aggressive behavior over time. Remember your Weimaraner is a sporting dog and may respond to your harsh treatment with aggression!

You can see from the article so far that a Weimaraner needs to have been properly socialized with people and other dogs by the time he reaches 14 weeks to avoid any future aggression issues. Weimaraners are bred to be hunting dogs and may often show aggression in order to be dominant over other dogs, typically those of the same sex. They have also been known to seize cats and other fleeing creatures, including livestock like sheep or wildlife such as deer. This is because of their strong instinct to chase. It is worthwhile remembering that this breed is perfectly capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals. This can occur especially if there are problems with breeding, socializing, training, and or other handling mismanagement.



In addition, Weimaraners are more prone to aggression if they have not been spayed or neutered. However, the dog’s environment is the most important factor in creating aggressive behavior in Weimaraners. A Weimaraner that has been frightened or attacked at some time, or is in restricted or poor living conditions, has been treated harshly or has not been properly socialized is at a much greater risk of developing aggressive behavior as it gets older.

Some aggressive behavior such as biting, growling or posturing is often the result of a training Weimaraner testing for pack dominance. This grows from the dog’s instinctual need to establish a pecking order in the pack. You will want to establish your dominance at a young age and maintain that position throughout the Weimaraner’s adolescence to ensure your dog doesn’t get a chance to take control of the household.

Stopping and Controlling Aggressive Behavior in Weimaraners


If your Weimaraner exhibits aggressive behavior after it has reached sexual maturity, around 14 months of age, and especially after it has been neutered, you should deal with the problem immediately. First, make sure you have established yourself as the pack leader.  Don’t reward your Weimaraner for aggressive behavior, even if it has been frightened (especially in this case).

Train your Weimaraner to respond to your commands, control feeding and walking times, and make sure the dog has a strong leader in the house. By deferring to your dog you are effectively allowing it take the lead. To feel that it is your master. If you do this, the Weimaraner may show stronger aggression toward other dogs and other people. If your Weimaraner is defensive-aggressive, they may strike out at a person in fear. This can be a result of inadequate socialization. It is a good idea to keep them away from small children (which they may see as direct threats) and get to a training session or contact an animal behaviorist who can help you to slowly acclimatize your dog to a social atmosphere.

Aggressive behavior in training Weimaraners is a common problem that many owners have, but it can be managed and controlled, even as your dog gets older. If your dog’s aggression ever turns to violence, you will need to consider paying for a professional trainer to intervene before your Weimaraner is held responsible for someone being injured.


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