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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, this breed has won hearts, medals, and accolades based on its looks, physical abilities, and temperament.

The most common coat and color of the Weimaraner is so iconic that it even earned the breed the nickname of the Grey Ghost. With a nickname like that, you would be forgiven for thinking that Weimaraners only come in shades of grey, but that’s actually 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 this breed is often called the “Grey Ghost,” grey is not the only color they come in.

However, in the United States, only variations of the grey coloration are accepted for show. That said, all the variations are recognized by the AKC, so they’re eligible for all other forms of competition and can be registered. But rules are different in other countries. Some of the colorations that are recognized in the United States aren’t even recognized by the canine governing bodies in other countries.

Another thing to be aware of is that all Weimaraners carry the dilute gene that gives them their distinctive washed-out appearance. This is why you won’t see a solid black or chocolate Weimaraner.

1. Grey Weimaraner

light grey weimaraner
Image Credit: cri92, Pixabay

Grey is the most common Weimaraner color. It’s considered to be the breed standard. But here’s something interesting: it’s not really grey at all! In fact, the grey 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 Grey Ghost.

If you look closely, you can see that the Grey Weimaraner color has an almost brown appearance that makes it seem more like a taupe than a true grey color. It’s still called Grey, though, and sometimes even Silver. But it’s certainly not brown. If your Weimaraner is actually brown, then it’s likely mixed with some other breed, like the Doberman Pinscher.

Shades of Grey

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

Light Grey

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

Silver Grey

The medium grey shade is often referred to as Silver Weimaraners. It’s really a Silver Grey color that appears closer to taupe, especially if not in direct sunlight.

Mouse Grey

The darkest grey Weimaraners almost appear to be washed out tan in color. This dark grey is called Mouse Grey, and it’s the darkest of the grey shades. If your Weimaraner is darker than this, it’s likely actually a Blue Weimaraner.


2. Blue Weimaraner

blue weimaraner
Image Credit by: casc, Pixabay

Though this color variation is considered to be Blue, that’s not actually the truth. Similar to how the Grey Weimaraners are actually a diluted chocolate, the Blue Weimaraners are actually a diluted black. This results in a blue appearance, though there is no actual blue in them.

As mentioned, Blue Weimaraners are recognized by the AKC 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 starting to make their way across the ocean in small numbers.

Just like with the Greys, the Blue Weimaraners come in varying shades.

Light Blue

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

Dark Blue

The Dark Blue Weimaraners look like they have a faded black coat, which is essentially the truth. They don’t appear Grey 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, they aren’t all. There are some color variations that pop up in the breed and create unique markings. Some of these markings are still acceptable for showing, but others are disqualifying traits. Still, that doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with a dog that exhibits any of the following markings. It just means that they’re not recognized as part of the breed standard by the AKC.

3. Colored Point Weimaraners

Some Weimaraners can have tan points, very similar to the markings that Doberman Pinschers wear. These markings will be visible on the face, chest, and possibly paws. They can look so similar to Doberman colorations that it can actually make the Weimaraner hard to tell apart from a Doberman!

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

In a Blue Weimaraner, the markings tend to be much darker and more visible.


4. White Blaze Weimaraners

white blaze Weimaraner
Image Credit by: Csanad Kiss, Shutterstock

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

If the white blaze on a Weimaraner’s chest is large, then 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 seen commonly in some bloodlines.


5. Piebald Weimaraners

If you see a Weimaraner that has lots of white, potentially even covering most of the body, then it’s a Piebald. This can result in a variety of patterns and colorations, but all will be a mix of the dog’s natural color and the white Piebald patches. Sometimes, this can result in a spotted or speckled appearance, giving the dog a truly unique look for a Weimaraner.

A Piebald Weimaraner doesn’t mean that it has been crossed with another breed. This is a naturally occurring variation with the breed, though it’s not very common.

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Coats

Now that we’ve discussed the different types of colors that Weimaraners have, it’s time to talk about their different coats. Traditionally, most Weimaraners have a very short and sleek coat that seems to shine in the sunlight. While that coat is certainly the most common, it’s not the only look that this breed sports. There are actually three main coats that you’ll find on Weimaraners. All are recognized by the AKC, but only the shorthaired variety is acceptable for showing in the United States.

Shorthaired Weimaraner

This is the most common type of Weimaraner that most people likely think of when they imagine this breed. 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 do shed some, and they’re not hypoallergenic.

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

Longhaired Weimaraner

It’s very likely that you’ve 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 it’s 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 ones 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. It’s not a longhaired, but definitely much longer than the extremely short hairs on 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 different 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 are admitted into all types of dog events, competitions, and shows.

However, there’s a caveat to this. Some of the colors and coats that 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 such as the NAVHDA, and more. But even though they’re recognized by the AKC and accepted into other forms of competition, those variations of Weimaraner colors are not showable.

But just because they’re not showable doesn’t mean they’re illegitimate or that something’s wrong with them. These variations are completely acceptable and recognized parts of the Weimaraner.

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Conclusion

Though Weimaraner colors vary in terms of shades and hues, there are really only two colors that the breed comes in; Blue and Grey. There is plenty of variation within those colors, but all purebred Weimaraners are either Blue or Grey unless they have a genetic variation such as Piebald. In that case, they will have white mixed in with their natural color, even creating many different patterns and looks.

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Featured Image Credit: RitaE, Pixabay

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