ROMANCING THE BREED
By Dr. Dana Massey Win’Weim Weimaraners, Valley Mills, Texas USA
H
ow do you start a dis- cussion about a pas- sion that has lasted for 62 years? It is a love. It is a romance. In 1950, my
the horse too hard, and put his life on the line when intruders broke into the house at Christmas in 1956. Th e Weimaraner breed has come a very long way since 1950. Th e temperament, health, versatility and popularity have all improved. I can remember going to the vet and Quirt not being allowed to go inside because the vet was afraid of him. Breed- ers have brought our Weims a long way— they’ve always been great family dogs, but now they are socialized and biddable. One reason so many of us have Wei- maraners is that they are extremely smart. Th ey are said to be human like in their ability to learn and do! But they can be stubborn and willful—with a mind of their own. Th is needs to be channeled through training. Training a Weimara- ner means earning his love and respect.
father—a farmer, rancher and avid sports- man—brought me a Weimaraner puppy. Daddy had English Setters, Pointers, and a Bulldog. Mother had a poodle and a stan- dard schnauzer. However, that Weimara- ner ruled the house, the home place, and the ranch. His name was Quirt and for twelve years he was my constant compan- ion and protector. He swam in the Gulf of Mexico with me, he ran next to me when I rode my horse, and he sat on the gun range for hours as we practiced trap, skeet and live pigeon shoots. He nipped at me if I swam too far out, barked at me if I pushed
Dr. Dana Massey
Am/Can CH BIS/BISS Nani’s Win’k of an Eye VCD1 (TD,CD,NA,NAJ) JH, NRD, VX, CGC, TDI HOF BROM Head study by Don Petrulis
1959 with Quirt and my brothers and sister. Harlingen, Texas
“THE WEIMARANER BREED HAS COME A VERY LONG WAY SINCE 1950.”
S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , F EBRUARY 2014 • 255
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