Breeding & Litter Requirements of the Hunting Weimaraner Alliance

The HWA recognizes that there is a problem with lack of natural hunting ability in the Weimaraner breed.  Our goal is to assist hunters in finding quality breeders that produce Weimaraners that have proven hunting ability.  The HWA imposes minimum standards on any breeder wishing to be included in the Hunting Weimaraner Alliance.  While the initial standards will include sires and dams with entry level hunting titles, these are not static standards and we expect to make these guidelines more rigorous as the HWA evolves.  More emphasis shall be placed on the Weimaraner as a finished gundog, as this proves trainability as well as natural talent. 

Breeding Requirements:

The following requirements will have to be met before any litter is approved by the Hunting Weimaraner Alliance:

Every sire and dam used for breeding will have hips certified by PennHIP or the OFA at a minimum.  All hunting titles have been classified into three categories: 
Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

Gold:
Versatile Champion (VC)
National Field Champion (NFC)
National Amateur Champion (NAFC)
Utility prize (UT) I, II, or III
European VGP title
Field Champion (FC)
Amateur Field Champion (AFC)
Master Hunter (MH) + Retrieving Dog (RD) or Retrieving Dog Excellent (RDX)
VHDF Performance Evaluation (PE)

Silver:
European HZP
Senior Hunter (SH) + Retrieving Dog (RD) or Retrieving Dog Excellent (RDX)
VHDF Advanced Hunting Aptitude Evaluation (AHAE)

Bronze:
Natural Ability (NA) prize I, II, or III with a minimum score of 90
Junior Hunter (JH)
European VGP
VHDF Hunting Aptitude Evaluation (HAE)

Any dog in the Bronze category MUST be bred to a dog in the Silver or Gold category.

It is also preferential that any dog in the Silver category be bred to a dog in the Gold category, although no rule requires this at this time.  For NAVHDA testing, a Prize I is preferred but not mandated at this time, as ANY Prizing dog is a serviceable hunting dog capable of performing in the field.  For Junior Hunter dogs, some other proof of trainability is not required by the HWA, but the puppy buyer should be informed that this is a title of natural ability in most cases, and it is important to see the dog hunt if possible.

To the puppy buyer: This is a general guideline based on titles only, and is not a substitute for actually seeing the dog perform.  While some standard must necessarily exist, it is extremely important that anyone seeking a hunting dog should see—and hunt over if possible—any dog from whom they are interested in getting a puppy.  Many things go into a well-planned breeding, such as overall health, temperament, trainability, geographic location, how a dog is built to withstand conditions in the field, as well as the different needs a hunter may have. 

This is the short list!  This scale does not take into account the dog who has nearly finished his/her Field Championship, or who has half of his/her Master Hunter title, or who has been hunted over in every condition in North America for the past six years and can pin a pheasant like a pro.  The general feeling and rapport you develop with a breeder is also of utmost importance, as they will be your guide for the lifetime of your hunting buddy! 

 

Litter Requirements:

Every puppy that is the product of a HWA approved breeding MUST be tested in a NAVHDA Natural Ability Test or the equivalent (VDHF or European system).  These tests are held around the country year-round and must be done before the dog is sixteen months old.  Most litters will be dual-registered AKC and NAVHDA, but this is at the breeder’s discretion.

Members of the HWA reserve the right to approve or deny breeding recommendation based on personal assessment of the dog or dogs in question.  This Alliance is first and foremost for hunters seeking a better hunting Weimaraner.