Blue Weimaraners: what the colour is, what the standards say, and what to ask before you pay more for one

A blue Weimaraner has a charcoal-toned coat that every breed standard rejects. It can be AKC-registered, but it is never a reason to pay more.

Written by

James

Updated

23 October 2026

A blue Weimaraner is a dog with a cooler, charcoal or slate-toned coat instead of the breed's usual taupe-grey. Every major breed standard rejects the colour, the Weimaraner Club of America (WCA) says blue dogs are "deliberately produced", and a breeder who charges more for one is selling the colour, not the dog. This guide, part of the breed hub, explains what the standards and the sources say, and what to ask before you buy.

What does a blue Weimaraner look like next to a grey one?

A grey Weimaraner, whatever its shade, has what the WCA calls a "grayish-taupe" tone, running from very light to deep, rich shades, but "never a true brown or blue color" (Source: WCA, Judges' Education Presentation). A blue dog's coat reads as a colder, darker grey, nearer charcoal than silver.

Telling them apart in a photo is harder than it sounds. Light, camera settings and a sun-bleached or shedding coat all change how grey looks; the WCA notes that the coat is easily sun-bleached and that shedding gives it a mottled pattern (Source: WCA, Judges' Education Presentation). The AKC standard's wording, "a distinctly blue or black coat", is a reminder that the disqualification is for an obvious difference, not a slightly darker grey (Source: AKC standard).

The photo below shows a grey coat, for comparison; we do not yet have a licensed photo of a blue dog to set beside it. If you need to know which colour a particular dog is, ask to see it, and its parents, in daylight.

What do the genetics say?

Less than many breeder websites suggest, at least in sources we could check. The WCA calls the Weimaraner's coat colour "a dilute" (Source: WCA, Judges' Education Presentation). Dilution is inherited as a recessive trait, so a dog shows it only with two copies of the dilute variant, and in research on other breeds dilution turns black pigment into a "silvery grey (blue)" (Source: Philipp et al. 2005). The same paper listed a Weimaraner among its dilute dogs (Source: Philipp et al. 2005).

You will often read a fuller explanation of exactly which base pigment sits under the grey coat and which under the blue. We have not been able to check it against a laboratory page or a paper that names the breed, so we do not repeat it as fact. What matters for a buyer does not depend on it: the standards and the breed club are clear about the colour either way. For all the breed's colour terms, see Weimaraner colours explained.

What does each registry say?

Sources for the table: AKC standard, FCI Standard 99, Dogs Australia breed standard, Royal Kennel Club breed standard and Royal Kennel Club breed information.

A disqualification is about the show ring, not about registration. The WCA says a blue Weimaraner "can be registered with the AKC" and can compete in all other AKC activities, and may enter WCA rating tests with a disqualification number if it is spayed or neutered (Source: WCA, How To Choose A Weimaraner Breeder).

What is the history of the disqualification?

The AKC standard in force today was approved on 14 December 1971, and it lists a distinctly blue or black coat among its disqualifications (Source: AKC standard). We have not found the WCA's own account of when or how the blue disqualification was first adopted, so we do not repeat the dates and stories that circulate online.

What the WCA does say is that the purebred heritage of the blue Weimaraner "is a matter of dispute", and that "the German Weimaraner Club considers them a mongrel" (Source: WCA, How To Choose A Weimaraner Breeder). The FCI standard, which follows the breed's German origin, treats blue colouring as a disqualifying fault (Source: FCI Standard 99).

Is there any evidence that blue dogs differ in health?

There is not much, and the honest answer is that it is not known. Two pieces of research are often mentioned:

• Colour dilution alopecia. In a study of dilute coat colour in other breeds, the authors note that dilution is "sometimes accompanied by hair loss and recurrent skin inflammation", called colour dilution alopecia (Source: Philipp et al. 2005). The study does not say that blue Weimaraners are affected.
• A small case series in Weimaraners. Veterinary dermatologists described a follicular dysplasia (a hair-follicle disorder causing hair loss on the body) in five Weimaraners, with changes similar to colour dilution alopecia (Source: Laffort-Dassot et al. 2002). The published summary does not say whether those dogs were blue or grey, and five dogs cannot show how common the problem is.

The FCI standard lists partial or total hair loss as a disqualifying fault for any Weimaraner (Source: FCI Standard 99). We found no study comparing the health of blue and grey Weimaraners, and no evidence we can cite that a blue coat changes temperament. If your dog has hair loss or skin trouble, whatever its colour, ask your vet. The health hub shows what we cover so far.

Should you pay more for a blue puppy?

No. The WCA is direct about it: "The blue weimaraner is not recognized in any country worldwide. The blue weimaraner is not a rare breed. They are deliberately produced." (Source: WCA, How To Choose A Weimaraner Breeder). In the WCA's 2012 owner survey of 482 dogs, blue coats were reported in about 3.5 in every 100 dogs (Source: WCA 2012 health survey), which is not what "rare" usually means.

A price premium for a colour that every standard rejects tells you what the breeder is selling. A blue dog can be a loving companion like any other, and a rescue blue Weim deserves a home as much as any grey. What it should not do is cost you more, or distract you from the questions that matter for a healthy, well-raised puppy. Our guide to what a Weimaraner puppy costs explains what a fair price should pay for.

What should you ask a breeder advertising blues?

The responsible breeder guide explains each check in more depth. If an advert leans on words like "rare", "exotic" or "designer", slow down and ask more, not less: our guide to puppy scams and red flags lists the other warning signs.

Common questions

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