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When looking for a weimaraner puppy, there are a lot of things you should consider, especially if this is your first weim!
Most weims do best with families and individuals that lead a fairly active lifestyle. Some of my puppies live on the water, on big pieces of property in houses, with marathon runners or bicyclists, hunt regularly with their masters, and live with families with older children that have the energy to play with, but are also old enough to help train the dog.
They are usually not well off in an apartment, with very small children (because children can be knocked down easily by a dog of this stature and energy level), and with those not eager to learn about the breed and its needs. In considering a weim, you have to understand that this breed is very loyal, but also extremely athletic and active. They were bred to be able to hunt all day with their masters and so they still have this drive and endurance today. They need good amount of attention and exercise to be happy and healthy both mentally and physically, and need to live in the house and be considered a member of the family.
Although not aggressive, they can be protective which means they keep an ear open for intruders and will bark at a knock on the door to protect the family's domain, usually looking to their owners for the cue that things are okay and to settle. Extremely intelligent, weims are generally easy to train so long as they are socialized with all sorts of noises, sights, people and activities early on. The first four months are an extremely crucial time for development in this area to ensure a confident and trustworthy companion, and need positive reinforcement to aid in the training process from the beginning.
 Puppy classes are a great way to start the training, socialization, and bonding early on. A dog left to his own devices for hours on end, with no mental stimulation, little to no physical activity and no attention will surely develop anxiety and be extremely hard to train and will be destructive. It's better to start with good training habits first, and with a puppy out of a good breeding. This starts with finding an excellent breeder with decades of experience, or somebody who has a mentor with tons of experience in exhibiting and breeding. A good breeder will breed only for the betterment of the breed.
This breeder will have bred only the best, which means that they show in conformation and have champion or grand champion AKC titles on their dogs. Ask to see the pedigree; there should be titles on at least the parents but the next generation or two back as well (look for Ch or GCh in front of their name. The AKC also has a list on their website with every possible title a dog can have, so you can decipher the initials!) This means that the dog or bitch is within breed standard as governed by the AKC, has no faults and is a good representation of the breed. A dog that is not structured properly will also not hunt well, because he will have limitations that could alter his ability to run all day uninhibited. A good breeder will not purposely breed for faults, such as a white marking on a place of the body that is not the chest or for the distinctly blue coat color. Likewise, hunting titles are a good indicator of bird drive of the parents, which are AKC events as well. Other titles weimaraner enthusiasts might have attained with their dogs might be in obedience, agility, CGC, TDI, field trials etc.
 They should be active with their dogs in this respect.The sire and dam should have excellent temperments, no matter what they have achieved in the ring or field. A dog with a bad temperment or even a bad habit should never be bred, because it is very likely that that trait will be passed on to its progeny. Similarly, parents with great temperments will pass this on as well. You should also be able to see and meet both the parents. It is very likely that the sire lives out of state, so pictures and/or video or even arrangements to meet at an event he might participating in should suffice.
The parents should both have health clearances, which mean that the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has reviewed the specific case and has certified the dog with a fair, good or excellent rating. It is breed specific for which weimaraners should have at least their hips tested, and you can look up the dog on the OFA website and see their rating and if they were in fact tested. Any dog who has not been certified or said to be dysplastic should never be bred. Other certifications might be made for eyes, thyroid, elbows, and heart, especially if a known relative has had an issue.
The breeder should welcome anybody interested and willing to learn about the breed that they feel can be a good owner and be willing to give support for the lifetime of the dog and be willing to take the dog back for any reason. They should encourage the new owners to participate in puppy classes, obedience class, and to try AKC sanctioned events. The breeder should exhibit good sportsmanship and husbandry, and will adhere to the rules, and be a member, of the Weimaraner Club of America.
Even if you might not want to necessarily show or hunt with your weim and are looking for a companion, you will get a better pet out of parents that do and from breeders that understand what the breed should be. Breeders that make the extra effort are what you should be looking for, and any profit should be going back into the health, wellness and activities they do with their dogs. This is a hobby that many take very seriously and you will benefit by doing your homework and by waiting to find those that truly care about their breed and their dogs.
It will be obvious from the start if you know what to look for and ask the right questions.
One of the best ways to start is to be a spectator at an AKC event, which you can search for online. Competitors will be glad to talk to you about their dogs, talk to you about the breed, and can be a gateway to finding a great puppy.
Good luck in your quest, and get ready to gain a new grey best friend!
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