The beautiful gray dogs with the expressive eyes has probably only been around since the 19th century. According to tradition, that’s when Grand Duke Karl August of Weimar began to selectively breed hunting dogs that were fast, had strong noses, wouldn’t back down from large game like wolves or wildcats, and were smart.
Karl August’s breed allegedly became fashionable among his fellow Weimar noblemen, and the breed gained popularity as a bird-hunting dog as well.