Redbone Coonhound vs Vizsla

The Redbone breed is super friendly and will greet all your guests at the door—and they’re likely to lay down and roll over so their new friends can pet their belly instead of their head. Redbones love to be with their people; they may be independent thinkers and led by their nose, but they’re not loners. It’s best if you can be with them for most of the day, or arrange for a play day at doggy daycare or ask a friend to stop by. Otherwise, they may sing the sad song of their people all day (by baying) or destroy things in the house while you’re gone.

These energetic pups love to play, and they’ll be good playmates for kids, especially older ones; in their exuberance, they may accidentally knock over smaller children. So, be sure to supervise playtimes with kids and your Redbone.

These red dogs aim to please, but they have a powerful nose and can get distracted by scents. Redbones have been described as impulsive, unpredictable, independent and fast. All these traits hail from their hunting instincts; it’s important to keep your Redbone on a leash when out and about. Starting their training while they’re a puppy and ensuring they get plenty of exercise will help curb these activities. (Although you’ll never completely train these instincts out of your pup.)

Redbones can be laser-focused when they catch an interesting scent, and they’ll do whatever it takes to track it down. They’re clever escape artists who can figure out how to get over, under or around fences to get where they want to go. You might find a GPS tracker helpful in case your four-legged Houdini gets out of your backyard.

Redbone Coonhound dogs get along well with other dogs, especially those who can match their energy level, like a Border Collie. And if you raise your Redbone with a cat from puppyhood, they’ll likely get along. But their instincts will kick in around small animals that look like critters that need chasing, and they may give in to the urge.

Redbone Coonhounds aren’t aggressive, but their enthusiasm may look like aggression to people unfamiliar with the dog. They may lunge, bark, jump and dance to get what they want—for example, to chat with the Poodle across the street. But with proper training, socialization and plenty of exercise, your Redbone can be a polite member of society. Redbones are not biters, either, but it’s important to teach them not to bite while they’re puppies. As born hunters, they don’t retrieve with a gentle mouth, like a Labrador Retriever, and they may “play bite” harder than you’d like.

Redbone Coonhounds are working dogs, meaning they were bred with a job to do. These pups love being put to work! Whether that’s a formal job, like search and rescue or activities with a purpose like dog sports (i.e., tracking) or even games of hide-and-seek can help scratch their itch for work.

Bounding, wiggling, racing away—the Vizsla dog breed has a high-energy personality that’s always ready to go, go, go. (Keeping up with the Energizer Bunny would not be an issue). Inquisitive and loving, a Vizsla is sometimes called a “Velcro dog” as they tend to stick close to their people. Vizslas have a gentle, friendly nature and a playful demeanor.

Having a Vizsla in a home with kids and babies is a fine idea—and the breed also enjoys the company of other dogs, especially when they’re young. Bonus: They can even be trained to live peaceably with cats. But keep in mind that Vizslas have a high prey drive and may chase a kitty, so if you plan to introduce a feline to the family, take care to keep the cat safe until your Vizsla puppy is well socialized.

Vizsla qualities also include a high level of competence and an ability to learn quickly, making this dog highly trainable. Vizsla intelligence has long been prized; the breed has a distinguished history as a faithful hunting companion that was bred to both point and retrieve. Modern-day Vizslas have equally demanding jobs as seeing eye dogs, search and rescue animals and professional sniffers (think drugs or explosives). And Vizslas even have a patriotic streak, serving as canine recovery workers at Ground Zero in New York City after the attacks on September 11, 2001.