Weimaraner vs Vizsla

Weimaraner dogs are friendly and fearless. Their inquisitive personality can mean intently listening to your guidance when learning a new trick (you’re going to need this: 101 Dog Tricks) or running straight into a swarm of bees to see what all the buzzing is about. So, stay alert!

Spend one day with a Weimaraner, and you’ll quickly discover their love for human and animal connection. But thanks to their tall height, lanky stature and fast speed, they can be a bit clumsy around unstable toddlers, the elderly and small pets. So make sure you keep an eye on your Weim when grandma comes for a visit.

This breed isn’t aggressive, but they will experience separation anxiety when you’re gone too long. Expect some judgy side-eye and a disheveled bed when greeting your Weimaraner at the door if you’ve been away for the day.

A Weimaraner loves to use their mouth during playtime, whether engaging in a game of tug-of-war with their pet parent or nibbling a plush toy. If an unexpected bite happens, it’s most likely from misjudging where your hand will go next, and the dog will often pause to apologize for the mistake.

This social breed loves to be out and about, from visits to friends’ homes to public outdoor spaces. And they adapt quickly and find joy in poking their noses in whatever activity you’re doing. Do you have a farm? Weimaraners love investigating other animals and might point at waterfowl, such as ducks and swans, thanks to their natural hunting capabilities. (So, make sure your birds are out of reach.)

Bounding, wiggling, racing away—the Vizsla dog breed has a high-energy personality that’s always ready to go, go, go. (They’d make an ideal sub for the Energize Bunny should he ever retire). Inquisitive and loving, a Vizsla is sometimes called a “Velcro dog” as they tend to stick close to their people. As for aggressive tendencies or a penchant for biting, the Vizsla temperament isn’t known to engage in either. Instead, a gentle, friendly nature and a playful demeanor are far more common Vizsla traits.

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 as 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 as 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.