# Vizsla & Weimaraners



## virgilsmom (Aug 13, 2008)

We recently lost our 14 year old Vizsla mix to old age and have been thinking about getting a puppy for a companion for our 4 year old Vizsla. I was wondering if anyone has Weims and Vizsla's living together and how it works out. 

Also are the Weims temperments similar to the Vizsla. I read somewhere the Weim is not friendly to strangers. I prefer my dogs to be friendly to everyone. I realize this might not be the correct place to ask a Weimaraner question, but was hoping someone might be able to help.

We also have cats, chickens and ducks walking around that my V has never bothered. We don't hunt our dogs.
Thanks for any responses


----------



## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

First of all, I am so sorry for your loss! It is always hard to lose a canine family member. 

As to weimaraners, I'm interested in reading the responses you get. Weims are most certainly beautiful dogs. When we first looking at breeds, I remember reading that weims were in general a bit more strong willed than V's and required strong leadership. As for being friendly to strangers, I do not know. I know I read timidity runs in vizslas and it's even more important to socialize them than other breeds. oso was never timid, but he was socialized quite a bit. 

Although this is the Vizsla forum, I am sure you will get some responses from people who know weims better than I do.

Best of luck!


----------



## virgilsmom (Aug 13, 2008)

Our Virgil is not the least bit timid either. In fact I am usually trying to get him to leave people alone. Virgil thinks every one loves him.

We have a lot of people that come to our house, so socialization is not a problem for us.


----------



## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

I have never owned a Weim, but have known lots of weim and all have been very friendly and my Gt Dane just loves to play with them. Never come across a nasty one.

So sorry for your loss but it certainly sounds like your V had a fabulous life and reached a great age.


----------



## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

We walk with a 2yr Weim bitch, who is very 'Hunt' driven, compared to our boy Brook.
Where he will stay on point and slowly stalk, she will watch him do this but has very little interest in holding the point and would rather rush in and flush the quarry.
Saying all this she is very quick to catch while flushing, 11 squirrel's and some feeding 'Woodies' (pigeons) to date!

While very similar in breed also very different in nature!
I think they were initially bred for bigger game i.e. Deer, Boar etc...

We have noticed that she ranges further also without 'Checking In'.

Great breed, good company, although a year younger than Brook looks like she is taller than him now, generally a bit bigger than 'V's anyway.

Hobbsy


----------



## LaVidaLoca (Feb 20, 2012)

Hi *virgilsmom*

sorry to hear that you've lost a beloved family member.

I'm reading quite often in a german hunting forum and there are lot of people who say, that they prefer more the Weimaraner because they find the Vizsla "too soft" for hunting. Quite interesting statement and maybe that says all


----------



## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

LaVidaLoca said:


> Hi *virgilsmom*
> 
> sorry to hear that you've lost a beloved family member.
> 
> I'm reading quite often in a german hunting forum and there are lot of people who say, that they prefer more the Weimaraner because they find the Vizsla "too soft" for hunting. Quite interesting statement and maybe that says all


I believe people who make a decision to own a Weim are always going to defend that position. I have a lot of exposure to them without ever owning one. My first boss in my very first job had 2. One thing they are, is a lot more "barky" than the V. But, to be honest, I find them very similar. They are generally a bigger dog though, much heavier set, longer, taller, bigger head. Still very affectionate and I have never come across an outwardly aggressive one. I have however seen a few with fear aggression, but this is more than likely due to the owners lack of understanding than anything else.

I posted a comment a while back about a dumb owner who thought his Weim was dumb. I hid a ball in some grass on a field we were walking together in and his "Dumb Dog" as he called him, immediately put his nose to the ground and quartered the field till he picked up on the scent of the ball and then went straight to it. So they do have a strong scent instinct from what I have viewed.

But, being totally biased, I would look at a GSP before a Weim if I wanted company for my V. But, as you know, I have two V's and a GSP, so am going to defend my position!!!!!!


----------



## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

When I was searching breeds and before I stumbled onto Vizslas, I thought I would get a Weim. I had met 3 or 4 and thought (and still think) they were great dogs. However, one of the myriad of sites I read stated that Weims love to chase cats and it takes an experienced, focused owner to train them otherwise. Between that comment and the Weims size, I decided to keep looking. Vs are a better fit for my household.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Good luck with your decision to expand your family!


----------



## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

jld640 - I am sure weims love chasing cats if they don't live with them - so do a lot of other breeds. We used to have two cats, but sadly lost the last one 4yrs ago, but our Gt Dane loves to chase a cat if he sees one outside. I am afraid he and a lot of other dogs consider them fair game if they run   

However, when we go away on vacation he stays with a friend of mine who has two cats and chickens that run loose - both the chicken and the cats are used to dogs so don't run and Fergus never boths them. The cats even curl up and sleep with him.


----------



## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Oops - no offense meant. As you said, lots of breeds chase cats if they don't live with them. It was the 'experienced, focused' part that caught my eye and worried me. Virgilsmom obviously has more experience than I did when I was trolling for information.


----------



## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

No offense taken - I thought it was rather amusing  .

Oh P.S I don't own a weim, but know 3 and they are lovely dogs


----------



## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

Ive only met about 3 weims. My boyf brother has one and although he's generally a good dog he does bully Dozer around and has much more guarding instinct. Even when a "stranger" is welcomed in the home it takes him much longer to accept them and he let's everyone know it. But I think this was could have been made much better through training. Just one dog.


----------



## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

My husband had a Weim before I knew him and before he got his first Vizsla. He wanted another Weim and he only chose a Vizsla for his 2nd dog because he was living in an apt. and wanted a smaller dog. But, he's grown to prefer the Vizsla. 

Re: dogs not being friendly to strangers etc, I have one V who is and one V who isn't (as much anyway). He's gotten more comfortable around strangers watching his sister get all of the attention. He's much more "barky" than she is. I just wanted to say that, although all V's are very similar in a lot of ways, they are also very different. We have 2 and their personalities could not be more different. Sometimes what we know about the breed is often limited to our own experience and is a little "subjective". My point is, I'm sure some Weims are friendly with strangers and some aren't.


----------



## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

My first dog was a weimaraner and sadly died last year at a ripe old age of 11and a half.he was a gentleman the last few years of his life,but in his younger days he was a real challenge. a big dog at nearly 35 kilos, and survived gastric torsion after major surgery...we still miss him so much.......It was the scare of gastric torsion that made us go for a Vizsla as this is not so common in this breed. As for similarities, I find the Vizsla easier to train and in fact she really enjoys the training, the Vizsla is just as velcro as the Weimaraner but I thought the Vizsla might have been about the same size, but Darcy is only 17 kilos at 15 months old..I suppose the Vizsla is a light weight HPR as opposed to the heavier hunting prowess of the weimaraner..


----------



## Jimbo15471 (Mar 27, 2012)

My parents own a Weim and I own a 7 month old V. I can tell you the Weim is definitely barkey and just as velcro as the V. The Weim is much bigger and is probably close to 90lbs. The weim has thyroid issues for some time and now has hip issues as well. Had a softball size tumor removed from her spleen recently but she is still happy and living it up. The Weim is much less energy and much less work but will talk back to you a lot. I hope that helps. I would say overall if you want a dog to be a major part of your life get the V.


----------



## Cavedog (Oct 21, 2010)

Darcy1311 said:


> It was the scare of gastric torsion that made us go for a Vizsla as this is not so common in this breed.


I had two Weims several years ago and now have a V. One of my Weims died of gastric torsion and I have a friend whose Weim suffered the same fate, and though I love the Gray Dogs, their susceptibility to this horrible condition was a factor in my choosing another breed.

Every dog is different and it is difficult to generalize from such a small sampling, but in my experience, both breeds are very intelligent and friendly, but I find the V to be much more affectionate and clingy. The Weim on the other hand was a lot more protective.


----------



## virgilsmom (Aug 13, 2008)

Thanks for all of the great comments. I hadn't had a chance to look at the forum until now due to all the irrigating, fencing, new baby ducks  and other that comes with farming and summer.

Its kind of like I thought, it will depend on the individual dog and life lessons as they come. 

Were still on the fence about what kind of dog .to get, husband wants a red heeler to help with cattle. I don't. My V helps me chase cattle for a while but usually gets side tracked by a butterfly or something.

I have had good luck having my dogs around chickens, cats and ducks. Virgil likes to watch the new ducks play in water and doesn't bother them at all.

I'd just as soon get another V,


----------

