Hungarian Vizsla

Other Names: Magyar Vizsla, Vizsla, Hungarian Pointer, Drotszoru Magyar Vizsla

Country of origin: Hungary

Dog Group Kennel Club: Gundog

General appearance:

The Vizsla breed comes in two coat varieties: the Smooth and Wire. The Smooth is short, dense, close to the body, and shiny with no under coat.  The Wire is hard, harsh, and loose fitting. There is no gloss or shine. There is a winter under-coat and the hair is brush-like on the back of
the forelegs, head, muzzle, and ears. Hungarian Vizslas are medium sized, solid coloured, active dog with a short coat. They have a noble and graceful appearance and give the impression of great stamina, covering the ground in an elegant manner. The head should be lean and distinguished with the skull being slightly longer than the muzzle. The muzzle should taper and be square at the end. Their ears should be relatively long and low set, hanging close to the head,with thin skin and be rounded at the tips. The neck should be long, strong, muscular and arched. The chest should be broad and deep and the breastbone prominent. The front legs should be straight and muscular and the back legs should be strong and appear straight when viewed from the back.

Colours: Solid golden rust, various shades of gold and sandy yellow; small white marks on the chest and feet are acceptable.

Size:

Bitch    53cm (21") 60cm (24")

Dog    57cm (22") 64cm (25")

Weight:

Bitch 20kg (44lbs) 30kg (66lbs

Dog  20kg (44lbs) 30kg (66lbs

Temperament:

The Vizsla is an intelligent, dual purpose gundog, which gets on well with children, and enjoys being outdoors. They do have an inbuilt desire to protect their family with whom they are very affectionate and loyal. They should be socialised from an early age. In general the Vizsla likes to stay with the family and will not wander off too far. Vizslas will happily be both family and working dogs in one. They are alert and watchful and will bark when they sense danger or visitors. They are very reserved with strangers. The Vizsla loves to chew on anything and everything and is not a calm and placid breed. They will become destructive if they are allowed to be bored.

Movement: Their Their movement should be smooth and graceful allowing them to cover the ground quickly.

Care and training:

The coat of the Visla is short and dense making it easy to keep clean after a day out in the field. Any dead or loose hairs can be removed by using a rubber grooming mitt. Coat is greasy to the touch. They do not tolerate cold climates.

The Vizsla is not an unduly difficult dog to train as long as there is consistency and firmness in the training. They are intelligent and eager to learn and to please. It should be remembered that this dog is sensitive and therefore training should be carried out in a gentle manner. The Vizsla displays their talents in the areas of tracking, pointing, retrieving, and competitive obedience. Harsh methods of training will ruin this breed.

Overall Exercise: 60 - 80 minutes per day.
The Vizsla requires plenty of exercise and needs to be kept active. They are best suited to the active country dwelling family although they will adapt to an urban lifestyle if given plenty of suitable exercise.

Feeding requirements: A good well balanced dog food, or a completely natural diet (protein based) is ideal.

Exercise: High 

Grooming: Low

Noise: Med 

Personal Protection: Medium

Suitability As Guard Dog: Medium

Level of Aggression: Low

Compatibility With Other Animals: High

Suitablity for Children: High

Often docked? Yes 

Average litter: 6 - 8

Life expectancy (yrs): 11 - 14

Health issues: Hip dysplasia, skin problems, allergies, cancer, eye problems, thyroid disorders, von Willebrand's disease and epilepsy.

History: Also known as the Hungarian Pointer, Hungarian Vizsla or Magyar Vizsla, the Vizsla may trace their ancestry back to the Magyars who invaded Hungary from the east. They are actually thought to have existed for at least a thousand years. Etched portrayals of Vizsla-type dogs have been carved in stone from centuries past, as well as manuscripts mentioning them from the 14th century. Vizslas descended from the Turkish Yellow Dog, the Transylvania Hound and the Weimaraner. They were once used to hunt on the vast plains of Hungary, called the Puszta, where game birds and hare lived. Because of this they do well in hot dry weather. Like almost all other breeds, the Vizslas numbers went down dramatically after World War I & II and they almost went extinct.