Vizsla

Breed Type: Sporting

Weight: 45 to 65 lbs

Height: 22 to 24 inches for Males, 21 to 23 inches for Females

Coat type: Shorthaired coat; wiry in some instances.

Vizsla, also known as Hungarian Vizsla, Hungarian Pointer and Magyar Vizsla, comprises of one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the world today. The breed originated in Hungary and claims the distinction of being counted amongst the smallest all-round pointer-retriever breeds. A sporting dog by its very nature, Vizsla proves to be an extremely loyal companion. The dog is regarded to have commendable hunting prowess and has above-average trainability. Vizsla dogs are quite energetic, but gentle mannered and noticeably affectionate. This makes them perfect household companions and family dogs.

History
As we take into account the history of Vizsla, we come to know that the dog was amongst the trusted hunting companions of Magyar tribes, who lived in Carpathian basin in the 8th century. As for the first written reference to the dog, we find it dating back to 1357. The mention is seen in the Illustrated Vienna Chronicle by the Carmelite Friars, prepared on order of King Lajos the Great (Louis the Great). Vizsla also served as the companion dogs of the early warlords and barons in Hungary.

While the dog managed to survive Turkish occupation (1526-1696), Hungarian Civil War (1848-49), World War I, World War II and even Russian Occupation, it surely was close to extinction in the past. However, the breed managed to get past the phase and rose to prominence with time. Vizsla entered the United States somewhere around the World War II and not much time later, the owners of the breed formed the Vizsla Club of America, so as to gain AKC (American Kennel Club) recognition for the dog.

Vizsla was granted AKC recognition on November 25, 1960, becoming the 115th breed recognized by the Club. Soon, the dog was used to develop other breeds, most notably Weimaraner, Wire-haired Vizsla and German Shorthair Pointer. At present, Vizsla is claimed to be one of the top 50 most popular dog breeds in the United Kingdom. In fact, there are at least two breed clubs for the Vizsla dog in Britain only. The popularity of this particular breed of dog continues to grow with the passing time.

Appearance
A medium-sized dog, Vizsla is full bodied and has defined muscles. However, it has a lean frame and light build. The dog has a short, smooth, dense and close-lying coat, without woolly undercoat. Its nose always has a reddish color, which blends with the coat color. In fact, even the eyes and nails of a Vizsla dog blend with the color of its coat. Vizsla dog is mostly available in solid golden rust, dark gold and dark wheat colors, while ones with wiry hair are generally in sandy-yellow shades. Then, there is the solid rust coat as well. in some cases, you might find saddle-type marks along the back. The tail of a Vizsla is mostly docked to two-thirds of its original length.

Personality

Full of energy, Vizsla dogs are fun to train. They are affectionate, eager to please, smart, intelligent, loyal and sensitive and have the ability to learn quickly. Such dogs love field sports and consistent, but gentle, corrections are the preferred devices to train them. Vizslas love children, other dogs and household pets, but bark at strangers. Energetic and active, Vizslas need lots of exercise, especially in the form of hunting, running free, swimming and retrieving things. They have excellent swimming capability and can swim in pools as well. These dogs thrive on attention and would enjoy to be challenged, both mentally and physically. In absence of exercise and attention, they might become destructive.

Heritable Illnesses
Vizsla dogs might suffer from the following problems, though such instances are not too common.