The Hungarian Vizsla is a dog breed originating in Hungary. Vizslas are known as excellent hunting dogs, and also have a level personality making them suited for families. The Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla was created by cross-breeding the Hungarian Shorthaired Vizsla with the German Wirehaired Pointer during the 1930s.
Appearance
Smooth-haired Vizsla
The Vizsla is a medium-sized short-coated hunting dog of distinguished appearance and bearing. Robust but rather lightly built; the coat is a golden-rust color. The coat could also be described as a copper/brown color. They are lean dogs, and have defined muscles, and are similar to a Weimaraner. Small areas of white on the fore-chest and on the toes are permissible but undesirable. The tail is normally docked to two-thirds of the original length. The ideal male is 22 inches(0.55 m) to 24 inches (0.61 m). The ideal female is 21inches (0.53 m) to 23 inches (0.58 m). Commonly weighing 40-65 lbs (18.14-29.48 kg).Wirehaired Vizsla
The Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla is a medium-sized, wire-coated hunting dog developed in the 1930s, with a distinguished appearance and bearing. They have a lean build and are very robust. Coat: Various shades of russet gold and dark sandy gold: wiry, close-lying, strong, and dense.Temperament
Vizslas are lively, gentle-mannered, loyal, caring and highly affectionate. They quickly form close bonds with their owners, including children. Often they are referred to as "velcro" dogs because of their loyalty and affection. They are quiet dogs, only barking if necessary or provoked.
They are natural hunters with an excellent ability to take training. Not only are they great pointers, but they are excellent retrievers as well. They will retrieve on land and in the water, making the most of their natural instincts. Vizslas are excellent swimmers and often swim in pools if one is available. Like all gun dogs, Vizslas require a good deal of exercise to remain healthy and happy. Thirty minutes to an hour of exercise daily in a large off-leash area is optimal.
The Vizsla thrives on attention, exercise, and interaction. It is highly intelligent, and enjoys being challenged and stimulated, both mentally and physically. Vizslas that are under-stimulated can easily become destructive or hyperactive. Under-stimulated Vizslas may also become gluttonous, stealing food off of counter-tops and tables or raiding trashcans. However, because Vizslas are so active, they are unlikely to become overweight. But don't let the active nature fool you, Vizslas are very gentle dogs that are great around children.
The Vizsla prefers to be close and interacting to its owner whenever possible. It is totally unsuited to being kept in a kennel, as it needs to be around its family as much as possible, and many Vizslas will sleep in bed with their owners if allowed, burrowing under the covers with their heads on the pillow if at all possible. They are self-cleaning dogs and only need to be bathed once or twice a year, and are somewhat unique in that they have no noticeable "dog smell" detectable by humans.