Vizsla

The Wirehaired Hungarian Vizsla was created by crossing the Shorthaired Hungarian Pointer with the Wirehaired German Pointer in the 1930s. Find out everything about the behavior, character, activity and exercise needs, training, and care of the Magyar Viszla dog breed in the profile.

 

General Appearance

The Vizsla is a very lively, wiry, almost gaunt, short-coated hound. In order to be able to camouflage itself in the steppe and in cornfields, the short-haired or wire-haired coat should be bread-yellow according to the breed standard. Small, white markings are acceptable, but the coat must not be spotted.

Behavior and temperament

The Viszla is an extremely active, gentle, intelligent, and obedient dog with an extremely affectionate character. He likes to work and has great stamina. Whoever wants to get this dog should be aware that for the next 14 years all his free time belongs to the Magyar Viszla. This dog is athletic, persistent, and demanding, not particularly alert, but extremely clever. This breed shows great ingenuity, especially when it comes to tracking food.

Need for employment and physical activity

The Magyar Viszla needs a lot of exercises and has to be allowed to work actively. If this dog is under-challenged, it suffers and tends to become destructive. If he is offered alternatives to hunting, e.g. working as a rescue dog, he can also be kept as a family and companion dog. He has a keen sense of smell and is therefore perfect for search dog work. Also, Viszla’s love water so gives them plenty of opportunities to let off steam while swimming.

Upbringing

The Magyar Viszla is a sensitive dog that gets upset when yelled at or treated roughly. Training needs to be gentle, yet consistent because a Vizsla likes to question its owner’s commands. The Vizsla is also a very intelligent dog. In terms of training, this means that he also learns very quickly things that his owner doesn’t like to see. Dog experience is necessary for a harmonious coexistence because an untrained and underutilized Vizsla is a plague for its environment.

Maintenance

Thanks to the short fur, grooming is unspectacular; even if it is very dirty, it is usually sufficient to rub it off with a towel. On the other hand, you shouldn’t bathe your dog as often because care products make his hair too soft. It is important to have your ears checked regularly.

Disease Susceptibility / Common Diseases

As with all large dogs, there is a propensity for hip dysplasia. However, only dogs that can be proven not to have this disease are admitted to official breeding.

Did you know?

Since the 1990s, the Vizsla has been increasingly used as a therapy dog ​​in Germany.