Hungarian Wire-Haired Vizsla
The Wirehaired Vizsla has a very distinctive moustache and hairy eyebrows, giving them a noble and graceful appearance. Don't let that fool you though, they are an active dog. Medium sized and solid coloured their harsh, wiry coat does little to hide that they have a body built for stamina.
Country of Origin
Hungary
Colour
They are solid coloured dogs, the colour being russet gold. Some may have a little white on the chest and feet.
Size
Large
Height / Weight
Dogs should measure between 58-62cms at the withers and bitches should ideally measure between 54-58cms at the withers. They weigh between 20-30kgs.
Health
All that exercise was bound to catch up with them. Vizslas can end up with hip dysplasia, a bone development problem, and Hypothyroidism, an Endocrine disease. They have also been known to have eye problems such as Entropion and Ectropion. Male Vizslas can have retained testicles or cryptorchidism, sometime one, sometimes both.
Life Span
14 -15 years
Intelligence
The Vizsla is highly intelligent and should be easy to train as long as you're consistent and firm. No, not that firm! Vizslas are eager to please and will be quite put out if they don't get things right. It's important to be gentle when training as they don't respond well to criticism.
Exercise
High
Suitability (Children)
Low
Feeding
Wire-Haired Vizslas are not fussy eaters. They have a good appetite but aren't the kind of dog to tap their food bowl expectantly every half hour. If you are wanting to train your Vizsla to be a gundog then they will need a higher protein diet, as all working dogs should.
Feeding Cost
$15-$20 p/w
Other Cost
Excercise
Exercise. And plenty of it. The Vizsla thrives on activity and will simply mope if left in a kennel. Your Vizsla will need long walks and LOTS of room, making them perfect for country living. Vizslas are happiest when spending time with the family.
Hair Shed
Little
Ailments
All that exercise was bound to catch up with them. Vizslas can end up with hip dysplasia, a bone development problem, and Hypothyroidism, an Endocrine disease. They have also been known to have eye problems such as Entropion and Ectropion. Male Vizslas can have retained testicles or cryptorchidism, sometime one, sometimes both.
Grooming
A harsh coat covers the Wire-Haired Vizsla, unlike their smooth-haired brethren. The hairs are longer on the muzzle giving them a bit of a moustache, and also on their eyebrows creating a comical Santa Claus appearance. Dead or loose hairs can simply be removed by plucking them out with your hand. The excess hair between the pads of the feet will need to be trimmed.
Grooming Frequency
Once a week
Trimming
Occassional
The origin story of the Hungarian Vizsla started long, ago and far away.... Actually it's a bit of a mystery. Some say their ancestors existed centuries ago and others say they're a 20th century kind of dog. If you're a fan of the "ancient lineage" story, there are some preserved prints that date back almost 1000 years that capture Magyar hunters (early settlers in Hungary) with dogs and falcons. These dogs look very similar to the Vizsla of today, so much so that they're often referred to as the ‘Yellow Turkish Hunting Dog’. When Magyar hunters went to other countries they took their dogs with them, which led to the mixing of breeds and improved the Vizslar's genetic ability as hunters. Vizslars remained a popular hunting dog but were almost wiped out by the two World Wars! It's believed that it only exists today because some were smuggled out during WWII. (Scandalous) With the help of selective breeding, the 1930s saw the development of the wire-haired Vizslar which boosted popularity because the longer coat made them better suited for colder climates and hunting in icy waters.
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