Breed in the spotlight: The Vizsla

The Hungarian Standing Dog, better known as the Vizsla. These Hungarian hunting dogs were initially used as 'pointers'. 'Pointers, what's that all about?" I can hear you thinking. Well, these are dogs that walk the land in search of game such as pheasants or partridges. When they have found a bird, the dog tightens up so that the bird doesn't dare move. This gives the hunter a good chance to shoot the bird. Meanwhile, it is more common for the Vizsla to be used as a pet for your family rather than in hunting.

There are two types of Vizslas, the short-haired and the wire-haired Vizsla. It is generally said that the wirehaired Vizsla is a little quieter than the shorthaired Vizsla.

CHARACTERISTICS:

• Origin: Hungary

• Life expectancy: 12 to 15 years

• Character: energetic, affectionate, friendly and sporty

• Weight: Bitch: 18-25 kg, male: 20-29 kg,

• Height: bitch: 54-60 cm, male: 58-64 cm

• Colors: wheat yellow to light brown

Did you already know these 5 fun facts about Vizslas?
 

The velcro dog
The Vizsla sticks so hard to its owners that you can almost compare them to velcro. The fact that these dogs are so affectionate is because they were once bred to work with the hunter. So they are only too happy to rely on human attention. Train your Vizsla early enough to be alone. This way you can avoid the development of separation anxiety.

Smart dog but oh so curious
Smart, they are. Learning commands and tricks is done in 1, 2, 3 but still they are very easily distracted. Always looking for a new adventure.

Snow? Get that winter coat out of the closet quickly
Unlike many other breeds such as Labradors and Golden Retrievers, Vizsla's have no undercoat. So they catch the cold faster than their companions. So, duffel them well during the winter.

Zzzzoef! There goes your Vizsla
Vizslas are extremely fast. They are among the top 10 fastest dog breeds in the world with a top speed of 40 km/h.

Almost no Vizsla' left because of the World Wars
During WW1 and WW2 the Vizsla breed was virtually exterminated. Fortunately, there were still some Vizsla's smuggled into Hungary so the breed still had a chance to not disappear from the face of the earth. Fortunately!