About the Vizsla

June 12, 2007

Is a Vizsla for You?
by Penny Honetor

A Vizsla may be the breed for you if...

● You have time, energy, and facilities to exercise a high-energy Vizsla (more than a walk around the block)
● You want a striking medium-sized, short-coated dog
● You want a loving, loyal, affectionate companion who may become your shadow
● You want a versatile hunting companion who can both point and retrieve furry or feathered game
● You want a breed with a clean, relatively odorless, and low- maintenance coat
● You desire a long-lived, healthy breed

A Vizsla is NOT the breed for you if...

● You do not have time to train and exercise the dog
● You will keep the Vizsla in an outdoor kennel where it will be exposed to prolonged isolation and extreme (hot or cold) conditions
● You will not allow the Vizsla in the same room as the rest of the family
● You plan on using harsh reprimands to train instead of praise and positive reinforcement
● You want a guard dog (though Vizslas do make good watch dogs as they do bark)

Vizsla Energy Levels

Vizslas have seemingly endless energy at times. A Vizsla minimally needs puppy and obedience training; will get into things if ignored or bored; excels at activities requiring energy like flyball, agility, hunting, frisbee; enthusiastically greets people (this is another way of saying they jump a lot unless trained not to - warn your guests!)

Vizsla Physical Characteristics

Females range from 21-23 inches at the shoulder, males 22-24 inches. Females generally weigh about 40-50 pounds, males 50-65 pounds. Life spans of over 10 years are usual. Their coat is a smooth, short-coated solid golden rust color, with eyes blending to the color of the coat. An occasional bath and weekly toenail trimming and ear cleaning is all the grooming that is required, as the tiny hairs of their coat are shed. A weekly rubber curry comb over their coat minimizes even these tiny hairs appearing on your furniture, floor, and clothes. AKC Breed Standard

Vizsla Temperament

Most Vizslas are affectionate, outgoing, and friendly, but can become mischievous if left to their own devices. Most well-socialized, well-exercised Vizslas are good with kids and the elderly. An unencumbered Vizsla tail is usually a wagging one!

Vizsla Health

Health problems exist in the breed such as hip dysplasia, but purchasing a puppy from a breeder who has had only bred dogs whose hips have been certified (ask to see OFA certificates or search the online database at www.offa.org) should minimize the risk of your Vizsla having hip dysplasia. Other less common diseases found in Vizslas include hemophilia, epilepsy, Von Willebrand's disease, and tail defects.

Vizsla Talents

An intelligent breed, Vizslas respond well to training as long as heavy- handed, harsh methods are not used on this sensitive, eager-to-please breed. The Vizsla excels in the field, performing as both a pointer and retriever on both fur and feather. If introduced to water at a young age, most Vizslas enjoy water and are strong swimmers.

Vizsla Nicknames and Adjectives

SunSpot Seeker, VTU (Vizsla Thermal Unit), Heating Pad with a Heartbeat, Velcro Vizsla, shadow, needy, clingy, appendages on leads, affectionate, hyper, bounce off the walls, regal, sleek, aristocratic, monochromatic, sensitive, trainable, intelligent, soft, co-dependent, energetic, easily bored, active, alert, bark a lot, vocal, jumpy, easily distracted, birdy, family members, demanding, attention cravers, ball-a-holics, leaners, bedhogs, chair-snatchers, talkative (roo roo), heart-grabbers, ADD Dog (Attention Deficit Disorder!), Hippie hoppie love bug, Couch Potato. Did you know that there's a Hungarian saying, "If you own a Vizsla, it lives on your head." Have another?

Keep in mind that though generalizations can be made about a breed as a whole, any individual dog within the breed may possess few or none of the generalized breed traits. This can be due to many factors including poor breeding, inadequate puppy litter socialization, heredity, mistreatment, etc.

You decide you either want a Vizsla for sure,
or want to further investigate.
What should you do now?

Click to read
How to Find a Quality Vizsla and Reputable Breeder

Links to search for a Vizsla breeder and puppy:

Contact CWVC Breeder Referral

Contact the CWVC Breeder Referral person who will have a list of planned litters in the area as well as a list of breeders in this area. Call breeders and ask them about their lines, and get their opinion on other breeder's lines and breeding practices.

Go to Dog Shows

Especially the CWVC (May) or VCOI (July) Specialty Shows which attract the highest entry of Vizslas in this area - see the CWVC Calendar of Events. For all-breed dog show schedules, check out the Superintendent's Web Sites who put on the shows in this area.

Go to Hunting Events

Go to area Vizsla Field Trials and Hunt Tests - you will meet Vizsla owners and breeders likely to breed strong hunting lines, and some may also breed for show. Talk to them and find out! See the CWVC Calendar of Events or check out the AKC Events Calendar.

Attend Vizsla Club Events

Anyone interested in the Vizsla &/or club, even if they aren't a member nor own a Vizsla, is welcome to attend CWVC Meetings and Events. Make sure you contact the Meetings Standing Chair to let us know you'll be a guest. See the CWVC Calendar of Events for upcoming meetings and events.

Screen Breeders

Visit the CWVC Reputable Breeder Resources web page and follow the links to learn what to do to help ensure you get a reputable breeder. Ask other Vizsla owners and breeders about the breeder(s) you are considering purchasing a puppy from.

Research Vizsla Pedigrees

Get the names of the sires and dams and research their pedigrees on www.k9info.com. Here you can type the name of any Vizsla (leave titles off) and get 3- and 5-generation pedigrees. Research what the titles (initials before and after the dog's registered name) mean so you get an idea of the ancestry behind your puppy.

Research Hip Database

Get the AKC registration numbers &/or names of the sire and dam and research hip ratings of them, their parents and their progeny on www.offa.org. There are two ways to search, so make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the "Search Online" page. Dysplastic results are not reported, but be cautious if there are as many or more "FAIR" ratings than "GOOD" or "EXCELLENT".

Good luck!
It may take time, but a
quality Vizsla from a reputable breeder
is worth the effort!