What is a vizsla dog?
A vizsla is a medium-sized golden-brown dog with floppy ears. A male vizsla may weigh up to 50lbs and is 22 to 24 inches while a female vizsla weighs 45 lbs, and it has a height of 21 to 23 inches.
Typically a vizsla may live for 10 to 15 years. They will reach maturity at two years and generally reach have a full body at around six to eight months. They do not drool nor snore and rarely bark unless threatened or are in discomfort.
History
Vizslas were initially owned by the Magyar, an ancient tribe that conquered central Europe during the dark ages.T he Magyar tribe lived in the Carpathian basin around the Eighth century. Early primitive drawings show a Magyar warrior with a falcon and a Vizsla.
It was used as a companion and also as a hunting dog by the warriors. Later it was adopted by the noblemen of Hungary.
During the 1st world war, vizslas died off, almost becoming extinct but came back in the 1950s. In the 1960s, Vizslas were acknowledged by the American Kennel Club as the 115th dog breed. It had previously survived several wars such as the Hungarian civil war in 1848 and the following year, world war 1, world war II and the Russian occupation. During that era, vizslas were a symbol of aristocracy, hence when Russians subdued Hungary, most of these dogs were confiscated from their owners and killed. Some of their owners, fearing that they would all be killed, secretly smuggled them into other countries such as Austria and America.
In the 19th century, the Vizsla breed recorded deficient numbers and nearly became extinct. It was crossbred with other breeds to save its existence.
Vizsla are very active dogs and are used for hunting and sporting activities. Due to this high level of energy,Vizslas are recommended for owners with a lot of outdoor activities such as hiking and other physical activities. They can also be very good watchdogs.
A Vizsla is a friendly dog and does very well socially. They are good to strangers. They will socialize well with other dogs and also do well with cats and other animals. However, they should be put away from small animals such as rodents and birds as they tend to attack and hunt them down, given their hunting history.
Vizslas require a lot of human interaction and company and will normally suffer from separation anxiety. They do not thrive in solitude. They are not your ideal kernel dog. They will cower from loud sudden noises like thunderstorms.
They exhibit very high levels of intelligence hence require activities that will keep them busy to prevent them from getting bored. They do not make good house pets and will prove to be very destructive around the house.
They love affection and play, making them good for the children. Their loving nature makes them reliable and quickly adapting to the family life.
How do you train a vizsla?
It is very vital to train your Vizsla for obedience as they can become a handful due to their high level of energy. If one fails to train this dog, it may become difficult to control. The good news is that, Vizslas are incredibly trainable and are very eager to please their master. It is possible to make them understand the exact behavior you want from them. Vizslas generally take longer to mature, so they May need some patience when training. They have shorter concentration spans hence will often get bored during the training sessions. Reaching their optimum potential may take some time.
As I previously noted, Vizslas are very smart, with high levels of intelligence. Their eagerness towards learning and their energy makes the training enjoyable for both the trainer and the dog. Once they mature and have successfully learned the basics, teaching more complex instructions will become easier. They will be able to pick up more over a relatively shorter time.
Vizsla mix breeds
- Vizsla staff
This is between a vizsla and American Staffordshire terrier mix.
- German wirehaired pointing vizsla
This is between a vizsla and german wirehaired pointer mix
- Labralas which is a cross between a Vizsla and a Labrador Retriever mix
- Transylvizsla hound. This is a cross between Vizsla and a Transylvanian Hound mix
- Vizmaraner is a Vizsla and a weimaranel mix.
A wirehaired vizsla
A wirehaired vizsla ia a rare breed and has a wirecoated golden coloured appearance. It is muscular and has a well-built body. It has a beard and visible eyebrows.
It has a high level of energy and is famed for its loyalty. It is also gentle and very affectionate. It is recognized for its excellent hunting prowess and also possesses good retrieving and pointing skills. Its determination is worth noting.
It has the ability to follow scents even when underwater.
They have sensitive temparaments and hence require gentleness, especially during training. It thrives on challenges and enjoys affection and attention.
It requires routine exercise and can be quite destructive when left in solitude or confined in a small space.
The wirehaired Vizsla came to being in the early 1930s. It was owned by Gresznarik Laszlo, who was the founder of the De Selle German wirehaired pointer kennel and Vasas Jozsef csabai Vizsla kennel. They had wanted to produce a dog with the golden colour of a vizsla and a coat that was denser, with a more heavily
Built frame. The dog was to hae the ability to survive in more chilly eweather and retrieve from cold and icy environments.
Offspring of the wirehaired Vizsla are at a higher risk of contracting te following disesases.
– Hip dysplasia
– Sebaceous adenitis hypothyroidism
– Dysphagia megaesophagus
– Eye conditions which include entropion and ectropion
– Digestive problems like allergies and intolerance
– Idiopathic epilepsy
What is the cost of a vizsla puppy?
A vizsla puppy will generally have a price ranging from $1000 to $1800. This will usually vary depending on the institutions they have been bred in.
Is a vizsla a good dog for the family?
Vizslas are generally gentle, loving and caring. They are also very loyal dogs. However they require a lot of outdoor activities hence are not your ideal apartment pet.
They also display aggression when they sense completion for attention from their owners. It is therefore not advisable to adopt a Vizsla if you have a young family with small children.
If you own other smaller pets like birds and hamsters, you will need to keep them out of sight as the hunting instinct of the Vizsla dog might lead to their deaths.
They develop more slowly mentally hence may require a lot more attention before letting htem into the family life
How does one acquire a vizsla puppy?
Vizsla puppies can be adopted from animal shelters or rescues in your area. Ensure that you get the proper documentation and that the rescue has provided the puppies with a good base for life, including the necessary vaccines.
What can you hunt with a vizsla
The Vizsla was used by the Hungarian nobles o hunt down birds and rodents such as hares and hamsters. With time, they have been trained to hunt down other big animals, including deer.
The Vizsla is also used to point. They can lead one to a group of deer or birds by use of their sharp sense of smell. They are recommended for work in the wild.
Vizsla usually shed fur but in very small amounts since their hair is short. They may shed this hair during the Spring but it all grows back on the onset of winter,
Below are points to consider when training your Vizsla
– it is advisable to start training early if you want to have successful sessions, despite the fact that their mental development is slower. Training the puppy might be hectic but your efforts will be worth your while in ensuring you a have a well behaved dog.
– Due to their excessive amounts of energy, Vizslas are more likely ot be happier with more aggressive activity. Never buy a Vizsla dog with the inteniion of making it your apartment pet. They turn out to be very destructive in a bid to let out the energy.
– Training can come in handy as a means of letting off their immense energy. They will often need more than a daily walk. Letting it prance around in the yard or park is a great idea. Generally, a fairly tired puppy will be a lot better to work with as compared to a hyper one. Agility training is one option of exercise you can bank on as it is a great way to stimulate your puppy.
– A bored vizsla will turn into a destructive monster. Vizslas cannot be left alone. It is a companion dog hence craves affection. When denied human interaction it will not live up to its dfull potential.
– Though affectionate, vizslas will need some training when around toddlers. Due to their high energy, thjey may be tooo rough for small kids hurting nthem inn the process. Also, hunting is in their core so small children may be at risk of being attacked when their killer instinct is on.
– Vizslas love affection. Anything that stands in the way of their master’s attention to them is bound to spark rivalry. This means that kids stand the risk of being attacked when they seem to get attention formerly accorded to the dog. It is important to strike a balance between your beloved pet and your very children to avoid accidents. Do not leave your child with your dog unsupervised.
– Teach your kids to interact gently with your dog. Often times kids may awant to tug on the dog’s ears or hit at the dog. To stop the nagging, the dog may react by biting and harming the kid. Teach the kids to also respect the dog’s space. Its sleeping area or crate is its safe space and the kids should never be allowed there as this may cause some serious insecurities. They may result to aggressisveness.
– It is imporyant to socialize your dog early so that it can get along with other animals. They are very friendly so this may be a hard task.they do not have a history of aggression and rarely assert their dominanance in most situations.
– When potty training your vizsla puppy, you might want to consider crate training.make the crate as cormfortab;le as possible by putiing in cosy bnlankets. The puppy should see its crate as its safe place and not as a punishment area. Take the puppy out to the bathroom every time you let it out of its crate. It is an effective method of potty training. It teaches the puppy that this is the right behavior and not go inside the house. You may want to eventually want to do away with the crate at a later stage in its life. Consider placing the crate near the the door you use tpo go out. Every time you let your puppy out of the crate, it will need to the bathroom so this may be prove helpful.
– Training a puppy may take several days. The trainer should therefore uphold consistency and to create an achievable routine. They may also need to use clear instructions so that the puppy can understand better and to avoid frustration.
– Aim at positive reinforcement as compared use of negative words. Criticism may have a negative effect on the Vizsla as it a very sensitive breed. Positive freinforcement entails praising your dog when it achieves a milestone or follows instructions coreectly. When it makes a mistake, focus instead on the right way and positively encourage it to try again. This will make learning interesting and enjoyable for the dog and not as frustrating for the trainer.
–
–