SCRAPS Breed Profile

Stats

Country of Origin: Group: Sporting Use today: Hunting and Companion Life Span: 12 - 15 years Color: Coat comes in a rusty-gold color in various shades on the body. Coat: The short, smooth coat is tight to the whole body. Grooming: This smooth, shorthaired coat is easy to keep in peak condition. Brush with a firm bristle brush, and dry shampoo occasionally. Bathe with mild soap only when necessary. The nails should be kept trimmed. These are average shedders. Height: Males 22 - 26 inches; Females 20 - 24 inches Weight: Males 45 - 60 pounds; Females 40 - 55 pounds

Profile

In Brief: The Vizsla is a medium-sized, short- comes in a rusty-gold color in various shades on coated hunting dog that is essentially Pointer in the body. type, although he combines characteristics of both pointer and retriever. An attractive golden Temperament: The Vizsla is expressive, gentle rust in color, this "dual" dog is popular in both and loving. Keen and trainable to a high degree, the field and the show ring due to his power and it needs daily mental stimulation. It needs a drive while hunting and his trainability in the patient, calm, firm hand. If this breed does not home. The Vizsla thrives as part of an active see you as a strong authority figure it will family that provides daily exercise. He is lively become stubborn. Reliable with children, loving and affectionate to his people, and possesses to play for hours. Without extensive daily an above-average ability to take training. exercise these dogs may be too energetic and Although he sheds, his short coat requires low excitable for very young toddlers, but are daily maintenance. excellent for energetic kids. Able to adapt quickly to family life, and are generally good with Description: The Vizsla is a medium-sized other dogs. They are very athletic, and when hunting dog. The strong body is slightly longer lacking in exercise they may become destructive than it is tall. The slightly domed skull is lean or neurotic. Socialize them well to people, and muscular and wide between the ears with a places, noises, dogs and other animals. It is very medial line going down the forehead. The important to obedience train your Vizsla. Without muzzle tapers gradually from the stop to the enough exercise, they can be overly eager, nose and is the same length or shorter than the prancing around you in sheer excitement. This skull. The nose is flesh-colored in contrast with breed is highly trainable and very willing to the coat. The neck is strong with no dewlap. The please—if you can get them to understand teeth meet in a scissors bite. The medium-sized exactly what it is you want of them. If you do not eyes contrast with the coat color. The long ears train this breed they may become difficult to are silky thin, hanging down close to the cheeks handle and control. Example: See Video of a with rounded tips. The tail is thick at the root and Vizsla that needs more exercise. Notice how is customarily docked to 2/3 its original length. very eager-to-please the dog is, yet she has Note: docking tails is illegal in most parts of more built up energy than she knows what to do Europe. The front legs are straight with cat-like with. She is obviously stressed and not relaxed. feet. The dewclaws are usually removed. The tend to chew. This breed is not for short, smooth coat is tight to the whole body and everyone. If you want a calm dog and are not willing to walk a couple of miles or jog at least Origins: Vizslas are depicted on etchings that one mile a day, do not choose a Vizsla. Without date back to the 10th century. They originate proper exercise, they can easily become high- from Hungary bred by the Magyars, who used strung. They have many talents such as: them as hunting dogs. They are thought to have tracking, retrieving, pointing, watchdog and descended from several types of pointers along competitive obedience. The Vizsla is a hunting with the Transylvanian and the Turkish dog and may be good with cats they are raised yellow dog (now extinct). "Vizsla" means with, but should not be trusted with animals such "pointer" in Hungarian. The dogs worked as as hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs etc. Be hunters, their superb noses and endless energy sure to always be your dog’s pack leader to guided them to excel at catching upland game avoid any negative behaviors such as guarding such as waterfowl and rabbit. The breed almost furniture, food, toys and so on. Well-balanced became extinct after World War II. After the war, Vizslas that receive enough exercise and have when the Russians took control of Hungary, it owners who are true pack leaders will not have was feared that the breed would disappear from these issues. These behaviors can be reversed existence. In an attempt to save the breed, once the owners start displaying leadership, native Hungarians smuggled some of the dogs discipline and provide enough exercise, both to America and Austria. The Vizsla has two mental and physical. cousins, one with hard-wirehair called the and the other a rare Living Conditions: The Vizsla is not longhaired Vizsla. The longhaired can be born in recommended for apartment life. It is moderately both smooth and wirehair litters, although this is active indoors and does best with at least an quite a rare occurrence. The longhaired Vizslas average-sized yard. are not registered anywhere in the world, but some can be found in Europe. Some of the Exercise: This is an energetic working dog with Vizsla's talents include retriever, pointer, game enormous stamina. It needs to be taken on daily, bird hunter, obedience competitions, agility and watchdog. long, brisk walks or jogs. It makes a great rollerblading or bike riding companion. In addition, it needs plenty of opportunity to run, preferably off the leash in a safe area. If these dogs are allowed to get bored, and are not walked or jogged daily, they can become destructive and start to display a wide array of behavioral problems.

Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service 6815 E. Trent • Spokane Valley • Washington • 99212 (509) 477-2532 voice (509) 477-4745 fax www.spokanecounty.org/animal