Vizsla

Other names: Hungarian Vizsla, Hungarian Pointer, Magyar Vizsla
Dog Group Kennel Club: Sporting (AKC) Gundog (KC)

Appearance
The Hungarian Vizsla is one of only 7 recognised breeds that hunt, point and retrieve (HPR). Hungarian Vizsla's are all-purpose gundogs who combine an excellent nose with stable pointing, good retrieving, and a positive enjoyment of working in water. They have great stamina and are happy to work in all weathers. Hungarian Vizsla's are medium, active, and noble looking dogs.

Coat
This dog comes in two coat types: smooth or wire-haired. Both coat types are recognised as seperate breeds. The smooth coat is short, straight, dense, smooth and shiny.The wire coat is harsh and close fitting, with an undercoat, the coat forms a 'beard' on the chin and prominent 'eyebrows'. Colours include solid russet gold. The wire haired vizsla is slightly more heavier boned than the smooth haired vizsla

Smooth Haired Vizsla	Wire Haired Vizsla

Weight: 20 - 30kg

Average Life Span: 9 - 15 years

Temperament
Good with children Hungarian Vizsla's make great family companions. Very affectionate and loyal and crave human attention, hungarian vizsal's are not suited to live in kennels. They would be perfect for an active family as they have lots of energy. Vizslas are excellent swimmers and often swim in pools if one is available.

Training
Hungarian Vizsla's are intelligent and eager to learn, typical of the gundog breeds, meaning they are easy to train. Training must be gentle as these dogs are sensitive.

Grooming
Smooth Haired Vizla' s require minimum grooming, weekly brushing to remove dead hairs will keep the coat healthy. The wire coat vizsla will need more regular brushing and to be hand plucked to remove loose and dead hair.

Exercise
Hungarian vizsla's need long daily walks and lots of mental stimulation to keep them healthy and happy. A bored hungarain Vizsla can become destructive.

Vizsla Health Issues

Hip dysplasia: a malformation of the hip joint resulting in a poor fit between the head of the femur bone and the hip socket. This condition can be alleviated by surgery, at some cost to dog and owner. Because dysplastic dogs often produce dysplastic puppies, buyers should ask if both the sire and the dam of the puppy in which they are interested have been rated clear of hip dysplasia. Do not take yes for an answer without seeing a certificate, and ask for a copy to take to your veterinarian.

Von Wille Brand's Disease: is an autosomally (not sex-linked) inherited bleeding disorder with a prolonged bleeding time (somewhat similar to hemophilia in humans) and a mild to severe factor IX deficiency. A DNA test for vWD is now available. Carrier-to-carrier breedings, in theory, will produce puppies that are 25% clear, 50% carriers, and 25% affected. Ideally, only clear-to-clear or clear-to-carrier should occur, so that no puppies will be affected. Not all dogs that are vWD affected will have severe bleeding problems, but they ARE at risk whenever they need to have surgery or have an accident. Some unlucky affected dogs will actually bleed out from a needle stick or minor wound.

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder which has been found in this breed. Seizures vary between a far-away look or twitching in one part of the face to your pet falling on his side, barking, gnashing his teeth, urinating, defecating and paddling his limbs. Seizures usually appear suddenly and end spontaneously, and can last from seconds to minutes. The disorder has no known cause, however it is important for your veterinarian to determine your pets general health and make sure there is no underlying disease that may be causing the seizures. Treatment can include anticonvulsant medications. Always ask your vet for advice.

Hypothyroidism: an endocrine disease that results in the abnormally low production of thyroid hormones. The symptoms of hypothyroidism include lethargy, mental depression, weight gain and a tendency to seek out warm places. Hypothyroidism can also affect the coat and skin, causing hair loss and excessive dandruff.

Endotropin: is a medical condition in which the eyelids fold inward. It is very uncomfortable, as the eyelashes rub against the eyeball constantly. Entropion is usually caused by genetic factors and may be congenital. Trachoma infection may cause scarring of the inner eyelid, which may cause entropion.Treatment is a simple surgery in which excess skin of the outer lids is removed. Prognosis is excellent if surgery is performed before the cornea isdamaged. Entropion has been documented in most dog breeds, although there are some breeds (particular purebreds) that are more commonly affected than others.

Vizsla History

The history of the Vizsla can be traced back as far as the 8th century in the Carpathian Basin in Hungary. Here thet were used as hunting dogs, by a tribe known as Magyar. Carmelite Friars in 1357 made the first written acknowledge of the Hungarian Vizsla in the "Illustrated Vienna Chronicle" by order og King Louis the Great.

Vizslas faced near-extinctions throughout the years, most notably by losing popularity to the English and German Shorthair Pointers in 1800s, and also the after aftermath of WWII.

The Hungarian Vizsla was used in development of other breeds most notably Weimaraner and German Shorthair Pointer breed.

In Rome, 1950, Frank J. Tallman and Emmett A. Scanlan imported Vizsla Sari as the first Vizsla in America. The American Kennel Club recognised the Hungarian Vizsla in 1960.