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Dogs

Vizsla – Dog Breed Information, Temperament & Facts

Vizsla Puppies
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Do you agree that Vizslas are the best hunting dogs? Well, Vizsla puppies are easily spotted by their solid golden rust skin color. Their silky, elongated ears carry a soft expression when they are around and appear sharp at work.

You will never be disappointed…

Dogs with special talents, Vizslas are good at various activities including sports. They are enthusiastic and loyal trotters of abundant energy, making them the best biking or running companion.

In this article, we take a look at all the information you should know before buying a Vizsla puppy.

Vizsla Video And Infographic

Infographic

Vizsla Puppies Infographic

Vizsla History

Here’s the truth:

Want to know about the brutal people’s favorite dog?

In fact, Magyars, the brutal rulers, rampaged and destroyed across the vast stretch on horseback leaving behind the massive destruction.

Furthermore, the supremacy of this race was measured on three accounts: toughness, agility, and speed. And, centuries after centuries, this breed was carefully refined and became one of the best multi-purpose hunting breeds.

In the 10th century, ancestors of vizslas are trusted as Magyar tribes’ favorite hunting dogs in the Carpathian basin.

On the contrary, Vizslas were smuggled into America by a US State employee in the early 50s. And Charity was the first Vizsla dog to become a quintuple champion some 45 to 50 years later.

Vizsla Facts

Vizsla Appearance

Short-coated, medium-sized hunting dog, Vizslas are filled with prominent bearing and appearance. In addition, the coat appears in the golden rust colour. Native to Hungary, these dogs were developed to work in waterways, thick forest cover, and field.

Subtly very swift and agile, this powerful all-around hunter dog is affectionate and loving at home. Overall, Vizsla puppies are sensitive, affectionate, gentle mannered and lively dogs.

Vizsla Coat/Colour

Close-lying, dense, tender, and short smooth without any sort of undercoat, Vizslas normally do have a long coat.

Vizsla Colors

Usually found in different shades of Golden rust. The side portions of the shoulder and neck appear like a saddle. Also, dull yellow and dark mahogany is not considered standard. But white markings on the chest and on the toes look appealing.

However, white markings are only allowed in the region between the elbows and the sternum. Overall, Vizslas are self-coloured with pads, toenails, nose, lip, eye-rims, and eyes appearing in similar to the coat colour.

Vizsla Grooming

These dogs have a sleek coat but no undercoat. Also, Vizslas do shed and rubber brushes are enough.

Moreover, they may need a warm water bath when they roll or lie in dirt followed by thorough rinsing. Besides, Vizslas do need regular clipping of nails and their long ears should be cleaned for any dirt or infection.

Finally, to ensure that the gums and teeth are healthy, frequent cleaning is advised.

Vizsla Size and Weight

Vizslas are one of the medium-sized, lightly built sturdy dogs. With female vizslas standing between 53 cms to 58 cms (21 to 23 inches at the shoulder ) and male vizslas at 55 cms to 60 cms (22 to 24 inches at the shoulder).

The female and male vizslas weigh 20 kgs to 29 kgs and 18 kgs to 23 kgs respectively.

Vizsla Lifespan

Vizsla dogs are acknowledged as healthy and energetic breed. The average lifespan of a Vizsla dog is between 12 to 14 years. The lifespan may be extended with regular health check-ups, good nutrition, proper exercise and maintenance.

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Vizsla Temperament

Want to know the best part?

Kind, highly intelligent and active dog breed which are more exuberant in nature. Not to mention, Vizslas are good jogging and swimming champion.

Good hunter dogs with an excellent nose, Vizslas are normally fearless dogs with well-behaved, active personality.

On the other hand, when they are not in the best of behavior, Vizslas can turn into notorious chewers.

And, this breed moves well with other animals and like other dog breeds; they too require early socialization skills.

In addition, Vizslas perform very well as watchdogs because they are protective by nature.

Vizsla puppies are, in fact, boisterous. Moreover, these dogs’ love children and can at times mouth them with their affection.

These excellent versatile hunting dogs are capable of brilliant retrieving and pointing skills by the time they turn one year.

Overall, they have a brilliant memory and can pinpoint ruffed grouse, woodcock, and pheasant with ease.

As Vizslas belong to the active family, it should be left alone at home for a long

Vizsla Heath Problems

Before you buy or adopt a breed like Vizsla, please be aware to check and verify certificates issued by CERF and the Orthopedic Foundation. Vizslas are likely to acquire certain hereditary health problems also. Hence check for any health ailments of the parents from the breeder.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy 

vizsla-progressive-retinal-atrophy

A rare degenerative problem affecting the eye due to improper function of photoreceptors. In addition, a vet will detect this issue if taken at an early stage.

Also, a dog with PRA can carry out its daily task with some training and affection.

Respectable breeders will get their dog’s eyes checked and certified every year by a registered ophthalmologist and will avoid breeding them.

Causes

  • The main cause of PRA is a genetic factor where the retina remains affected due to tissue abnormalities.
  • Autosomal recessive gene is another main cause of this PRA condition.
  • There are cases where the puppy is affected by this disorder even if there are no visible signs in their parents.
  • PRA slowly takes over in dogs when they reach six or eight years of age.

Symptoms

Some of the main symptoms of PRA:

  • Finding it difficult to climb the stairs
  • Dashing against objects
  • Bumping into persons or furniture
  • Formation of cataract
  • The eye appears green in color
  • Opaque eye surface
  • Lack of coordination
  • Nyctalopia or night blindness
  • Hesitation to move freely

Treatment

In short, currently, there is no treatment for PRA but the dogs can manage this condition very effectively. How?

When the dog’s surrounding remain unchanged, for example, the things and furniture are not moved, the dog will handle PRA handsomely.

Overall, the vet will avoid removing cataracts and will prefer other treatment.

Hypothyroidism

This condition is set to affect when the thyroid gland secretes hormones much less than the normal healthy level, and some of the obvious symptoms are untimely heat cycles, low energy state, eyelid drooping, and obesity. The skin turns brittle and coarse and can also become dark and tough.

Dogs affected by this condition can lead a normal life if medication is continued as per a vet’s advice.

Causes

The main reason behind hypothyroidism is

  • Idiopathic thyroid gland disorder
  • Lymphocytic thyroiditis

Some of the other causes of hypothyroidism include

  • Iodine overabundance
  • Congenital hypothyroidism
  • Thyroid cancer

Symptoms

There are various reasons behind slowed metabolism in dogs. These include

  • Coma state in dogs
  • Reduced heart rate
  • Very slow breathing
  • Other gastrointestinal conditions
  • Paralysis of limbs
  • Muscle coordination problems
  • Paralysis of facial nerves
  • Paralysis of laryngeal
  • Signs of mental inactivity

Other congenital symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs

  • Abnormal growth of the thyroid gland
  • Mental development means the dog’s IQ does not match with its age
  • Dwarfism or below par growth

Various types of hypothyroidism

  • Congenital hypothyroidism – This condition occurs when the gland remains underdeveloped.
  • Secondary hypothyroidism –  The problem where the pituitary gland gets affected due to a tumor.
  • Primary hypothyroidism – In this case, the immune system damages the thyroid and fat tissues replace thyroid.

Treatment

In fact, this condition lacks a cure and the condition can be managed effectively. Generally, a thyroxine medicine is administered orally.

To sum up, thyroid hormone replacement therapy should be tested once every six-eight months.

Canine Hip Dysplasia

In this condition, the socket and ball of the hip joints are malformed causing mobility issues. Except a few, most Vizslas do not display any pain or discomfort.

Causes

Some of the causes of hip dysplasia

  • Giant and large dog breeds may suffer from excessive growth, which, in turn, can cause joint conditions, elbow dysplasia, and hip dysplasia.
  • Lack of nutrition can also cause hip dysplasia.
  • Lack of exercise is also another important reason for hip dysplasia.

Symptoms

Bear in mind, these symptoms may vary depending on several factors ranging from joint looseness, inflammation level,  and joint looseness.

  • Stiffness and pain in the joints
  • Narrow placement of legs
  • Low levels of activity
  • Total lameness in the back legs
  • Very limited movement options
  • Shoulder muscles showing irregular enlargement

Treatment

Firstly, lifestyle changes can lead to certain modifications and other than surgery, let’s take a look at some of the other alternative treatment.

Your vet may prefer

  • Application of joint fluid modifiers
  • Use of corticosteroids or other NSAIDs
  • Trying out different forms of physical therapy
  • Weight management in order to reduce unnecessary burden on the hips

Some of the surgical options include

  • THR – Total hip replacement procedure is a surgery where the doctor places plastic and metal implants. The main purpose of THR is to remove the discomfort while moving.
  • FHO – These procedures are normally carried on mature and young dogs. In this surgery, the vet removes the hip joint ball and it’s considered as a pain management technique.
  • TPO/DPO – Triple Pelvic Osteotomy or Double Pelvic Osteotomy- Generally speaking, a surgeon performs this operation only on dogs under  40 weeks. In this procedure, the vet changes the pelvic bone and corrects the movement.

Epilepsy 

A seizure disorder, where regular medication will somehow reduce the severity of the condition. Dogs affected by seizures have no other options other than carrying out lifestyle changes.

Causes

Some of the main causes of epilepsy in dogs

  • At times, epilepsy happens due to injuries or illnesses. In case, if the dog suffers from anemia, seizures cannot be ruled out.
  • Also, the presence of kidney or liver disease in dogs can also cause convulsions. Furthermore, dogs having brain problems such as meningitis are also susceptible to seizures.
  • In addition, brain tumors are also responsible for seizures.

Symptoms

Main symptoms are focal onset where the dog will experience a confused mental state.

And, during this period, a dog will under a range of emotions from being frightened to daze. Also, it may have trouble in managing bowel movements or handling frequent urination.

Finally, epilepsy can also happen when the dog is asleep or resting. Nevertheless, most of them will recover before they reach the vet clinic.

Treatment

Most vets prescribe anti-convulsant therapy. Moreover, at first, potassium bromide and phenobarbital are administered and then are altered based on toxicity and response.

Therefore, if you see a dog having seizures, immediately contact your vet.

Tick Bites

Firstly, keep in mind that preventing ticks not only in your place but also on your dog saves yours as well as your dog’s health from tick fever. Moreover, in canine hosts, unattended infections can cause blood loss anemia and skin irritation.

Based on their life period, immature ticks may need around three host animals to finish their adult maturation process.

Some useful tips such as using pyrethrin induced spray can kill the ticks. As a result, most of them will fall off once they die.

To sum up, use tweezers and avoid using naked hands before removing the tick. After removal, quickly clean the infected area and apply some medication to stop further infection.

Vizsla Food

These dogs are very enthusiastic and active by nature and will require high-quality food, mainly raw diet. They also like lamb and chicken.

Importantly, the dog must have access to fresh, clean drinking water. Recommended suggestion includes three or four bowls of dog food, served twice daily.

Must Read: What Foods Can/Cannot Dogs Eat?

Vizsla Training

Firstly, Vizslas require regular, positive training from the early stages of their life. They are not only highly intelligent; they are quite manipulative as well.

In addition, those Vizslas that lack early socialization are quite difficult to manage. Additionally, these dogs will find other ways to invoke trouble if not given enough work.

Not to mention, Vizslas are very sensitive and with proper consistent training and socialization, these dogs perform well.

Overall, they take part in canine activities such as tracking, scent task, barn searching, dock diving, rally, conformation, field trials, and obedience.

Exercise

In all honesty, they require a lot of mental as well as physical exercise. Generally speaking, every owner should invest at least 30 minutes on a daily basis.

Furthermore, most dogs require chances to run. Alternatively, Vizslas perform well in games of fetch and leash walks.

In conclusion, for jogging or running, Vizslas are suitable but not before they turn 1.5 years or 2 years of age. Mature dogs of this breed stay playful and active dog.

Interesting Facts About Vizsla Puppies

It gets better:

  • Amazingly, during the World War I and world war II, these dogs worked tirelessly as messengers.
  • Vizsla survived several extinctions after the world war.
  • In fact, Vizsla dogs worked at Ground Zero after the deadly 9/11 twin attacks.
  • At times, they too, like human beings, undergo anxiety disorder or separation disorders.
  • They are strong chewers; to protect all your interiors and prized possession always maintain a stock of good quality chew toys.
  • Vizsla’s normally do not gel well with birds, guinea pigs, gerbils, and rabbits.
  • English businesswoman and model Kate Moss owned a Vizsla dog for its energetic performance and owner loyalty.

Vizsla Names

Can you make a wild guess?

Searching for that perfect name that aptly suits your new Vizsla puppy can remain a daunting task.

Some of the male Vizla names are Sandor(defender), Eger(place), Amos(brave), Odi(protector), Nando(brave), Kellman(kind), and  Leon( lion strength).

Female Vizsla names are Klari(bright), Ada(sweet), Cher (darling), Joli(lovely), Agota(nice one), Alexa (defender),  Lacy(cheerful), and Habika (sweet).

Vizsla Price

The average cost of a Vizsla puppy ranges from USD $ 800 to USD $ 1300. Additionally, reputed breeders will provide all the necessary guidance and health assurance with proper papers for an extra price.

Caution– We do not recommend anyone to buy Vizsla puppies without any valid documents.

Vizsla Breeders / Adoption Centers

  • AKC
    Address:
    8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 100
    Raleigh, NC 27617-3390
  • Vizcaya Wirehaired Vizslas
    Address:
    Nancy Edmunds
    Commerce, GA
  • Loroka Wirehaired Vizslas
    Address:
    Roy & Kathy Lormis
    Lonedell, MO
  • Koppertone Vizslas and Wirehaired Vizslas
    Address:
    Mark & Bonnie Goodwein
    Chatsworth, CA

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