What You Didn't Know About Vizsla Dogs.

Originating in Hungary, vizsla means "pointer" in Hungarian, vizsla dogs are the smallest of the pointer-retriever breeds. These dogs are energetic and athletic but light in build. They are skinny dogs with defined muscles and share physical characteristics with the other pointer-retrievers.

The Vizsla are natural hunters gifted with sensitive nose and are easily trained. These energetic, smart and sensitive dogs love attention and exercise and are protective. They quickly form close bonds with adults and children. With their tremendous loyalty and affection, they will cry or whine when they feel forgotten; giving them the nickname "velcro" dogs.

Without daily exercise, they may have too much energy and get very excited over young kids, thus being an excellent match for kids with a lot of energy. They do well with other pets, though their hunting instincts shows that they shouldn't be left alone with smaller pets such as hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs.

Vizsla dogs require gentle, rewarding training as it does not respond well to harsh commands and strong physical discipline. They like to please, but their excitement and energy can sometimes be a bad thing. Like other hunting/sporting dogs, Vizslas require a good deal of daily physical and mental stimulation to be happy and healthy. Without stimulation they can become destructive, neurotic and depressed.

With the absence of an undercoat they get cold easy. Vizsla dogs should not be kept outdoors. Because they are "self-cleaning" dogs they don't require a frequent bath.
They are considered to be a well rounded dog, but can be prone to hip problems as well as having skin and food allergies.

Vizsla dogs were the favorite hunting dogs of the Magyar tribes who were living in the Carpathian basin in the 10th Century. Stone etchings over 1000 years old show a hunter with his falcon and a Vizsla. The breed almost ceased to exist after World War II when the Russians took control of Hungary. In an attempt to save them, native Hungarians smuggled some of the dogs to America and Austria where they quickly became one of the favorite family pets. The vizsla dogs became the 115th breed to be recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club) on November 25, 1960.