The history of the Vizsla dog breed dates back a long time...one thousand years!
Can you guess where the Vizsla originates based on its name?
If you guessed the Eastern Bloc or more specifically Hungary, good for you - give yourself a point!
The Vizsla has always been a hunting dog breed and was developed by the Magyar tribe, proven by the rock etchings they've found of a hunter and his Vizsla.
A thousand years later Hungarian nobles fell in love with the Vizsla, and they used them as an all-around family dog too.
Today, the Vizsla is still a sporting dog prized by hunters across the globe.
But the Vizsla almost went extinct...twice?!
Guess when in the comments.
The full video of the Vizsla drops on Saturday at 8 am, to be notified, break the YouTube Subscribe button!
The Vizsla dog breed's Form and Function are that of a hunting dog and more specifically a champion gun dog.
How much of a champion is the Vizsla to gun-hunting enthusiasts?
The smooth coat of the Vizsla even resembles golden-rust fur flakes!
I'm sure that wasn't by coincidence;-)...the medium-sized Vizsla dog breed even runs with sophistication and style while skillfully covering the field searching for prey:
- Pheasants
- Rabbits
- Ducks
- Geese
- and even Wolves!
But not everything is smooth with the Vizsla - the boy Vizslas can be assertive, bullheaded, and combative.
Nevertheless, all Vizslas are affectionate good family members if they receive the required 1 hour of mental and physical stimulation per day.
The Vizsla is gaining popularity - click the link below to find out if you have what it takes to be a Vizsla owner.
The Vizsla dog breed is in the Sporting Group with the more popular dog breeds, the #2 ranking Labrador Retriever - which we've already Learned, Don't Returned, the #3 ranking Golden Retriever, and the # 10 Ranking German Shorthaired Pointer.
I already know what you are thinking!
Brian, where does the Vizsla rank?!
Slow down, we'll get there, first I need to tell you why I think the Vizsla should be ranking higher, so hear me out.
Anyway, near the end of this video, I'll put a link up here for the Labrador Retrievers - Learn, Don't Return - they have a very cool history!
In the Hungarian language, Vizsla means pointer, so they don't call the Vizsla, the "Vizsla" in Hungary because it's not specific enough.
After all, while the Vizsla is popular in Hungary, hunters also use other "pointer" types of dogs, like the German Shorthaired Pointer.
And the reason they call the Vizsla the Magyar Vizsla is that the Magyar is the name of the Tribesmen who developed the Vizsla dog breed in the late 9th century.
In Hungary, the term Magyar (MAH-dyar) isn't just the name of the tribe, it also means the Hungarians themselves and the language they speak, and represents Hungarian culture and identity.
So, it's quite an honor for the Vizsla to be called the "Magyar Vizsla" - it's part of their very civilization!
If you find this type of dog breed content interesting, you'll enjoy all my videos.
In the 14th century, the Vizsla's hunting abilities caught the eye of the Hungarian nobles and of course, they started using the Vizsla as their preferred hunting dog; but they also developed the Vizsla as a family dog.
But, the family dogs population took a hard hit during the Hungarian Civil War, which occurred after WW1 - whenever there is a war just surviving is challenging, so naturally a dog is secondary - but the Vizsla were some valued dogs, and the breeders barely brought them back.
Rumor has it that there were around 12 remaining.
And as if that wasn't enough, WW2 started in 1939 and basically wiped out the Vizsla dog breed again!
Thankfully the Vizsla was popular in the region and collectively the breed could be restored.
Like the Vizsla is both a hunter and a family dog, with the Vizsla dog breed you also get a pointer and retriever in 1 dog!
The Vizsla has a smooth coat which is called "Golden-Rust", which makes sense because, like gold, the Vizsla looks like an expertly crafted dog that is just tasteful and elegant enough...and the coat even sparkles like gold!
At only 44 to 60 pounds the Vizsla, like a fine piece of classy jewelry, only brings what's necessary to get the job done.
And with the Vizsla getting the job done means covering grassy fields energetically and smartly to flush out their prey, which are:
- Pheasants
- Rabbits
- Geese
- Ducks
And the Vizsla will have you quacking like a duck, to all your friends over the Vizsla's abilities!
Including the Vizsla's ability to switch from a hunting dog to a companion dog that loves to cuddle with you!
The Vizsla has a height of 21 to 24 inches so brush the smooth-coated Vizsla once a week, which will produce some hairs since they do lightly shed.
But you only need to wash the Vizsla when they get dirty or smelly, which is once a month or even less.
The Vizsla is an energetic and lovable family dog for an active family that exercises regularly and frequently.
We're talking a minimum of 1 hour per day, every single day, and since the Vizsla can live to be 12-14 years old, that's how long you'll need to keep up your exercise training.
For mental training the Vizsla needs 1 hour of daily stimulation from AKC:
- Obedience
- Agility
- Tracking
- Field Trial Competitions...to name a few.
So, the Vizsla is not for everyone...keep in mind the channel you're watching is Learn, Don't Return because we don't want you returning a Vizsla!
And commit to feeding high-quality pet food from a 2-quart bowl.
The Vizsla is a social butterfly that's great around young children and good around other dogs.
But the boy Vizslas can be assertive, bullheaded, and even combative, so make sure you communicate your desired drive level and temperament while searching Vizsla breeders or rescues.
Now, go get yourself some new shoes and a ball to throw because the Vizsla is about to wear YOU down!
In a good way!
The Vizsla was recognized by the AKC in 1960 and the Vizsla Club of America (vcaweb.org) was formed in 1953.
And now you know why I think the Vizsla will continue growing in popularity from its 2023 ranking of 31st.
But what do you think?
