Vizsla Breed Information
The Hungarian Vizsla is a medium-sized, shorthaired hunting dog of elegant appearance. It is intelligent, obedient, sensitive, demonstratively affectionate and is easily trained, with a strong desire to please.
They are an energetic dog, born to work. While they are adaptable, they will not suit everyone. They need time, dedication and training to become a good companion.
Breed History
Historical Overview
The ancestors of the Hungarian Vizsla came into the Carpathian Basin with the nomadic Hungarian tribes. Written descriptions and graphic illustrations are found in documents of the 14th Century. From the 18th Century, their importance as a hunting dog was increasing steadily. As early as the end of the 19th Century, competitions for pointing dogs were organised in Hungary, in which Vizslas participated with great success. In those days, other gundog breeds most likely played an important part in the development of the breed.
The Hungarian Vizsla is the national breed of Hungary. Its early origins are very hard to trace, but its history probably began in the 9th Century, when the warring Magyar tribes migrated from the Steppes of Asia and eventually settled in the Carpathian Basin, known today as Hungary. It is believed that, through the centuries, the Vizsla we know today was fashioned from the hunting/herding dogs which the Magyar people brought with them.
For centuries, the Vizsla was owned by the sporting nobility of Hungary and before firearms were introduced in the 1700s, was used to scent and search for birds which were either then either caught by falcons or netted. Subsequently a gundog with all-round ability, which could work on fur or feather was required by the nobility of the day to work the plains of Hungary with their varying vegetation of thick crop cover, tall grasslands and cornfields. The dog needed to be fast and possess a good nose which would enable it to work the giant hare and to point the various gamebirds and wildfowl. The Vizsla was also used to hunt deer, wild boar and wolf, all of which it was expected to hold at bay. This was usually done using several dogs working together. In short, a dog of above average ability was necessary and, in the Vizsla, the Hungarians had such a dog.
The specific modern breeding started in 1920 and the Hungarian Vizsla received recognition by the FCI in 1936.
In the 20th Century, two World Wars and the Russian invasion of Hungary almost spelled disaster for the Vizsla. After the First World War, there were only about a dozen dogs which became the basis of all registered Vizslas in Hungary. During the Russian occupation, many nationals fled taking their dogs with them, and the breed soon became established in Europe and the West.
The first Vizsla was imported into the United States of America in the 1930s and into the United Kingdom in 1973. The first Hungarian Vizsla came to Australia from the United Kingdom in 1973.
The Hungarian Vizsla is an excellent companion and alert watchdog. It responds well to training because of its great desire to please. Being a bird dog, it loves retrieving and will carry objects around in its mouth of its own accord. The Vizsla is a natural swimmer and is enthusiastic about being part of family activities.
It is said that the Hungarians held this dog in high regard as a companion as well as a hunter. This has not changed to this day.
Breed Standard
What Are Breed Standards?
A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.
Think of a breed standard as the blueprint to that every breeder should be ‘building’ (breeding) their dogs to.
Breed Standards in Australia
The Australian National Kennel Council (‘ANKC’), now known as Dogs Australia, is the coordinating kennel club of Australia. It is a member of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (‘FCI’).
Every breed officially recognised in Australia has a written breed standard, available online from Dogs Australia. It is THE standard all Australian Hungarian Vizsla breeders should be breeding to. The breed standard recognised for Vizslas here was originally published by the FCI and adapted by Dogs Australia on 01 January 1998. A reputable breeder should be following this standard.
Hungarian Vizsla Breed Standard
General Appearance
He is a medium sized, elegant gun dog of noble appearance with a short russet gold coat. His rather light, dry, lean structure embodies the harmony of beauty and strength.
· The body length slightly exceeds the height at the withers.
· The depth of the brisket is slightly less than half the height at the withers.
· The muzzle is slightly shorter than half the length of the head.
Characteristics
The Hungarian Vizsla is a versatile gun dog that must be able to work in field, forest and water and have the following typical qualities. He must have an excellent nose, firmness on the point , be excellent at retrieving and have the determination to remain on the scent even when swimming, which he manifestly enjoys. He copes with difficult terrain as well as extreme weather conditions. As he is intended to be an efficient hunting dog then gun and game shyness, unwillingness to point and retrieve, as well a dislike of water are undesirable. Because of his easy going nature and his adaptability, he can easily be kept as a companion dog in the house.
Temperament
Lively, friendly, evenly tempered and easily trained. His outstanding willingness to keep contact with his master while working is one of his essential qualities. He cannot bear rough treatment and must be neither aggressive or shy.
Head And Skull
The head should be dry, noble and well proportioned. The skull moderately wide and slightly domed. A slightly pronounced groove runs from the moderately developed occiput towards the stop. The supercilliary ridges are moderately developed. The stop is moderate.
His nose should be well developed and broad with nostrils as wide as possible. The colour of the nose harmonises in a dark shading with the coat colour. The muzzle is blunt, not pointed, with strong jaws that are strongly muscled. The bridge of the nose is straight. The lips are tight fitting with no pendulous flews. The jaws are powerful and the cheeks are strong and well muscled.
Eyes
The eyes are slightly oval and of medium size with well fitting eyelids. He has an intelligent and lively expression. The brown eyes harmonise with the coat colour, as dark as possible preferred.
Ears
The ears are set on at medium height, a little backwards. He has fine leathers, which hang closely to the cheeks and end in a rounded V shape. The length is about three-quarters of the length of the head.
Mouth
He has a regular and complete scissor bite with the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws with 42 healthy teeth according to dentition formula.
Neck
The neck is of medium length, harmonising with the overall appearance. The nape very muscular and slightly arched. Tightly fitting skin (no dewlap) at the throat.
Forequarters
Viewed from the front they should be straight and parallel. Viewed from the side the legs are vertical and placed well under the body. Good bones and strongly muscled. The shoulders are long, sloping and flat with well attached shoulder blades. Flexible with strong dry muscles. Well angulated between the shoulder blade and upper arm. The upper arm is as long as possible and well muscled. The elbows fit close to the body, not tied in and turning neither in nor out and are well angulated between the upper arm and forearm. The forearm is long, straight and sufficiently muscled with strong but not coarse bone. The pastern joint is short and tight. The pastern is short and only very slightly sloping.
Body
The withers are pronounced and muscular. The back is solid, strong, well muscled, taut and straight. The muscles should hide the vertebral spines. The loin is short, broad, tight, muscular, straight or slightly arched. The portion from back to loin is well coupled. The croup is broad and of sufficient length, not to cut off short. It slopes slightly to the tail and is well muscled. The chest is deep and broad with a well developed, well muscled, moderately arched forechest. The sternum should extend as far back as possible. The sternum and the elbow should be at the same level. The ribs are moderately arched with the last ribs carried well back. The underline is elegant, tight, arching towards the rear and slightly tucked up.
Hindquarters
Viewed from behind they should be straight and parallel. Well angulated and with strong bone. The upper thigh is long and muscular with good angulation between the pelvis and upper thigh. The stifle is well angulated. The lower thigh is long, well muscled and sinewy. Its length is almost equal to that of the upper thigh. Good angulation between the lower thigh and the metatarsus. The hock joint is strong, dry and sinewy and rather well let down. The metatarsus is vertical, short and dry.
Feet
The forefeet are slightly oval, with well knit, sufficiently arched, strong toes. The nails are strong and brown in colour. He has tough, resistant, slate grey pads. The feet are parallel when standing or moving. The hind feet are similar to the forefeet.
Tail
Set on slightly low, strong at the base, then tapering. In countries where tail docking is not prohibited by law, the tail may be shortened by one quarter to avoid hunting hazards. If tail docking is prohibited, the tail reaches down to the hock joint and carried straight or slightly sabre like. On the move, it is raised up to the horizontal. It is well covered by dense coat.
Gait/Movement
The typical gait is an animated, light-footed trot, elegant and far-reaching, with much drive and corresponding reach. Not exhausting gallop when working in the field. The back is firm and the topline remains level. Good, upright carriage. Pacing undesirable.
Coat
Short and dense, should be coarse and hard at the touch. On the head and the ear leathers, it should be thinner, silkier and shorter. The hair underneath the tail should be slightly, but not noticeably longer. The coat should cover all if the body with the underside of the belly being a little lighter coated. No undercoat.
Colour
Various shades of russet gold and dark sandy gold. The ear leathers may be a little darker, otherwise uniform in colour. Red, brownish or lightened colour is undesirable. A little white patch on the chest or at the throat, not more than 5 cm in diameter, as well as white markings on the toes are not considered faulty. The colour of the lips and the eye rims corresponds to the colour of the nose. The skin is tightly fitting, without folds and well pigmented.
Sizes
Height at withers
Males: 58-64 cms
Females: 54-60 cms
A medium size should be aimed at. Overall balance and symmetry are much more important than the mere measurable size.
With sincere thanks to Dogs Australia for the Hungarian Vizsla Breed Standard and to Mrs Fay Harris of Hanafor Hungarian Vizslas for compiling the breed history as written in the Dogs Australia Hungarian Vizsla Extended Breed Standard.