About the Vizsla Breed
History | Standard | Pros and Cons
The Vizsla has a long and distinguished history, dating as far back as the 10th century. Primitive stone etchings of a hunter with his falcon and dog resembling the modern day Vizsla have been found from the time when the Magyar hordes roamed Central Europe. A Hungarian manuscript surviving from the 14th century includes a chapter on falconry with an illustration of a dog many people believe to be an ancestor of the breed. Throughout its development, the Vizsla has been a versatile dog, excelling both on land and in water, as both a pointer and a retriever. In the early half of the 20th century, the Vizsla breed was almost entirely wiped out as a result of the wars in Europe. Many Hungarians fled into other European countries as well as North America with their beloved companions. During the 1950's the first Vizslas arrived in America and by 1960 the breed was admitted into the registry of the American Kennel Club. The modern Vizsla continues to be versatile, excelling not only as a reliable hunter but also as a cherished and loving companion.
Official Breed Standard as Approved by the American Kennel Club
General Appearance
That of a medium-sized short-coated hunting dog of distinguished appearance and bearing. Robust but rather lightly built; the coat is an attractive solid golden rust. This is a dog of power and drive in the field yet a tractable and affectionate companion in the home. It is strongly emphasized that field conditioned coats, as well as brawny or sinewy muscular condition and honorable scars indicating a working and hunting dog are never to be penalized in this dog. The qualities that make a "dual dog" are always to be appreciated, not deprecated.
Head
Lean and muscular. Skull moderately wide between the ears with a median line down the forehead. Stop between skull and foreface is moderate, not deep. Foreface or muzzle is of equal length or slightly shorter than skull when viewed in profile, should taper gradually from stop to tip of nose. Muzzle square and deep. It must not turn up as in a "dish" face nor should it turn down. Whiskers serve a functional purpose; their removal is permitted but not preferred. Nostrils slightly open. Nose brown. Any other color is faulty. A totally black nose is a disqualification. Ears, thin, silky and proportionately long, with rounded-leather ends, set fairly low and hanging close to cheeks. Jaws are strong with well developed white teeth meeting in a scissors bite. Eyes medium in size and depth of setting, their surrounding tissue covering the whites. Color of the iris should blend with the color of the coat. Yellow or any other color is faulty. Prominent pop-eyes are faulty. Lower eyelids should neither turn in nor out since both conditions allow seeds and dust to irritate the eye. Lips cover the jaws completely but are neither loose nor pendulous.
Neck and Body
Neck strong, smooth and muscular, moderately long, arched and devoid of dewlap, broadening nicely into shoulders which are moderately laid back. This is mandatory to maintain balance with the moderately angulated hindquarters. Body is strong and well proportioned. Back short. Withers high and the topline slightly rounded over the loin to the set on of the tail. Chest moderately broad and deep reaching down to the elbows. Ribs well-sprung; underline exhibiting a slight tuck-up beneath the loin. Tail set just below the level of the croup, thicker at the root and docked one-third off. Ideally, it should reach to the back of the stifle joint and be carried at or near the horizontal. An undocked tail is faulty.
Forequarters
Shoulder blades proportionately long and wide sloping moderately back and fairly close at the top. Forelegs straight and muscular with elbows close. Feet cat-like, round and compact with toes close. Nails brown and short. Pads thick and tough. Dewclaws, if any, to be removed on front and rear feet. Hare feet are faulty.
Hindquarters
Hind legs have well developed thighs with moderately angulated stifles and hocks in balance with the moderately laid back shoulders. They must be straight as viewed from behind. Too much angulation at the hocks is as faulty as too little. The hocks are let down and parallel to each other.
Coat
Short, smooth, dense and close-lying, without woolly undercoat. A distinctly long coat is a disqualification.
Color
Solid golden rust in different shadings. Solid dark mahogany red and pale yellow are faulty. White on the forechest, preferably as small as possible, and white on the toes are permissible. Solid white extending above the toes or white anywhere else on the dog except the forechest is a disqualification. When viewing the dog from the front, white markings on the forechest must be confined to an area from the top of the sternum to a point between the elbows when the dog is standing naturally. White extending on the shoulders or neck is a disqualification. White due to aging shall not be faulted. Any noticable area of black in the coat is a serious fault.
Gait
Far reaching, light footed, graceful and smooth. When moving at a fast trot, a properly built dog single tracks.
Size
The ideal male is 22 to 24 inches at the highest point over the shoulder blades. The ideal female is 21 to 23 inches. Because the Vizsla is meant to be a medium-sized hunter, any dog measuring more than 11/2 inches over or under these limits must be disqualified.
Temperament
A natural hunter endowed with a good nose and above-average ability to take training. Lively, gentle-mannered, demonstrably affectionate and sensitive though fearless with a well developed protective instinct. Shyness, timidity or nervousness should be penalized.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Completely black nose.
Solid white extending above the toes or white anywhere else on the dog except the forechest.
White extending on the shoulders or neck.
A distinctly long coat.
Any male over 25 1/2 inches, or under 20 1/2 inches and any female over 24 1/2 inches or under 19 1/2 inches at the highest point over the shoulder blades.
Approved December 11, 1995
Effective January 31, 1996
While a well-trained Vizsla is a loving, wonderful companion, it is not the breed for everyone. The Vizsla requires lots of exercise, preferably at least one hour off leash every day. It is a fun-loving and curious breed, however, when left alone for extended periods of time can become bored and destructive. The Vizsla is an intelligent, sensitive, and highly trainable dog, and responds best to positive training techniques. The Vizsla is an extremely affectionate dog and should be treated as part of the family, they do not do well as kennel dogs or if left outside alone. The previous statements can be true for any breed. Please make sure you attend shows, speak with breeders and owners, and honestly evaluate your own lifestyle before welcoming the Vizsla into your home.