A SHORT HISTORY.... THE MAGYAR PEOPLE BOLTED FROM THE RUSSIAN STEPPES SOMETIME IN THE MID-800S AND FOR 50 YEARS RAVAGED WESTERN EUROPE. THESE BRUTAL MARAUDERS RAMPAGED ACROSS THE CONTINENT ON HORSEBACK, LEAVING IN THEIR WAKE A WIDE SWATH OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. THEY RANGED AS FAR WEST AS PARIS AND AS FAR SOUTH AS THE TOE OF ITALY, BEFORE SETTLING IN WHAT IS NOW HUNGARY.
THE SUPREMACY OF MAGYAR CAVALRY WAS PREDICATED ON THREE QUALITIES: SPEED, AGILITY, AND TOUGHNESS. ACCORDINGLY, MAGYAR WARRIORS CAREFULLY BRED THESE QUALITIES INTO THEIR HORSES—AND THEIR DOGS. IN THIS LIGHTNING-FAST KINGDOM ON HORSEBACK, IT WAS EITHER KEEP UP OR PERISH. THE MAGYARS’ NIMBLE RED DOGS, ANCESTORS OF THE MODERN VIZSLA, KEPT UP.
OVER CENTURIES, HUNGARIAN NOBLES AND WARLORDS REFINED THESE DOGS AND SET THE TYPE OF THE MODERN VIZSLA. THE BREED BECAME FAMOUS AS A SWIFT, ALL-PURPOSE HUNTING DOG WHO COULD DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ASKED. IN MODERN TIMES, THAT EAGERNESS HAS WON VIZSLAS GENERATIONS OF AMERICAN FANS.
THE FIRST VIZSLA TO COME TO AMERICA, IN 1950, WAS SMUGGLED OUT OF COMMUNIST HUNGARY WITH THE HELP OF A U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE. ON NOVEMBER 25, 1960, THE VIZSLA BECAME THE 115TH BREED TO BE ADMITTED TO THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB. FIFTY YEARS LATER, A VIZSLA NAMED CHARTAY BECAME THE FIRST DOG IN AKC HISTORY TO EARN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FIVE DIFFERENT SPORTS—A QUINTUPLE CHAMPION. IT’S NO WONDER THAT THE WORDS “VERSATILE” AND “VIZSLA” SO OFTEN APPEAR IN THE SAME SENTENCE.
IS THE VIZSLA THE RIGHT BREED FOR YOU?
IT’S A GIVEN THAT VIZSLAS ARE A BEAUTIFUL, ELEGANT AND REGAL LOOKING BREED. THEY WERE ORIGINALLY BRED TO BE A HUNTING COMPANION (I.E. LOTS AND LOTS OF RUNNING IN THE FIELD), THEY ARE A VERY HIGH-ENERGY BREED. VIZSLAS ARE NOT YOUR “WALK AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD” KIND OF A DOG. IF YOU ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS AND EXERCISING, A VIZSLA MIGHT BE THE RIGHT MATCH FOR YOU. VIZSLAS SHOULDN’T BE MATCHED TO HUMANS BASED ON EXERCISE LEVELS ALONE, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A RUNNING PARTNER BE PREPARED TO WAIT UNTIL THE DOG IS 18 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS OLD. THEY SHOULDN'T BE FORCED TO RUN UNTIL THEIR GROWTH PLATES HAVE CLOSED.
VIZSLAS ARE ALSO VERY SOFT IN TEMPERAMENT AND LOVE FREQUENT CUDDLES WITH THEIR HUMANS.
THERE IS AN OLD HUNGARIAN SAYING, “IF YOU OWN A VIZSLA, IT LIVES ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD.”
WE HAVE A SAYING IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, "WHO NEEDS A BLANKET WHEN YOU HAVE A VIZSLA".
THESE ARE THE MOST ACCURATE SAYINGS AND WHY VIZSLAS ARE OFTEN DESCRIBED AS “VELCRO VIZSLAS”.
BE WARNED — IF YOU BRING A VIZSLA INTO YOUR HOME YOU MAY NEVER GO TO THE BATHROOM ALONE AGAIN!
VIZSLAS ARE VERY HIGH-ENERGY AND ARE EXTREMELY SMART BUT GENERALLY SLOWER TO MATURE. THIS MEANS YOU WILL MOST LIKELY END UP WITH A PUPPY UNTIL THEY’RE CLOSER TO 3 OR 4 YEARS OLD. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT, WHILE VIZSLAS SHOULD BE BIDDABLE IN TEMPERAMENT AND THEREFORE VERY TRAINABLE, THEY MAY NOT BE THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR THOSE LOOKING TO COMPETE AT ADVANCED LEVELS WITH A VERY YOUNG DOG.
LIKE A FINE WINE, VIZSLAS GET BETTER WITH AGE!
YES, VIZSLAS SHED AND THEY ARE NOT A HYPOALLERGENIC DOG. THEIR FUR IS SHORT, LIKE FINE, RED EYELASHES. OURS SHED FAR LESS THAN MY FRIENDS' GOLDEN RETRIEVER! VIZSLAS DON’T HAVE AN UNDERCOAT SO THAT ALSO GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY DON’T SHED.
I HAVE DECIDED THAT I LOVE WEARING BLACK, SO I WILL INVEST IN FABRIC ROLLER STOCK!
DID YOU KNOW?
VIZSLAS NEED PLENTY OF OFF-LEASH EXERCISE WELL INTO THEIR ADULTHOOD AND THEIR OWNERS NEED THE COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE THIS NECESSITY. VIZSLAS ARE GENERALLY SOFT IN TEMPERAMENT, THEY NEED HEAVY SOCIALIZATION ESPECIALLY AS YOUNG DOGS BUT THROUGH THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
VIZSLAS RESPOND BEST TO POSITIVE TRAINING METHODS AND A HEAVY-HAND CAN RUIN THEM FOR LIFE.
VIZSLAS ARE VERY INTELLIGENT AND CAN GET THEMSELVES INTO TROUBLE IF LEFT UNSUPERVISED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
VIZSLAS ARE NOT GOOD KENNEL DOGS AND THRIVE IF THEY GET TO LIVE INSIDE THE HOME WITH THEIR HUMAN COMPANIONS.
VIZSLAS ARE AN AMAZING BREED, WITH TRAINING, SOCIALIZATION AND COMPANIONSHIP THEY WILL BE THE BEST FRIEND YOU'VE EVER HAD.
MORE INFORMATION
VIZSLAS, WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT 'EM & WHAT'S BAD ABOUT 'EM
AKC BREED STANDARD
RESPONSIBLE BREEDER VS. BACKYARD BREEDER
I DON'T WANT A SHOW DOG, I JUST WANT A PET
THE SUPREMACY OF MAGYAR CAVALRY WAS PREDICATED ON THREE QUALITIES: SPEED, AGILITY, AND TOUGHNESS. ACCORDINGLY, MAGYAR WARRIORS CAREFULLY BRED THESE QUALITIES INTO THEIR HORSES—AND THEIR DOGS. IN THIS LIGHTNING-FAST KINGDOM ON HORSEBACK, IT WAS EITHER KEEP UP OR PERISH. THE MAGYARS’ NIMBLE RED DOGS, ANCESTORS OF THE MODERN VIZSLA, KEPT UP.
OVER CENTURIES, HUNGARIAN NOBLES AND WARLORDS REFINED THESE DOGS AND SET THE TYPE OF THE MODERN VIZSLA. THE BREED BECAME FAMOUS AS A SWIFT, ALL-PURPOSE HUNTING DOG WHO COULD DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ASKED. IN MODERN TIMES, THAT EAGERNESS HAS WON VIZSLAS GENERATIONS OF AMERICAN FANS.
THE FIRST VIZSLA TO COME TO AMERICA, IN 1950, WAS SMUGGLED OUT OF COMMUNIST HUNGARY WITH THE HELP OF A U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE. ON NOVEMBER 25, 1960, THE VIZSLA BECAME THE 115TH BREED TO BE ADMITTED TO THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB. FIFTY YEARS LATER, A VIZSLA NAMED CHARTAY BECAME THE FIRST DOG IN AKC HISTORY TO EARN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FIVE DIFFERENT SPORTS—A QUINTUPLE CHAMPION. IT’S NO WONDER THAT THE WORDS “VERSATILE” AND “VIZSLA” SO OFTEN APPEAR IN THE SAME SENTENCE.
IS THE VIZSLA THE RIGHT BREED FOR YOU?
IT’S A GIVEN THAT VIZSLAS ARE A BEAUTIFUL, ELEGANT AND REGAL LOOKING BREED. THEY WERE ORIGINALLY BRED TO BE A HUNTING COMPANION (I.E. LOTS AND LOTS OF RUNNING IN THE FIELD), THEY ARE A VERY HIGH-ENERGY BREED. VIZSLAS ARE NOT YOUR “WALK AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD” KIND OF A DOG. IF YOU ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS AND EXERCISING, A VIZSLA MIGHT BE THE RIGHT MATCH FOR YOU. VIZSLAS SHOULDN’T BE MATCHED TO HUMANS BASED ON EXERCISE LEVELS ALONE, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A RUNNING PARTNER BE PREPARED TO WAIT UNTIL THE DOG IS 18 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS OLD. THEY SHOULDN'T BE FORCED TO RUN UNTIL THEIR GROWTH PLATES HAVE CLOSED.
VIZSLAS ARE ALSO VERY SOFT IN TEMPERAMENT AND LOVE FREQUENT CUDDLES WITH THEIR HUMANS.
THERE IS AN OLD HUNGARIAN SAYING, “IF YOU OWN A VIZSLA, IT LIVES ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD.”
WE HAVE A SAYING IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, "WHO NEEDS A BLANKET WHEN YOU HAVE A VIZSLA".
THESE ARE THE MOST ACCURATE SAYINGS AND WHY VIZSLAS ARE OFTEN DESCRIBED AS “VELCRO VIZSLAS”.
BE WARNED — IF YOU BRING A VIZSLA INTO YOUR HOME YOU MAY NEVER GO TO THE BATHROOM ALONE AGAIN!
VIZSLAS ARE VERY HIGH-ENERGY AND ARE EXTREMELY SMART BUT GENERALLY SLOWER TO MATURE. THIS MEANS YOU WILL MOST LIKELY END UP WITH A PUPPY UNTIL THEY’RE CLOSER TO 3 OR 4 YEARS OLD. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT, WHILE VIZSLAS SHOULD BE BIDDABLE IN TEMPERAMENT AND THEREFORE VERY TRAINABLE, THEY MAY NOT BE THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR THOSE LOOKING TO COMPETE AT ADVANCED LEVELS WITH A VERY YOUNG DOG.
LIKE A FINE WINE, VIZSLAS GET BETTER WITH AGE!
YES, VIZSLAS SHED AND THEY ARE NOT A HYPOALLERGENIC DOG. THEIR FUR IS SHORT, LIKE FINE, RED EYELASHES. OURS SHED FAR LESS THAN MY FRIENDS' GOLDEN RETRIEVER! VIZSLAS DON’T HAVE AN UNDERCOAT SO THAT ALSO GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY DON’T SHED.
I HAVE DECIDED THAT I LOVE WEARING BLACK, SO I WILL INVEST IN FABRIC ROLLER STOCK!
DID YOU KNOW?
VIZSLAS NEED PLENTY OF OFF-LEASH EXERCISE WELL INTO THEIR ADULTHOOD AND THEIR OWNERS NEED THE COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE THIS NECESSITY. VIZSLAS ARE GENERALLY SOFT IN TEMPERAMENT, THEY NEED HEAVY SOCIALIZATION ESPECIALLY AS YOUNG DOGS BUT THROUGH THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
VIZSLAS RESPOND BEST TO POSITIVE TRAINING METHODS AND A HEAVY-HAND CAN RUIN THEM FOR LIFE.
VIZSLAS ARE VERY INTELLIGENT AND CAN GET THEMSELVES INTO TROUBLE IF LEFT UNSUPERVISED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
VIZSLAS ARE NOT GOOD KENNEL DOGS AND THRIVE IF THEY GET TO LIVE INSIDE THE HOME WITH THEIR HUMAN COMPANIONS.
VIZSLAS ARE AN AMAZING BREED, WITH TRAINING, SOCIALIZATION AND COMPANIONSHIP THEY WILL BE THE BEST FRIEND YOU'VE EVER HAD.
MORE INFORMATION
VIZSLAS, WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT 'EM & WHAT'S BAD ABOUT 'EM
AKC BREED STANDARD
RESPONSIBLE BREEDER VS. BACKYARD BREEDER
I DON'T WANT A SHOW DOG, I JUST WANT A PET