Despite my previous claims I am
neither simple or a hound.
Perhaps I should start at the beginning.
My ancestors accompanied the Magyar people throughout Europe
before finally settling in Hungary. We have been hunters and
companions since the eighth century and are considered one of the
oldest sporting breeds.
Early on we were cherished by the aristocracy due to our
excellent hunting abilities and loving personality. We flourished for hundreds
of years but nearly became extinct in the era between World War I
and World War II. The
Vizsla would have been lost forever if not for a few brave
Hungarians who smuggled us out of the country on the heels of the
Russian occupation. By
the early 1950s Vizsla’s were living all over Europe and the
United
States. In 10 short years we gained
enough popularity to be admitted to the American Kennel Club in the
Sporting Group.
You may wonder why the Vizsla has been so admired for so long
and why people would risk their lives to save the breed. The Vizsla is a
multi-faceted dog. We
are lovers and fighters, I mean hunters. Bred to point and retrieve
the Vizsla is an all purpose gundog. We can hunt, point and
retrieve upland game birds (quail, partridge, and grouse), waterfowl
(ducks) and small animals (rabbits, squirrels, mice). We are fast, work closely
with our hunter and have the endurance to hunt and track prey all
day. We are outstanding
in the show ring, obedience tests, agility and field trials. We also make superb house
pets. We are devoted,
loyal and highly trainable.
If you are looking for a dog with personality the
Vizsla has personality plus.
But, we aren’t for everybody. We are a high energy hunting
dog. We require a great
deal of time and attention.
Our high energy level means we need plenty of exercise. An hour run everyday is a
great start. We are
extremely smart and adept problem solvers so frequent training
sessions, mental exercises and games of fetch are required. If we
get bored lookout! We
will become destructive.
Vizslas love to chew, everything. Shoes, clothes, trees,
electric razors, couches - nothing is off limits to a bored
Vizsla.
Although we are energetic we are not hyper! Because we were
bred to work closely with hunters we enjoy (aka demand) to be in the
presence of humans. A
Vizsla without a person is like a dog without a bone. A Vizsla will
love you unconditionally as long as you provide a warm bed (with
pillow, of course), a soft couch and a seat on your lap at the
dinner table. We are
the quintessential lapdog/bed warmer. Our favorite place is next
to you in bed, under the covers with our head on your pillow. If you own a Vizsla you do
not need a toothbrush, washcloth or Q-tip. We will clean your teeth,
face, ears and anything else we can get our tongues on. If you don’t want your dog
to be with you all of the time get a Golden Retriever. We are great with children
although we have been known to topple a few toddlers in our
enthusiasm. Vizslas
don’t bark, we talk. We
use our voices to tell our people what we want, how we feel and what
we think. I am not
kidding, we never bark or whine for no reason only when we have
something to say.
