Vizsla – Hungarian wire-haired pointer

Vizsla – Hungarian wire-haired pointer is a large hunting dog with a red coat. The rough-haired variety of this breed is much younger than short-haired. A dog with a unique character. It combines the talents of an excellent hunting dog with the tender nature of a family pet.

Nature

The Hungarian wire-haired pointer will be fully happy when tired after hunting with you, after returning home he can hug you and then show off with the children. I need to be loved and accepted, he loves physical contact, stroking and hugging. It is not small, but it can get on its knees. He is happy to sleep in a bed.

Pointers are very gentle, both in relation to people and other dogs, which is why they work very well when dealing with children and the elderly. They can successfully participate in dogotherapy. As dogs with a strongly awakened hunting instinct, however, they need a lot of movement (a minimum of 1-2 hours a day), and not every owner is able to provide it to them. From boredom, they can become destroyers.

Skills

Pointers are mainly used for hunting pheasants, partridges and waterfowl, as well as for small mammals. Thanks to the excellent sense of smell, eyesight and passion for work, they exhibit and retrieve well.

Training and education

In the puppy age, socialization is very important. They are sensitive dogs, so from a young age, you should get used to different situations, animals and people. For the same reason, they are not suitable for people with a “hard hand”. They are very attached to the family and are wonderful companions. They need close contact with people and endure imprisonment in a pen badly. They are very easy to train, intelligent and willing to learn. They love the warmth and soaking up the sun.

Who is this race for?

The Hungarian wire-haired pointer will be a wonderful companion for anyone who provides him with a lot of movement and close contact. It is completely unsuitable for a “full-time” couch or pen.

Vizsla – Hungarian wire-haired pointer. Advantages and disadvantages

Disadvantages

• in his youth he is unruly
• badly tolerates loneliness
• has a strong hunting instinct

Advantages

• excellent hunter’s helper
• delectable family dog
• gentle to people and animals
• easy to care for
• healthy and resilient

Health

Vizsla is healthy and long-lived, they are rarely affected by genetic diseases, sometimes only skin allergies occur. Some dogs may be sensitive to anesthesia. In any case, the owner should warn the veterinarian about this before surgery.

Feeding

The amount of food must always be adapted to the dog’s lifestyle, especially since the Hungarian pointer enjoys a fairly good appetite. In the hunting season, the portions need to be increased, they should also contain more fat so that the dog can completely cover the increased energy demand.

Care

Pointer just brushes regularly. Grimy after hunting, however, will require bathing, and by the way – checking the condition of the eyes and ears. You should also carefully examine the coat for ticks and tangled twigs, etc.

History

They are considered one of the oldest breeds, already known in the tenth century. Probably their ancestors were hunting dogs of various Asian tribes, which at the beginning of our era invaded Central Europe. The history of the breed is associated with the history of ancient Hungarians – Magyars, a hunting and shepherd people who lived over a thousand years ago. Rock engravings from this period show the Magyar hunters hunting with falcons and pointer. Later medieval manuscripts also speak of these dogs.

The very word “vizsla” (pronounced viżla) means “watchful” (our Polish “pointer” comes from Hungarian). Hungarian Pointer were nobility dogs. For centuries they were bred in purity of the breed. During World War I and II, the breed was in danger of extinction, but lovers did not allow it.

The rough-haired variety was bred only in the 1930s, thanks to the addition of German rough-haired pointer, poodle and perhaps other breeds. Both types of vizsla, except for the type of coat, practically do not differ. However, they are treated as separate breeds and are not crossed with each other. Around the world, also in Poland, the shorthaired pointer is more popular, but the popularity of the rough-haired one is still growing.

Vizsla – Hungarian wire-haired pointer. Template

Hungarian Wire-haired Pointer – Group VII FCI, Section 1, Model No. 239

• Country of origin: Hungary
• Character: gentle, intelligent, full of passion for work, focused on cooperation with people, badly tolerates harsh treatment
• Size: dogs: 58-64 cm, bitches: 54-60 cm
• Weight: not specified in the standard, approx. 25-30 kg
• Coat: rough, close-fitting, hard and dense; top coat 2-3 cm long, waterproof undercoat
• Color: rusty yellow or dark sand yellow; robe-colored nose
• Lifespan: 14-15 years
• Vulnerability to training: very high
• Activity: needs a lot of traffic
• Resistance/susceptibility to diseases: very resistant

Interesting facts

Pointers are called “pointing dogs” in English, and in Polish legged dogs or simply setters. Their task is to find (sniff out) and display (indicate) game to hunters.

The ability to die still when approaching and tracking a victim is a natural part of the hunting behavior of all dogs. However, most of them die only for a short time. In pointer, this feature was strengthened so that it became characteristic of them.

In the past, dogs showing prey would usually lie on the ground, hence the name “setter”. Later, standing up began to be preferred, i.e. a characteristic “stand-up” (with the nose indicating the animal and usually the front paw raised).