Wirehaired Vizsla
Appearance
The Wirehaired Vizsla is a wire-coated hunting dog, with a distinguished appearance and bearing. They have a lean build and are very robust. The coat is an attractive russet to golden sand in color. Where permitted the tail may be docked to three-fourths of its original length.
Color and coat
The Wirehaired Vizsla is a rare dog breed in Hungary with an estimated 30 litters (approximately 140-150 dogs) being registered annually.
The coat is wiry, close-lying, strong, and dense, 0.75 inches to 1.25 inches (2–3 cm) in length with a dense, water-repellent undercoat. The outline of the body is not to be hidden by the longer coat. Pronounced eyebrows along with a strong, harsh beard, 0.75 inches to 1.25 inches (2–3 cm) long on both sides of the muzzle reinforce the determined expression. The coat should never be long, soft, silky, shaggy, crinkle, wooly, thin, lacking undercoat or lacking brushes on the legs.
Size
- Males
- Height: 10¾ - 25¼ inches (58 - 64 centimetres)
- Weight: 45 - 65 pounds (20 - 29 kilograms)
- Females
- Height: 21 1/4 inches - 231/4 inches (54 – 60 cm.)
- Weight: 40 - 55 lb (18 – 25 kg)
Overall balance and symmetry are not to be compromised for size.
Temperament
Like the Vizsla, Wirehaired Vizslas are very high energy, gentle-mannered, loyal, caring, and highly affectionate. They quickly form close bonds with their owners, including children. They are quiet dogs, only barking if necessary or if they are provoked.
They are natural hunters with an excellent ability to take training. Not only are they great pointers, but they are excellent retrievers as well. They will retrieve on land and in the water, making the most of their natural instincts. However, they must be trained gently and without harsh commands or strong physical correction, as they have sensitive temperaments and can be easily damaged if trained too harshly (Gottlieb, 1992). Vizslas are excellent swimmers and often swim in pools if one is available. Like all gun dogs, Vizslas require a good deal of exercise to remain healthy and happy. Thirty minutes to an hour of exercise daily in a large off-leash area is optimal (Coffman 1992).
The Wirehaired Vizsla thrives on attention, exercise, and interaction. It is highly intelligent, and enjoys being challenged and stimulated, both mentally and physically. Vizslas that do not get enough attention and exercise can easily become destructive or hyperactive. Under-stimulated Vizslas may also become depressed or engage in obsessive-compulsive behaviours such as persistent licking (Coffman 1992). Vizslas are very gentle dogs that are great around children. The Vizsla wants to be close to its owner as much of the time as possible. Many Vizslas will sleep in bed with their owners if allowed, burrowing under the covers.
Common illnesses
Although the Wirehaired Vizsla is not generally considered as a sickly dog, breeding from a small number of dogs has led to heritable illnesses in some offspring, including:
- dysphagia-megaoesophagus (difficulty swallowing, drooling and muscle wasting)
- Hip dysplasia
- hypothyroidism
- sebaceous adenitis
- digestive problems (including intolerance to certain foods or food allergies)
- eye conditions such as:
- ectropion (the upper or lower eyelid curls outward which gives the look of "droopy eyes")
- entropion (the upper or lower eyelid, but in most cases the lower lid, curls inward towards the eye, therefore irritating the cornea)
- idiopathic epilepsy is becoming more common in this breed (Gottlieb 2002)
Responsible breeders do not select dogs for breeding if they have such inherent problems.
