Wire-haired Vizsla

The Wire-haired Vizsla, or Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla, is a pointing dog from Hungary. It is an all-round gundog used to track, point and retrieve game. Despite the shared name, it is a separate breed from the better-known short-haired Vizsla.

History

The breed was developed in the 1930s. The work was begun by Vasas Jozsef, who owned a Vizsla kennel, and Gresznarik Laszlo, who bred German Wirehaired Pointers. They wanted a dog with the Vizsla’s color but a heavier coat and a sturdier frame, better able to work in cold weather and fetch from icy water.

Two Vizsla bitches with good pedigrees and proven working ability, Zsuzsi and Csibi, were mated to a solid liver German Wirehaired Pointer called Astor von Potat. The best of their offspring were bred together, producing Dia de Selle, the first Wire-haired Vizsla to be shown. She had the body of a Vizsla and the head of a German Wirehaired Pointer. Her coat was not yet rough or thick enough, but she was a promising start.

Later, Koloman Slimák worked on the breed in Slovakia, and is said to have added Irish Setter and Pointer to his line. Other accounts suggest that Pudelpointer, Bloodhound and Irish Setter blood went in around the Second World War, when many Hungarian kennels took up the breed.

The FCI recognized the breed under the Hungarian standard in 1963. It reached North America in the 1970s and was recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1977, the United Kennel Club in 2006 and the Australian National Kennel Council in 2007. The American Kennel Club admitted it to its Foundation Stock Service in 2008 and gave it full recognition, in the Sporting Group, on July 2, 2014.

It remains uncommon. In 2009 there were between 2,500 and 3,000 Wire-haired Vizslas in the world, some 400 to 450 of them in the United States.

Appearance

This is a medium-sized dog. Males usually stand 58–64 cm at the withers and females about 4 cm less.

Temperament

The Wire-haired Vizsla is seen as an affectionate dog that bonds well with people. Its even temper makes it a good fit for families.

Care and health

A survey of breed club members in the United Kingdom, based on 38 deaths, found a life expectancy of 12.92 years.

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