The versatile re-coated dog breed, the Vizsla originated from Hungary in the 10^th century as a hunting dog for the nomadic Magyar Tribe.

Whilst they were great at retrieving for their tribes, they are also known as great, loving companions today.

In This Blog We Cover

Breed Overview

Characteristics

This versatile gun dog is becoming more renowned as a family pet as the years go by. They will form a tight-knit bond with their family, and you will love having them around.

This makes them a great watch dog for their family as they will do anything to protect the ones, they are closest to.

Diet

As with any breed of dog you may own, you should always feed them on a high-quality, age-appropriate feed which is suitable for their breed, exercise levels, and temperament. This meal should be split into two.

Breeds which are known to have deep chests like your Vizsla, are also more common to suffering from a condition called bloat.

This is where their stomach fills with gas or food and causes them to bloat. If this happens, it can be extremely painful for them and can cause the stomach to twist on itself and cause a blockage.

If this is left untreated, it can be fatal so get to your vet asap if you think there is a possibility for it to be this!

Training and Care

Energetic and full of life, the Vizslas thrive off a stimulated and energetic lifestyle with lots of exercise and playing. If they are left for long periods of time, they can become bored and get destructive by chewing on things in the home.

While we understand this can be very annoying, never mind costly for you, in order to to avoid this, keep their minds and bodies occupied.

By keeping them as active as you can and engagement with them high, you will help to keep their weight down and prevent illnesses such as obesity from forming and becoming an issue.

If you are thinking of mixing things up and changing their daily exercise routine, they enjoy being agile due to their hunting traits. There is no need to worry about them tiring, as their stamina can keep them going all day and won’t tire running and swimming with you all day.

Starting them as young as possible when it comes to their training can be crucial in their development further down the line.

They need to be socialised at an early age and to make things easier for the both of you, vocal cues should be taught to them early on. They are very intelligent and love to please their owners, so they are usually quite responsive to training.

Like we mentioned earlier, they are known to form very strong bonds with their family and other dogs. With this, comes problems such as separation anxiety. So, bear in mind this breed doesn’t cope well with being left alone for long periods of time.

This breed of dog demands exercise and is not suited for anybody wanting a dog to curl up on the sofa and binge your favourite series all day.

They want an outgoing, adventure loving, thrill seeker who can take them exploring and allow them to run, jump and swim.

Grooming

Due to their short coat, it makes them quite easy to keep on top of when it comes to grooming. They should only require a groom once per week to help remove any dead hair that’s ready to fall out.

Another great reason to brush them weekly is to spread the natural oils throughout their coat and maintain the sleek and shiny look of their rustic copper coat.

Health Conditions

With all our domestic breeds, they all come with their own health conditions that we as owners should be aware of.

Whilst some of these conditions may not be as life threatening as others, they should all be taken seriously, and you should know when to talk to a vet.

Epilepsy

For reasons we do not know, the vizsla’s are more prone to seizure due to epilepsy than most breed dogs.

There is yet to be a cure found for epilepsy but with appropriate treatment and medication, this condition can be managed and will allow your Vizsla to live a more natural and happy life.

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is one of the many types of cancers in which our Vizslas are prone too. This will affect the blood and cause the lymph nodes to enlarge, causing your dog to become lethargic and lose interest in things they usually enjoy. This can be diagnosed with blood tests being run or a biopsy.

Whilst we cannot prevent this disease affecting our beloved pets, we can keep them as happy and healthy as possible and take them to the vets if you notice anything out of the ordinary like weight loss or enlarged lymph nodes.

Arthritis

Many pets which we own will suffer with arthritis in their life. Whether this starts early on and develops over time or as a result of old age, this can happen to cats, dogs, horses, and ourselves.

Much like us, there is no way to stop arthritis or prevent it from happening as it is a degenerative disease. What you can do is provide them with the best care and feed them a good quality diet.

If you believe that your Vizsla is starting to struggle with their mobility, getting stiffer and stiffer then don’t hesitate to get in touch with your vet for a diagnosis.

There are plenty of treatment methods which can help slow it down from advancing and help keep your Vizsla as comfortable as possible.

The Vizsla is a great breed for all of you adventure loving people out there, who are seeking a partner in crime to enjoy exploring the outdoors together.

If you have lots of secure land or are a thrill seeker, Vizslas can be good pets and will fill your heart with so much joy and love.

They will be great security dogs and will never be far away from your side. If this is what you are looking for, why not try a Vizsla?