What is a Vizsla?
The Vizsla is a distinctively different
canine. It is a superior family dog as well as a true hunting companion, accepting
the role of protector and friend and demanding the degree of respect and rank that
distinguishes it clearly higher than that of a "dog".
After surviving countless wars and centuries of
limited and selective breeding, the Vizsla was re-bred from near extinction and combines
the finest in beauty, character and hunting ability with a strong desire to please.
He is lightweight and agile, running with effortless grace. Respect for this
heritage demands that the breed should never be allowed to become less than the dog that
still represents the National Dog of Hungary - a true "walking gentleman's shooting
dog". The Vizsla should remain true to type whether in the show ring, field or
at home with the family, representing all physical characteristics which have
distinguished him for centuries.
Vizslas are wonderful, incredible, great dogs, but
…
- This is a demanding breed. People are the slaves,
vizslas are the masters.
The breed is demanding of your time, your energy,
and your affection. Vizslas crave human affection. They will worship the ground you walk
on, but they also want to own your soul. There is an old Hungarian saying, "If you
own a vizsla it lives on top of your head." They are "in your face" a lot
of the time. They are notorious face lickers; and many vizsla owners give up and let them
sleep under the covers. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!
- They can devastate furniture and sheet rock walls
with a passion (not to mention shoes, clothes, wallets, eye glasses, food containers,
stuffed animals, and just about everything else)
This is most common with young dogs and puppies, but
can continue into ripe old age. They can be quite creative and eccentric in their choice
of items to destroy: tearing up a door, eating through a sheetrock wall, devouring a dozen
pair of shoes; chewing up bedspreads, books, and magazines, and, most clever of all,
unzipping sofa cushions before tearing the stuffing to bits. Close supervision and
judicious use of dog crates can alleviate a lot of this sort of behavior.
- They can combine a willingness to please with a
stubbornness no mule can hold a candle to.
This is an exasperating aspect of the vizsla
temperament. They are sensitive and are likely to fold up and quit if you come down too
hard on them. They are capable of pretending to have their feelings crushed if they
don’t want to do something or think you aren’t giving them due respect. It is
hard to tell the difference. Their flair for the dramatic can be award winning.
- They are sneaks and darned clever about it.
Vizslas are experts at the game "What Can be
Gotten Away With?" and incredibly clever at never being caught. Stealing food off of
counters, shoes from closets, underwear out of laundry hampers, mail off of desks …
pose no challenge.
- They can be masterful escape artists.
Not all vizslas are escape artists. However, they
can be "houndinis," able to pick locks and overcome their physical limitations
and whatever roadblocks you might put in their path to reach their goal. Escape artistry
is dangerous to the dog’s health and your sanity. Boredom is a major cause of escape
artistry, so it is helpful to give dogs like this plenty of attention and exercise.
Don’t forget to design more effective control measures to contain the gypsy in their
soul.
Vizslas want to be the love of your life and are
jealous of anything that keeps them from being the center of your world. Because of this,
they can make real pests of themselves, wanting to be in your lap, your face, your bed,
and closer to you than any other household pet or human. Rarely does a vizsla get ugly
about being the center of attention, but all are persistent! Having a spouse or
significant other who appreciates this breed is essential to peace and harmony.
|
