Hungarian Viszla

· Hungarian Viszla Pictures

· Share Your Pictures/UPLOAD

History/Origin
The Hungarian Viszla traces its roots to two archaic breeds: the now extinct Turkish yellow dog and the Transylvanian hound. The Pointer and the German shorthaired pointer were also crossbred to produce the latest form of Viszla. The breed almost became extinct after the Second World War when the Russians took over Hungary. The Viszla, then considered a symbol of the elite, was smuggled into Austria and even America for fear of being exterminated by the Russians.

The Viszla, which is Hungarian for “pointer,” is a winning obedience competitor and an excellent retriever even on swampy terrain, hunting down birds and small game. It makes a perfect family companion because of its mild, friendly temper.

Description
The Viszla’s' short coat is abundant and grows close to the body. It is of a beautiful rusty-gold color coming in different shades although pale yellow and dark mahogany-red are considered faulty in other standards. Any conspicuous black area in the coat however is a major imperfection.

Its medium body is sleek and muscular with straight front legs. Its lean, chiseled, and refined head tapers to a long muzzle ending with a developed jaw with pearly-white teeth. Its somewhat domed skull broadens between its ears with a line running up the center of the forehead. Its eye color matches its coat color while its ears are round-tipped, hanging, and long. Its generally well-developed musculature produces its distinctively elastic, robust gait.

Temperament
The Viszla is ideal for families and children because it is gentle, affectionate, and energetic. It loves playing with children but it maybe too excitable for young toddlers. Although somewhat stubborn, it is smart and highly trainable.

Training needs patience and firmness. The Viszla is easy to please and can be taught almost anything. It also needs lots of exercise lest it becomes neurotic and destructive. If left untrained, handling and controlling might prove to be difficult. Once trained, the Viszla demonstrates competitive skills such as retrieving, tracking, pointing, watching, and obeying.
The Viszla is not suited for all dog owners especially those who prefer calm dogs. It also has the tendency to chew a lot and to be hostile with hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits. It can be raised with other pets like cats.