Wirehaired Vizsla Club of America
Protecting and Promoting the Wirehaired Vizsla since 2003
The Official AKC National Parent Club
Is a Wirehaired Vizsla (WHV) the right breed for me?
Making the decision to bring a dog into your life is a major milestone for you, your family and ultimately your canine companion. Determining what breed is best for you is the critical first step. Please heed the invaluable advice that “all breeds do not fit all life styles”. Buying a dog is a lifetime commitment and a major responsibility in time, energy and money. WHV often live until the age of 12 to 14 years.
Please consider carefully the Characteristics of the WHV:
Temperament:
In temperament, the wirehaired vizsla is a calm, gentle and loyal companion. Their sensitivity and strong desire to please makes harsh discipline unnecessary and unwise. They are outgoing and friendly, neither timid nor aggressive. WHV can easily be kept as a companion dogs in the house because of their easy-going nature and adaptability.
Performance:
The wirehaired vizsla is able to work in field, forest or water. WHV have keen noses and are firm on point. They are excellent trackers and retrievers, and are determined to stay on scent, even while swimming (which they enjoy). The WHV is well known in
Conformation:
The wirehaired vizsla is similar to the smooth vizsla in many aspects, though it is a distinctly separate breed. The WHV is recognized under its own breed standard by registries worldwide.
Physically, the wirehaired vizsla is generally a little larger and heavier-boned than the smooth vizsla. They share the same uniform coloration, with nose and eyes that blend harmoniously with the coat. The WHV coat is coarse and wiry and has furnishings on the head and body. Its bushy eyebrows accentuate a lively, intelligent expression and its golden rust color blends into dried grasses and brush in the field. The tail is docked 1/4 in countries where docking is permitted, and dewclaws are removed.
HEIGHT AT WITHERS (Shoulder)
Dogs: 58 - 64 cm (22 3/4 – 25 ¼ inches)
Bitches: 54 - 60 cm (21 1/4 – 23 ½ inches)
The breed standard does not specify a weight range but WHV tend to be approximately in the 55 - 65 lb. range for males, and 45 - 55 lb. range for females
(25 – 30 kg for males, 20 – 25 kg for females).
Known Health Issues:
Unfortunately, WHV are susceptible to certain health problems. Some diseases are hereditary while others can be influenced by nutrition and environmental factors. The most commonly seen problems in WHV are hip dysplasia, eye disease, and cancer. Responsible breeders test their dogs for the more common genetically transmitted disorders. However, none of the available tests are 100% foolproof, and even cleared parents may produce affected offspring.
Please go to our Health page and learn more about these issues and how they affect the WHV breed.
Breed History:
Originating in 1930s, wirehaired vizslas were developed by hunters and falconers wanting a versatile hunting and family dog. The outstanding traits and golden rust coloring of the vizsla was adapted to be able to withstand the harsh winter conditions of the northern Hungarian uplands. Development of WHV began with crossing smooth vizslas with a German Wirehaired Pointer. Pudelpointer, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Irish setter and possibly even a Bloodhound were believed to have been used at one time. The WHV breed was officially recognized as a Hungarian breed with its own standard by Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1966. The first wirehaired vizslas were imported to
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