Wirehaired Vizsla puppies

About the Wirehaired Vizsla

The Wirehaired Vizsla was developed in Hungary in the 1930s by crossing smooth Vizslas with German Wirehaired Pointers, the aim being a dog in the same golden rust colour that could work in cold water and hard cover. They are a little heavier boned than their smooth relative, with a harsh wiry jacket, pronounced eyebrows and a beard. The temperament runs much the same way: affectionate, highly trainable and very attached to their household, with a strong hunting instinct and little patience for being left alone.

This is a high energy gundog that needs daily running as well as walks, which makes them a good partner for hiking, cycling or jogging. Free running belongs in a securely fenced area, because the urge to pursue prey overrides recall. Grooming is light: a wipe down between baths, a grooming mitt during the shedding season and nail trimming every four weeks. Rated top of the scale with children and middling with other pets, they need supervision and steady socialisation. Have a plan for the exercise before you bring one home as a family pet.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Wirehaired Vizsla puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hyperuricosuria, a susceptibility to kidney and bladder stones, detectable by DNA test
• Hip and elbow dysplasia, screened by hip and elbow evaluation of breeding stock
• Subaortic stenosis, picked up by a cardiac exam, ideally by a veterinary cardiologist
• Progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts, found on an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Glaucoma, diagnosed by measuring eye pressure during an eye examination

Your Wirehaired Vizsla puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Wirehaired Vizsla.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 20.4 to 29.5 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 29.5 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other large breeds

More on the Wirehaired Vizsla

Previous: Wirehaired Pointing Griffon · Next: Working Kelpie

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Wirehaired Vizsla breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/wirehaired-vizsla/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Pleple2000, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.