Breeds / Large
Wirehaired Vizsla puppies
Affectionate, trainable and full of drive, the Wirehaired Vizsla is a Hungarian gundog with a harsh coat and beard that needs a working dog's amount of daily exercise.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin Hungary
- Adult weight 20.4 to 29.5 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 45 to 65 lb
- Adult height 55 to 64 cm
- Energy level Very high
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short wiry
- Typical lifespan 12 to 14 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
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. It is a little heavier boned than its 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 its 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 it 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, it needs supervision and steady socialisation. The usual mistake is buying it as a family pet with no plan for the exercise.
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 it 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 it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its 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
From Wirehaired Vizsla breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/wirehaired-vizsla/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
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.
Other large breeds
Previous: Wirehaired Pointing Griffon · Next: Working Kelpie
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.