“Do Hungarian vizslas make good pets? ” the question reminds me of those initial days when I was thinking of adopting a pet. We all pet lovers know how hard it is to decide what to adopt? Of course, personal preferences make the choice easy. It may not be difficult to choose between a kitty or a puppy but deciding which breed of dog or what species of bird to adopt is a tough choice.
Hungarian vizslas are a good choice even if you are first time owner. Let’s talk about Hungarian vizslas and see if they make a good pet.
A little history
Hungarian vizslas have ancestors from Hungary and are a recognized dog breed by the US kennel club. Their ancestors link back to pointers, Turkish yellow dogs, and Transylvanian hounds. As suggested by the meaning of their name “searcher“, the vizslas are good hunters indeed. Infact they were developed to be hunters initially and because of their running speed and active nose, they are good chasers too.
With time, they have proven to be both good family and work dogs. With little training, they adjust fine in both environments.
What makes Hungarian vizslas good pets?
Hungarian vizslas are great family dogs. All they need is your unconditional love. They have proven themselves to be loyal and worthy companions. They are super energetic and highly active dogs. The best thing about vizslas is their compassionate and friendly nature. They are good with both family and other pets.
Here are few reasons why you should consider adopting Hungarian vizslas
They have affectionate nature
Vizslas are all about love. They don’t only give you company but also demand the same amount of love from their owners. Vizslas are loyal and love to stick around their owners. During their relaxing mode, they would love to enjoy some dream time in their owner’s lap.
They have proven to be friends forever
The first reason to adopt any pet is that you need a companion who must choose to stay with all their heart. Well, Hungarian vizslas are the one. Their friendly nature is simply heart-winning. They behave well even while around strangers. While some other breeds can literally embarrass you with their non-stop barking around strangers, Hungarians will make you proud with their excellent obedience.
Easy to train
One good thing about Hungarian vizslas is that they are easy to groom. With proper training you see they make wonderful, obedient, and trained pets. They can be trained well for both work and family-oriented life.
Vizslas are intelligent dogs and a few hours of daily training will bring out the best in them. They are ranked 25th for their intelligence amongst 130 dog breeds. Reward-based training is extremely suited to these dogs. You can train them to play, exercise, do chase and find activities and different sports.
They don’t need high maintenance
Vizslas don’t have undercoats. Their less fur makes them easy to clean and bathe. Also, they don’t shed like forests are cut all around. Once a week “bathe and comb session” will keep them sparkling as a celebrity.
They are playful
Hungarian vizslas are very energetic, friendly, and ever-ready to play. Provided their high energy level, you can have unlimited playtime with vizslas. This makes them a good fit for a home with kids. They can entertain and keep the kids busy for a long time. So leave the kids with dogs, and finally, parents can relax. Phewww!!
Wanderlust nature
They are wanderers by nature and can be a great companion during walks. Take them hiking, walk or just wanderlust and they will accompany you to the road towards the moon.
They smell nice
Do vizslas smell? Yes, they smell nice. As awkward as it reads, this is true. Because they don’t have double-coated fur, they don’t stink. The double coat makes the dog damp from the lower layers causing a stinking smell if not bathed properly.
They stay clean for longer periods and unless they don’t jump into something nasty, you don’t need to bathe them either. They are the best dogs to keep.
What things might concern you before adopting Hungarian vizslas
Vizslas are the best! That certainly doesn’t mean they are a perfect fit for you. They have certain traits that might not be well suited to you. So always keep these few things in mind before adopting one.
They are energetic
Yes, this might seems a good thing at first but keeping up with their pace may not be that easy as it sounds. Hungarian vizslas need someone to be with them all the time. You can’t leave them alone. They crave company so if you can’t give them proper time, consider another option for adoption.
Also, their energy levels demand long exercise hours and run time. This can make it hard to keep them in busy city life.
Small places annoy them
All the dogs having wanderlust potential, just can’t be restricted to small places. Hungarians vizslas don’t adjust well in small places and hence they are not a good fit for apartment residents. They need a large place to run, play and take out their energy.
They are not very well adapted to extreme weathers
Hungarian vizslas can bear hot weather but the extremity of cold weather can make them sick. This is due to missing lower coats in their fur. So if you live in hilly or snowy areas, this dog may not be a wise choice.
They can get depressed
Can Hungarian vizslas be left alone? Nopes! Hungarian vizslas can’t stay lonely. Leaving them alone for long hours makes them depressed and sad. They stay happy around the company. You just can’t expect to leave vizslas at home and go to work for long hours. Someone always needs to accompany them. Or else
I am so lonely… Broken vizsla… Oops!
Another question arises here that how long Hungarian vizslas can be left alone? You can leave them alone for 4-6 hours which is not sufficient if you have hectic work hours. They are not the type of dogs that can be left alone. Being alone for more than 8 hours can cause negativity in them leading them to depression, heightened energy levels, or aggression.
They may not be good watchdogs
People usually keep dogs to have a companion as well as a ‘protector’. Hungarian vizslas are good around strangers. So if you are looking for a pet+ protector =petoractor! (what a phrase just invented by us) consider other options. Vizslas are people-oriented dogs.
Buying a Hungarian vizslas
Hungarian vizslas are costly dogs. You need to spend more on their adoption fees, food, and vaccination. So if you are overall looking for a budget-friendly choice, they may not be one.
Where to find Hungarian vizslas?
Hungarian vizslas are not that difficult to find. You may get them from adoption centers, pet rescue centers, re-homing agencies, or breeders. If you are taking a comparatively not so young vizsla, always ask your breeder or adoption center about their social skills. They must be trained at an early age to develop good social skills.
Are Hungarian vizslas aggressive?
If it’s important to develop social skills, you might wonder that Hungarian vizslas are aggressive ones. Well, they are not. Don’t get deceived by their looks. They are super friendly dogs. Although they might get overprotective of family members but that is normal for all dog breeds. Unless they don’t sense any threat, they will stay calm and friendly even around strangers. When scared or threatened, vizslas can do aggressive biting. However, if the vizslas’ puppy is constantly biting, there is some other issue. Try to find out the reason for that because they usually don’t do that in normal scenarios.
In short, if you doubt vizslas being a good pet, we assure you that Hungarian vizslas make good pets. You just need to decide for yourself if you want them or not! If it’s a yes, congratulations you have done the right thing!