Vizsla Or Hungarian Braco, One Of The Oldest Hunting Races In Europe

Among the oldest European breeds of hunting dogs, undoubtedly, the Hungarian Arm, also known as Vizsla, occupies an important place. With great speed and sense of smell, this animal performs with dexterity, whether as a pointing dog, tracker, sniffer or collector.

In addition, it has the ability to develop well in any type of terrain, including water. These beautiful dogs also excel in demonstration exercises and obedience and agility tests and, in addition to all that, they are also very appreciated as pets.

Hungarian Arm, an ancient dog

It has been known for a thousand years that these dogs have a close and long relationship with the Magyars. The Hungarians were related to the Finns and Estonians, who inhabited the Asian and Eastern European steppes, to later conquer the Carpathian basin, where they took a race that became the present Vizla.

Source: Issigonis

Sculptures dating back to the year 1000 show Magyar lords with falcons and hunting dogs very similar to those we identify today as the Hungarian Arm.

That’s why, most likely, these animals crossed with dogs from Central Europe, such as the  Transylvanian Hound. Then, with the Turkish occupation of 1526, the yellow Pointers arrived in the region, which also mixed with the Vizsla.

A dog with the air of an aristocrat

This elegant dog, aristocratic looking and longer than tall, has a life expectancy ranging from 12 to 14 years. It also has the following physical characteristics:

• Size: Medium to Large.
• Body: well proportioned. Thin but muscular and athletic.
• Cross height: from 58 to 64 centimeters for males and from 54 to 60 centimeters for females.

• Weight: between 22 and 30 kg.
• Coat: short, smooth, dense and hard; in different shades of seed yellow.
• Skin: firm. It does not have wrinkles or folds.
• Muzzle : Relatively long and generally square. It gradually narrows towards the end.
• Ears: Slender, silky and long. Hanging close to cheeks.
• Eyes: Medium in size. They are brown in color and oval in shape.
• Tail : Long, set low and thick at base. For many years it was cut  (a practice  now prohibited in most countries).

What is Vizsla’s personality like?

Although it is a dog used for centuries for hunting, it has always been considered an excellent companion animal.  It is a very sweet dog, with a pleasant personality, very faithful and dependent on its owner. Therefore, it is not advisable for you to spend a lot of time alone, as you may suffer from separation anxiety.

Also , he is an intelligent, affectionate and docile dog, and gets along very well with children and other dogs. It does not bark excessively  and also stands out for being a curious and dynamic animal. If trained properly, he will learn quickly and be a very obedient furry.

Source: Tomer Jacobson

In this sense, it is worth noting that he  is part of the breeds that need a good amount of daily time –at least an hour– to play and exercise. So if you don’t live in rural areas, ideally you should have at least one house with a garden or yard. Otherwise, he may feel bored and develop destructive behaviors at home.

Hungarian Arm Care

The Vizsla is a dog that does not have major health problems. Anyway, you can develop the following conditions:

• Elbow  and hip dysplasia
• Epilepsy
• sebaceous adenitis
• hypothyroidism
• progressive retinal atrophy
• lymphosarcoma
• skin allergies

As with all pets, periodic visits to the veterinarian are more than convenient, so that the animals are vaccinated and dewormed according to the indications of the specialist professional.

And, finally, it is worth highlighting as an advantage the fact that their hair requires little care. In fact, you’ll only need to brush it once in a while and you’ll only need to bathe it when it’s really dirty.