The earliest written references to the Vizsla, or "yellow pointer" as it was first known, occur in the 14th century, and from then on, the breed's history is fairly well documented. The tradition of selective breeding and limited ownership was continued by Hungarian nobleman down through the centuries, so that at no time were the dogs really plentiful. The dog's breeding was always jealously guarded, and for several centuries ownership was restricted to members of the landowning aristocracy. In fact the breed came close to dying out on several occasions and was almost obliterated by the two world wars. With the Russian occupation of Hungary in 1945, many Hungarian citizens fled to other countries, including Austria, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Germany and Turkey. Among these individuals were Vizsla owners who took their dogs with them when they left Hungary; the descendants of these dogs formed the cornerstone of the breed in the United States, where they first appeared about 1950.
In the ensuing five decades, the Vizsla has become reasonably well known as a member of the versatile or continental gun dog group. This group was originally bred as multi purpose hunting dogs expected to find, point and retrieve game birds and fetch waterfowl, and (in many cases) hunt both large and small game animals as well.
Like the other continental breeds, however, the Vizsla's primary development in the United States has been as a bird dog. Progress within the breed has been noteworthy. The breed as a whole is much better than it was thirty years ago with more style and ground speed.
The Vizsla still remains one of the lesser-known Sporting Dogs. Vizsla fancier are determined to preserve the breed's integrity and produce a dual dog - a beautiful dog that hunts!! Conscientious, caring breeders usually have waiting lists of prospective buyers, and litters may be completely sold out even before the pups are born. Interested puppy buyers should steer away from dogs advertised in the Newspaper and backyard breeders.
Vizslas are a sensitive breed, who thrive on human contact and have a tendency to mature rather slowly. Obviously, the more impatient individuals among us would probably be better served with another breed, one of which comes on more quickly and can stand up to a more rigorous training regime than the type advocated by the majority of Vizsla fanciers. But given the breed's handsome appearance, companionable temperament and stylish performance in the field, the Vizsla still has plenty to recommend it to the sportsman looking for a distinctive, easy handling gun dog.
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