Vizsla
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Vizsla (Smooth)
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Hungarian Vizsla
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AKC
Approved December 11, 1995
Effective January 31, 1996
From: American Kennel Club Website, March 2000
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CKC
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From: Vizsla Canada, Inc. Website, March 2000
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FCI
F.C.I. Standard No.57, June 1966
Adopted in Australia from 1st January 1998
From:
Australian National Kennel Club Website, March 2000
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Origin and Purpose:
The Vizsla (pronounced as if spelled VIZH-LA) is of Hungarian origin, where various records indicate its history as
going back many centuries. It was the companion hunting dog of the early warlords and landed aristocracy who
used it for general-purpose hunting. It was known in Hungary as the "Yellow" Pointer. In North America it is used
primarily as an upland bird dog, where its excellent scenting and retrieving characteristics have been widely
acclaimed. It is a strong swimmer and also retrieves well from water.
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Note: This standard was translated into English in July 1966 by the FCI.
and has been edited with
reference to French and German versions by Mrs Ann Mitchell,
ANKC Breed Standards Co-Ordinator.
Words contained in normal brackets (....) are as in the original.
Words contained in square brackets [....] are alternative translations
or explanations..
Country of Origin: Hungary.
Brief Historical Review:
It was bred in the 18th century from the ancient Hungarian Foxhound
and the yellow coloured Turkish hunting dog. It appeared in its present form in the 19th century when
it was improved by breeding with more foreign gundogs.
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General Appearance:
That of a medium-sized short-coated hunting dog of distinguished appearance and bearing. Robust but rather lightly
built; the coat is an attractive solid golden rust. This is a dog of power and drive in the field yet a tractable and
affectionate companion in the home. It is strongly emphasized that field conditioned coats, as well as brawny or
sinewy muscular condition and honorable scars indicating a working and hunting dog are never to be penalized in
this dog. The qualities that make a "dual dog" are always to be appreciated, not deprecated.
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General Appearance:
The Vizsla is a short-haired, medium-sized sporting dog. It conveys the impression of an alert, muscular,
well-balanced animal with a distinctive and aristocratic appearance.
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General Appearance:
It is a medium sized gundog; gentle, of noble appearance, lean muscled,
with a fine boned frame, steely sinews and dry limbs. It is lively and has great intelligence. Its coat is
short, dark and sandy coloured.
Characteristics:
It has an excellent nose [excellent scenting powers]. It is quiet as it holds
game at bay. It works readily even on damp ground. It is a many purpose hunting dog.
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Temperament:
A natural hunter endowed with a good nose and above-average
ability to take training. Lively, gentle-mannered, demonstrably
affectionate and sensitive though fearless with a well developed
protective instinct. Shyness, timidity or nervousness should be
penalized.
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Temperament:
The Vizsla is intelligent, calm, obedient, and easy to train. It is a sensitive dog which becomes attached to its owner
and develops a strong but not overly aggressive protective instinct. In the field, the Vizsla is an eager, happy hunter
which is at home on land and in the water.
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Temperament:
It is intelligent, docile [easily trained], quiet but also lively. It is affectionate. It
accepts guidance well. It is obedient but sensitive to bad treatment.
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Head:
Lean and muscular.
Skull moderately wide between the ears with a
median line down the forehead.
Stop between skull and foreface is
moderate, not deep.
Foreface or muzzle is of equal length or
slightly shorter than skull when viewed in profile, should taper
gradually from stop to tip of nose.
Muzzle square and deep. It
must not turn up as in a "dish" face nor should it turn down.
Whiskers serve a functional purpose; their removal is permitted
but not preferred.
Nostrils slightly open.
Nose brown. Any other
color is faulty. A totally black nose is a disqualification.
Jaws are strong with
well developed white teeth meeting in a scissors bite.
Lips
cover the jaws
completely but are neither loose nor pendulous.
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Head:
Skull
should convey an impression of being lean and muscular,
with a median line down the forehead. The topline of the skull
should be straight. The skull tends to be comparatively narrow in
relation to its length, with that of the male being slightly wider.
The occiput is slightly visible.
The stop should be slight and
sloping rather than abrupt.
Muzzle: the muzzle should be
approximately the same length as the skull. It should be narrow,
end squarely, and have clean straight lines.
Mouth:
the jaws
should be strong, and well-developed teeth meeting in a scissors
or even bite.
The lips should be smooth and well developed and
cover the teeth tightly. The lips extend in a level line 3/4 of the
length of the muzzle.
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Head and Skull:
The head is lean and noble. The occiput is moderate.
The skull is broad and is
slightly domed; strongly sinewed; with slight median line; when relaxed the forehead is smooth. The
eye-arches are moderately developed.
The stop is moderate.
The frontal part of the muzzle ends
bluntly in every direction, and does not become pointed. The bridge of the nose is straight and forms
an angle of 30 - 35 degrees with the crown of the head.
The nose
is well developed and broad, the
nostrils wide.
The jaw bone and the mandible are strongly developed. The lips are moderate, dry and
do not hang down over the mouth.
Mouth:
A standard set of teeth with scissor bite.
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Eyes medium
in size and depth of setting, their surrounding tissue covering the
whites. Color of the iris should blend with the color of the coat.
Yellow or any other color is faulty. Prominent pop-eyes are faulty.
Lower eyelids should neither turn in nor out since both conditions
allow seeds and dust to irritate the eye.
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Eyes:
they should be almond shaped, bright
and intelligent in appearance. The colour is in harmony with or
darker than the colour of the coat; they should be moderately deep
set. The eyelids close neatly and cleanly with no overlap. The
nictitating membrane should not be overly exposed.
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Eyes:
The eyes are neither deeply set nor protruding. The expression is lively and sensible. The
eyelids fit tightly around the eye so that neither the white of the eye nor the conjunctiva can be seen.
The colour of the eye is always a darker colour than the coat. Windhover [a bird of prey], fish-like or
black eyes are not allowed.
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Ears,
thin, silky and proportionately long, with rounded-leather ends,
set fairly low and hanging close to cheeks.
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Ears: the ears
should be thin, silky and moderately tapered with rounded ends.
They should just meet under the jaw, or reach to the corner of the
mouth, but should not extend as far as the canine teeth. They
should be set about 1/2 inch (1 cm) below the level of the skull and
hang close to the cheeks.
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Ears:
The ears are set at medium height. They are covered with a thin skin and are not fleshy.
They are pendant and have a rounded V-shape, longer than medium.
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Neck and Body:
Neck strong, smooth and muscular, moderately long, arched and
devoid of dewlap, broadening nicely into shoulders which are
moderately laid back. This is mandatory to maintain balance with
the moderately angulated hindquarters.
Body is strong and well
proportioned. Back short. Withers high and the topline slightly
rounded over the loin to the set on of the tail.
Chest moderately
broad and deep reaching down to the elbows. Ribs well-sprung;
underline exhibiting a slight tuck-up beneath the loin.
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Neck:
The neck should be of medium length in proportion to the body, it
must be well muscled, with a definite arch at the nape and widened
to blend smoothly into the forequarters. The skin of the neck
should be smooth and tight.
Body:
Topline: the topline should be broad and smooth and is slightly
arched over the loin and croup to the base of the tail; there is a
slight depression at the juncture of the withers and the back.
Chest: the chest should be deep, reaching down to the elbows and
moderately broad. A cross-section of the chest is oval with well
spring ribs, narrowing between the elbows to permit free and easy
leg movement. Width of the chest between the forelegs is at least
6 in. (15 cm) for a male and 5 in. (13 cm) for a bitch.
Loin: it should
be broad, strong and well muscled.
Croup: it should be heavily
muscled and smoothly rounded to the base of the tail.
Abdomen:
the abdomen should be trim and neat with a moderate tuck-up.
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Body:
The withers are distinct and long; the back is straight, short and well muscled. The loin is
moderately long, firm, broad and sinewy; it does not form a flank. The croup is straight but not
horizontal; it is well muscled. The forechest [prosternum] protrudes, is moderately broad and very
muscular. The chest is deep and long, not barrelled; the ribs are moderately arched. The belly is
slightly tucked up. The area between the false ribs and the hipbones is somewhat hollowed.
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Forequarters:
Shoulder blades proportionately long and wide sloping
moderately back and fairly close at the top. Forelegs straight and
muscular with elbows close.
Feet
-- See "Feet:" below"
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Forequarters:
Shoulders: the shoulder blade should be of medium length and
must be tightly held in place. The angle formed by the shoulder
blade (scapula) and the humerus should be approximately 90
degrees. The musculature should be firm, smooth and clearly
defined.
Upper-arm (humerus):
the bone structure should be
heavy, smooth and well covered by strong firm muscles. The skin
should be firm, pliable and smooth. The upper-arm should be equal
in length to the shoulder blade (scapula).
Lower-arm (radius and
ulna): strong big bones with good muscles. The legs should be
straight whether viewed from the front or side. The angle at the
elbow joint should be approximately 135 degrees.
Pasterns: the
angle that the pastern makes with the lower leg should be nearly
straight (about 175 - 180 degrees).
Paws:
-- See "Feet:" below
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Forequarters:
The shoulder blades are quite firmly attached to the body, richly muscled and
sloping. The elbows are in line with the body, turning neither in nor out.
The forearms are long, the
wrists large and the pasterns short.
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Hindquarters:
Hind legs have well developed thighs with moderately angulated
stifles and hocks in balance with the moderately laid back
shoulders. They must be straight as viewed from behind. Too
much angulation at the hocks is as faulty as too little. The hocks
are let down and parallel to each other.
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Hindquarters:
Hip bone (pelvis): this is the framework which forms the basic
support for the hind legs. These pelvic bones should be wide and
strong. The musculature attaching to these bones should be very
well developed and gives strength to the hindquarters.
Upper
thigh (femur): this bone should be heavy, straight, round, and
smooth. Muscle attachments should be very powerful, broad, and
evenly distributed. The angle at the hip joint should be 90 degrees.
Lower thigh (tibia and fibula) should be well muscled. These
bones should be longer than the femur. The angle at the stifle joint
should be 110-120 degrees.
Hocks: the angle at the hock joint
should be from 125 - 130 degrees.
Paws: same as the front.
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Hindquarters:
The hind limbs are a little open-angled [a little more than 90 degrees] and stretched
when standing. The bones and the thighs are long. The stifle joint forms an angle of 110 - 120
degrees. The hocks are set low.
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Feet:
Feet cat-like, round and compact with
toes close. Nails brown and short. Pads thick and tough.
Dewclaws, if any, to be removed on front and rear feet. Hare feet
are faulty.
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Paws:
The paws should be
cat-like with tightly closed toes and big rough pads. The feet
should be webbed. The nails should be short, firm and well
curved, and their colour similar to that of the eyes, nose, and coat.
Dewclaws should be removed.
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Feet:
Front feet: Round and closed. The pads are full and resilient. Nails are short, well developed and
darker than the coat colour. Dew-claws are regarded as a fault.
Hind Feet: Well closed. Pads are firm and resilient.
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Tail:
set just
below the level of the croup, thicker at the root and docked
one-third off. Ideally, it should reach to the back of the stifle joint
and be carried at or near the horizontal. An undocked tail is faulty.
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Tail:
The tail-set is lower than on the other continental pointing breeds.
In motion it is carried outstretched, at or above the horizontal
level. A portion is docked, approximately 1/3 so that the tip of the
shortened tail is level with the juncture of the upper and lower
thigh. It should be thicker at the base than at the tip.
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Tail:
The tail is set a little low and is of moderate thickness. It is preferably docked leaving only
two-thirds of its whole length so that it reaches the popliteal space [the hollow at the back of the knee/
of the ham]. While moving it remains horizontal.
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Coat:
Short, smooth, dense and close-lying, without woolly undercoat. A distinctly long
coat is a disqualification.
Color:
Solid golden rust in different shadings. Solid dark mahogany red and pale yellow are
faulty. White on the forechest, preferably as small as possible, and white on the
toes are permissible. Solid white extending above the toes or white anywhere else
on the dog except the forechest is a disqualification. When viewing the dog from
the front, white markings on the forechest must be confined to an area from the top
of the sternum to a point between the elbows when the dog is standing naturally.
White extending on the shoulders or neck is a disqualification.
White due to aging
shall not be faulted. Any noticable area of black in the coat is a serious fault.
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Coat and Colour:
The hair of the Vizsla should be short and dense and lie close to the skin. Each
hair should be thick and elastic and the coat should have a glossy sheen. The
correct colour is a golden-rust, sometimes described as the golden colour of a
bread crust. In some strains slightly lighter or darker shades may predominate. A
white mark on the chest under 2 in. (5 cm) is permissible but not desirable.
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Coat:
The skin is tight and without wrinkles. The edges of the mouth and of the eyelids are
pigmented and dark brown colour. The hair is short, straight, coarse, thick, fitting to the body and
shiny. It is very resistant to adverse weather.
Colour:
Dark sandy, without markings.
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Gait:
Far reaching, light footed, graceful and smooth. When moving at a fast trot, a
properly built dog single tracks
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Gait:
Viewed from the front, the dog's legs should appear to swing forward in a free
and easy manner, with no tendency for the feet to cross over or swing wide.
Viewed from the rear the gait should be true-tracking. The topline is level when
dog is in motion, while the head is carried high and the tail "flags" constantly at
the proper level.
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Gait/Movement:
Is lively, graceful and elegant. Its classic gait accentuates the perfect formation
of the type.
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Size:
The ideal male is 22 to 24 inches at the highest point over the shoulder blades. The
ideal female is 21 to 23 inches. Because the Vizsla is meant to be a medium-sized
hunter, any dog measuring more than 1½ inches over or under these limits must be
disqualified.
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Size:
The standard size, measured at the withers, for the Vizsla is 23 in. (58 cm) for
males and 22 in. (56 cm.) for females. A dog of good bone and substance in this
size range shall weight from 50-65 lb. (22 - 29 kg). A bitch weighs about 10 lb. (5
kg) less. The length to height ratio should be approximately 1:1.
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Size:
Height at the withers, measured with a stick is:
Males 57 - 64 cm [22.5 - 25 ins]
Females 53 - 60 cm. [21 - 23.5 ins]
The relative measurements of the parts of the body are in proportion to that of the height at the
withers:
Length of the body 100% [Height = length]
Depth of the chest 44% [of the height]
Breadth of the chest 33% " "
Girth 117% " "
Length of the head 42% " "
Length of the muzzle = 46% of length of the head
Length of the ear is up to 76% of length of the head.
Weight: 22 - 30 kgs. [49 - 66 lbs]
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Disqualifications:
Completely black nose.
Solid white extending above the toes or white anywhere else on
the dog except the forechest.
White extending on the shoulders or neck.
A distinctly long coat.
Any male over 25½ inches, or under 20½ inches and any female
over 24½ inches or under 19½ inches at the highest point over
the shoulder blades.
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Faults:
- Very nervous dogs should be heavily penalized.
- Very dark or very light colour coat.
- Hare feet.
- Light yellow, green, blue or "Pop" eyes.
- Throatiness.
- Dogs 10 lb. (5 kg) over or under the standard weight.
- Dewclaws not removed.
- Roached, hollow or camel backs.
- Too steep a croup.
- Undershot or overshot bites.
Disqualifications:
- A dog 2 in. (5 cm) or more over or under the standard height.
- White markings over 2 in. (5 cm) on the chest or white markings
anywhere else other than the chest.
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Faults:
Over-refined or loose build. Weak bone structure.
Too small or too large. Coarse head like that of a Bloodhound. Loose eyelids. Hanging lips.
Deficient set of teeth.
Thin hair. Badly docked or curling tail.
Disqualifications:
Not typical.
Hanging, open eyelid. Pendant, slobbering lips.
Spotted or black nose.
Undershot. Overshot more than 2mm.
Mixed colours. Cream or brown coloured.
White patches, mark on the chest exceeding 5 cms.
White feet.
Height: Males Less than 56 cm and more than 65 cms [22 & 25½ ins]
Females Less than 52 cms and more than 62 cms [20½ & 24½ ins]
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