Just like us humans, all a dog really wants is to be loved! The Vizsla was originally bred in Hungary for hunting and retrieving purposes but the good thing is despite his original purpose, which is not very family-oriented, the modern Vizsla is an exceptional companion! He’s so loyal and loving that he got the title of ‘Velcro Dog’ because he’s just that clingy!
This dog has got everything going for him. From his sleek, lustrous, and silken body to his intelligence and loving nature, everything is just perfect! One interesting fact about this dog is that it was almost known to be extinct after World War I, but some Vizsla fanciers did their best to make these beauties live through those hard times and here we are today!
The Vizsla is an outstanding dog. However, if you’re the one who’s looking for a dog that will lay on the couch with you and “Netflix and Chill,” he’s not the one for you. There’s a fire inside this one. He wants to run, swim, play, hike, and go hunting.
He’s ready for all kinds of adventure and with his speed, he’s definitely going to leave you behind. He does love a big hug and some snuggling up but after he’s completely exhausted himself!
The real question is why do you even have to choose between a male and female Vizsla? Now, let’s get into this intriguing discussion about whether to choose a male Vizsla or a female. The right decision will always be dependent on you more than the dog itself.
It has never been about choosing superior or better sex. It’s always about what suits you better and what you can easily maintain and take care of.
So, should you choose a male or a female Vizsla? If you want a Vizsla who’s quick to train, gentle around children, less demanding of attention, and more suspicious of strangers, then you may want to get a female one. If you want a Vizsla who loves to please you, more playful, and likely to bond with all family members equally, then you may want to get a male.
No matter which gender you chose, make sure that the decision is not based on prejudice but only proper research into the pros and cons of the two genders.
Let’s take a quick look at this bewildering dog!
Male Vizslas
Overview
Height: 22 – 24 inches (56 – 61 cm)
Weight: 45 – 60 lbs (20 – 27 kg)
Puppy Price: $800 – $1,200
Lifespan: 10 – 14 Years
Build: Larger built with more muscle mass.
Temperament
Affectionate, gentle, and energetic.
More maintenance required.
Easier to socialize with people.
More playful and energetic.
More attention seeking.
Less suspicious of strangers.
Likes being babied.
More aggressive.
Clumsy around kids.
Matures slower.
Tends to protect a territory or whole family.
More stubborn.
More likely to bond with all family members.
Very clingy.
A bit messier.
Less likely to get along with other dogs or animals.
Easily get distracted and harder to train.
Harder to train him to walk off leash and stay close to you.
Loves to please his owner.
Female Vizslas
Overview
Height: 20 – 22 inches (51 – 56 cm)
Weight: 40 – 55 lbs (18 – 25 kg)
Puppy Price: $800 – $1,200
Lifespan: 10 – 14 Years
Build: Slimmer built with less muscle mass.
Temperament
Affectionate, gentle, and energetic.
Less maintenance required.
A bit harder to socialize with people.
Can be slightly less playful.
Less attention seeking.
More suspicious of strangers.
More independent.
Less aggressive.
More cautious around kids.
Matures quicker.
Tends to protect an individual (her owner).
Less stubborn.
Tends to bond with one person in the family.
Respects your time alone.
Cleaner.
More likely to get along with other dogs or animals.
More focused and easier to train.
Easier to train her to walk off leash and stay close to you.
Slightly less desire to please her owner.
Physical Differences
The physical differences will not only be reflected in the pictures. They are more clearly visible in reality. Both genders are beautiful! Their color is what sets them apart the most and the exquisite structure of their body. So thin yet so appealing, Vizsla is a handsome looking dog!
Males
A male Vizsla is 22 to 24 inches at the shoulder. His body is very well built, muscular, and well proportioned. He’s expected to reach his maximum size at around the age of 6 to 8 months. He weighs around 45-60 pounds but maintains a good physique.
His silken body is always a sight for sore eyes and it’s something that has attracted a lot of people over time. He has a short and very smooth coat that is dense with no undercut, which means he requires almost no extra care and maintenance. All he requires is a shower maybe once a week with a nice rubber brush and you are good to go!
Females
Female Vizsla is an exquisitely beautiful girl. She is a little smaller than the male but definitely just as beautiful as male Vizsla! She weighs less than the male at around 40-55 pounds, which is why she maintains a fairly slimmer body; however, she is not that small when it comes to height.
She’s almost as tall as 20-22 inches when fully grown. She also got the same looks and the attractive rusty golden color.
Temperamental Differences
Generally, this breed is great to have as your companion, especially if you’re someone who loves adventures and lives an active lifestyle. They will fit in your house perfectly if all their exercise needs are met and they have somewhere to dissipate their energy.
Both the male and the female Vizsla have a high potential for wandering which shows their natural instinct for hunting, adventures, running, retrieving, and pointing. However, their temperament also depends on whether they are spayed or un-spayed.
Both the male and the female develop some habits that are very troublesome for their owners if the dog is not spayed or neutered. These habits also determine their moods and sometimes, just like humans, the hormonal levels also have a great bearing on them.
Males
The male Vizsla is a born athlete! He is known to have speed as high as 40 mph. He comes under the top 10 fastest dog breeds.
This high energy pupper is the sweetest of all. He loves to please his owner and be around him and he even gets along great with new people if he has been properly socialized. His love for his owner knows no bounds and this is what you can use to your benefit.
With positive reinforcement and love, you can easily train him basic commands and tricks from an early age. Disciplining and taming his happy go lucky nature may be hard but with the right training, I don’t think you’ll have a hard time.
Appeal to his sensitive nature and you’re good to go. As for the bad habits, our big boy here doesn’t like to be left alone at all! Normally he’s not a barker but if you leave him alone at home, he may suffer from separation anxiety and tend to bark a lot.
Moreover, his loyal nature makes him a little overprotective of his owner, so if he fears that his owner is in danger, you can expect him to bark and howl.
He is known to get destructive within the confines of the four walls of the home. He is famous for chewing and destroying things in the house if he doesn’t get his exercise but you will be able to prevent this behavior with training. Vizslas are highly intelligent and smart dogs, you’d be surprised to see how quickly they learn! So put the maximum time in his training.
An un-neutered dog once reaches maturity develops habits like humping and running after other dogs, even though he doesn’t have the alpha dog gene in him but while looking for a mate, he may get himself in trouble. His mischievousness is also a cause of trouble sometimes.
Females
She’s just as active as his male and when it comes to showing love, she’s ten steps ahead! With a female Vizsla in your house, you can only dream about privacy. Her attachment and affection for her human mom never even let her go to the washroom alone.
But don’t worry too much, she’s also very sensitive at times and knows when her mom has to be alone. Her infectious enthusiasm for life is a killer for many, so if you’re a couch potato, female Vizsla is not for you!
If you love long runs and hikes, she’ll be more than excited to go with you and catch some interesting scents on the way. Make sure she’s on a leash because the potential to wander off is very high in her. However, if she’s un-spayed, you will face some problems.
She’s definitely bossy but with her hormones, she tends to be bossier and her mood swings make it hard for the owner to train her at times. In the heat period, she tends to become a little aggressive and keeps running away. So, if you want to avoid these temperament problems and a grave amount of health issues, you should spay your dog.
Trainability
Vizsla’s are known for their intelligence and smartness. Historically they were bred to be hunting dogs who were not just outstanding at pointing but also retrieving, even in water. Since the dog is very lively and high spirited, it is essential to train him properly since a very young age.
The male is easier to train in Vizsla’s because of his mellow nature. He’s eager to please his owner so when he asks him to do something, he will definitely be more inclined than the female who’s got a mind of her own mostly.
They are easily trainable dogs but if you don’t start early, you can’t stop their jumping, chewing, unnecessary retrieving and sometimes even biting while playing children.
Training is necessary for the dog to be disciplined, but it helps themm adjust to their surroundings better. Socialization helps them become friendlier towards strangers and other pets; otherwise, they get very shy.
Health Differences
One of the most major concerns when it comes to health is epilepsy in Vizsla. Both the male and the female are prone to this disease. This disorder causes seizures which can be managed with medication but there is no way of fully curing your dog. He will be able to live a healthy and full life despite this.
Hypothyroidism and Hip Dysplasia is also common among this breed. Canine Hip Dysplasia is a heritable condition in which the thighbone doesn’t fit snugly into the hip joint.
Some dogs show pain and lameness on one or both rear legs, but you may not notice any signs of discomfort in a dog with hip dysplasia. As your dog ages, he will be in more pain and prone to developing arthritis, so it’s better to get a clearance certificate before adopting your puppy.
The Vizsla Club of America (VCA) participates in the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC), a health database, breeders must submit hip and thyroid evaluations from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and eye test results from the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF). Make sure your breeder has provided you with health clearances.
These are some health issues that are prevalent in both the genders but when we have to deal with an un-neutered female, there are serious health issues.
Males
On the other hand, themale also gets in trouble with a lot of serious reproductive diseases. The disorder of prostates is the most common among the dogs. It includes Enlargement of the Prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), Prostatitis, Prostate Cysts, and cancer.
Many other problems are associated with the testicles, which could be cancer or some infections. All these conditions have treatments but some dogs are weaker and many go undetected for a long time so it is better to have them spayed.
Females
A female can suffer from a variety of diseases if she is not spayed. Vaginal Overgrowth (Vaginal Prolapse, Vaginal Hyperplasia), Perianal fistulae, and mammary gland tumors or breast cancer are common among females with many other diseases.
Vaginal Overgrowth causes the vaginal tissue to become swollen during estrus (heat). This may happen during every estrus and may not require treatment in some cases. This condition can be easily avoided with spaying. Perianal fistulae is the worst of all.
It’s not as common as breast cancer but it’s equally dangerous if not fatal. It is a condition in which an abnormal linkage or tunnel is formed between two sets of tissues in the area around the anus. A female dog with perianal furunculosis can have difficulty defecating.
The unnaturally connected tissues form small holes around the anus that easily grow, expand, leak, and become infected. Immediate care is needed for this.
Pyometra, mastitis, vaginitis, follicular cysts are also prevalent among females. Spay your dog and save her life.
With Children
When it comes to children, both genders exhibit somewhat similar behavior around them. Both are very friendly and loving towards children but their exuberant nature is sometimes a problem for younger kids.
They see the small kids in the house as puppies and I’m sure they mean no harm but while playing with them, they sometimes bite them, mouth, knock them down or take their toys.
But you can easily curb these behaviors by firstly supervising any interactions between your dog and children, training him and training your kids as to how they should approach a dog.
Females sometimes tend to boss around the children or become fiercely overprotective due to the mother in them but it’s not harmful behavior as long as the dog has been trained to interact with children properly.
Females also tend to be more cautious around kids due to their maternal instincts while males can be clumsy around kids.
With Other Dogs
They are shy mates. If they haven’t been raised with the dog, they will mostly be withdrawn but can be friendly with dogs with proper training and socialization.
Putting small pets around them is a bad idea but dogs and cats will do just fine. They don’t have the alpha dog syndrome so you don’t have to worry about the aggressive behavior or foul play.
Overall, male Vizslas will less likely to get along with other dogs than females especially when you bring them to a dog park. But male Vizslas are a bit more social with new animals than females.
Final Thoughts
Vizsla is an ancient hunting breed known for his agility. So if you’re an active person who loves to take walks and go for hunting, hiking, and some adventures, this is the perfect dog for you.
They can provide protection to you and alert you of things around you, that’s a plus point if you’re wandering off in some abandoned area.
Whether you choose a female or male is entirely dependent on what suits you better. The Vizsla is a beautiful dog, his high energy will also keep you very happy and delighted. I would say if you want to start living an active lifestyle and want a new runner buddy go for this dog.
If it were up to me, I would prefer a female for its smaller size and thinner body but the well-built body of a male is also what attracts some people so the choice is entirely personal.
Love your dog unconditionally, whether it’s a male or female.
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