THE VIZSLA
(The American Kennel Clubs Standard and Description)


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.

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. Ears,
thin, silky and proportionately long, with rounded-leather ends, set fairly
low and hanging close to cheeks. Jaws are strong with well developed
white teeth meeting in a scissors bite. 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. Lips
cover the jaws completely but are neither loose nor pendulous.

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.
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.

Forequarters

Shoulder blades proportionately long and wide sloping moderately back
and fairly close at the top. Forelegs straight and muscular with elbows
close. 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.

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.

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.

Gait

Far reaching, light footed, graceful and smooth. When moving at a fast
trot, a properly built dog single tracks.

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.

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.

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.

Approved December 11, 1995
Effective January 31, 1996



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SPORTING BREEDS CENTRAL



Sporting Breeds Central VIZSLA Breeders Directory and Litter Ads

The VIZSLA Parent Club

VIZSLA Rescue Organizations

VIZSLA Information Site

VIZSLA Kennel Club Listings
Texas Gulf Coast Vizsla Club


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