Wire-haired Vizsla History

Photo: Quodijin's Arany (import) "Leah"
Owned by Carolyn DeFiore, Vidor Hungarian Wire Haired Vizslas of Michigan

The wired-haired Vizsla is considered to be a breed separate from the smooth-haired Vizsla. The wire-haired Vizsla was first introduced in the early 1930’s in Hungary by breeding the Vizsla with the German wire-haired pointer and Bloodhound. There are also traces of Irish Setter, Hertha Pointer, and Pudel Pointer. The wired-haired Vizsla was purposely bred for a thicker coat so that they could work in colder weather and rougher fields. Additionally, because of this interbreeding they tend to be slightly larger, stronger and more robust then the smooth-haired Vizslas.

It is estimated that there are currently only 2500 wire-haired Vizsla registered worldwide, 400 of which are living in the United States. In Hungary an average of 30 litters are registered each year which amounts to approximately 150 puppies.