Breed Profiles

The Vizsla (meaning “pointer” in Hungarian) is the national dog of Hungary. Its early origins are hard to trace but its history probably began in the ninth century when the warring Magyar tribes migrated from the Steppes of Asia and eventually settled in the Carpathian Basin, known today as Hungary. It is believed that, over the centuries, the Vizslas we know today evolved from the hunting/herding dogs that the Magyars brought with them.  For centuries the Vizsla was owned by the sporting nobility of Hungary and used to scent and search for birds that were then either caught by falcons or netted. After the introduction of firearms during the 1700's the nobility of the day required a gundog with an all-round ability to work on fur and feather, on the plains of Hungary.