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Animal register · DogIn the app

Hungarian Vizsla

Vizsla, Magyar Vizsla, Hungarian Pointer

The Hungarian Vizsla is a medium-sized, elegant gun dog from Hungary with a short russet gold coat. The FCI standard describes a lively, friendly, evenly tempered dog that is easy to train and keeps close contact with its handler; its colours are shades of russet gold and dark sandy gold. The Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch lists no points of concern specific to the breed.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends more than two hours of exercise a day and grooming once a week, and gives its lifespan as over 12 years. PDSA describes a very people-oriented dog that loves company and can suffer from separation anxiety when left alone; it gets on well with older children, but PDSA would not recommend it with very young children or for first-time owners, and because of its high prey drive it advises against keeping it with smaller pets. PDSA also advises leaving a gap between eating and exercise.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Hungarian Vizsla — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
large — The Royal Kennel Club S328
Adult weight
males 20–30 kg, females 20–30 kg — PDSA S329
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S328
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S328
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S328
Lifespan
more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S328

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS328S329
  • powerful dog — needs an experienced ownerS329
  • large dog — not for homes with small childrenS329S330
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS329
  • shedsS328S333
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS329

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S328

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S328
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S328
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S328

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S328

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S328
  • Height at the withers: males 58–64 cm, females 54–60 cm — FCI S327
  • Height at the withers: males 55.9–61 cm, females 53.3–58.4 cm — American Kennel Club S331
  • Adult weight: males 20–30 kg, females 20–30 kg — PDSA S329

Training

  • No. 25 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 57, group 7 (pointing dogs); origin: Hungary. — FCI S326

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Hungarian Vizsla need?

According to our sources, the Hungarian Vizsla needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S328.

How long does a Hungarian Vizsla live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Hungarian Vizsla is: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S328.

How big does a Hungarian Vizsla get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Hungarian Vizsla, according to our sources: Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S328; Adult weight: males 20–30 kg, females 20–30 kg — PDSA S329.

How much grooming does a Hungarian Vizsla need?

Coat and grooming of the Hungarian Vizsla, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S328; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S328; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S328.

Who is the Hungarian Vizsla a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Hungarian Vizsla as a good fit for: an active family — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S328S329; family life — PetMD S330; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S328. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S328S329; powerful dog — needs an experienced owner — PDSA S329; large dog — not for homes with small children — PDSA, PetMD S329S330; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PDSA S329; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club, Dogs Trust S328S333; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PDSA S329.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 108 (9 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 108 (9 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S328

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S329
  • Entropion, where the eyelids turn inwards and irritate the eye, can occur in the breed; ask for eye-checked parents. — PDSA S329
  • Epilepsy, a brain disorder that can cause seizures, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S329
  • Autoimmune conditions, where the body reacts against itself, can occur in the breed. — The Royal Kennel Club S328
  • Certain cancers can occur in the breed. — The Royal Kennel Club S328
  • An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which can affect weight, skin and energy levels, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S330
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PetMD S330
  • The breed is prone to ear infections; keep a close eye on ear hygiene. — PetMD S330

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Other screening schemes for this breed

  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S328
  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S328

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S326FCI — Rövidszörü Magyar Vizsla (57) — FCI breeds nomenclaturehttps://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/HUNGARIAN-POINTING-DOG-57.html
  11. S327FCI — FCI-Standard N° 57 — Hungarian Short-haired Pointer (Vizsla) (English PDF)https://fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/057g07-en.pdf
  12. S328The Royal Kennel Club — Hungarian Vizsla — breed page (older address)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=2038
  13. S329PDSA — Hungarian Vizsla breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/hungarian-vizsla
  14. S330PetMD — Vizsla Dog Breed Health and Carehttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/vizsla
  15. S331American Kennel Club — Official Standard for the Vizsla (PDF, approved 2009-01-13)https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Vizsla.pdf
  16. S333Dogs Trust (Ireland) — Hungarian Vizsla — breed guidehttps://dogstrust.ie/dog-advice/getting-dog/breeds/hungarian-vizsla
  17. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  18. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  19. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  20. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  21. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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