Let's talk Vizsla Standards: USA, Canada, Hungary (FCI)
To illustrate differences between the Weimaraner, GSP and Vizsla, here is the drawing of their outlines:
USA:
The Official Standard for a breed is a document which describes the ideal Vizsla Breed Standard and appearance of that breed. AKC official breed standards are written by the parent breed clubs as guides for breeders to select outstanding specimens of their particular breed in order to improve breeding stock and/or performance. New owners can also benefit from knowledge of the breed standard in evaluating their selection of a dog. AKC judges rely on breed standards in the judging process and seek to find specimens that most closely conform to the standard. The standards are published by the AKC and are the basis for breed education at all levels, novice to expert.
That of a medium-sized, short-coated, hunting dog of distinguished appearance and bearing. Robust but rather lightly built, the coat is an attractive shaded golden rust. Originating in Hungary, the Vizsla was bred to work in field, forest and water. Agile and energetic, this is a versatile dog of power, drive and endurance 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 requisite instincts and abilities to maintain a "dual dog" are always to be fostered and appreciated, never depreciated.
Lean and muscular. Skull moderately wide between the ears with a median line down the forehead. Stop between skull and foreface is moderate. 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 should 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 self-colored. Any other color is faulty. A partially or completely black nose is a disqualification. Freckles due to aging or sun exposure are not to be faulted. 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 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. Withers high. While the Vizsla may appear square, when measured from point of breastbone to point of buttocks and from the highest point over the shoulder blades to the ground, the Vizsla is slightly longer than tall. A proper proportion of leg length to body length is essential to the desired overall balance of the Vizsla. The Vizsla should not appear long and low or tall and leggy. Backline firm with a slight rise over a short and well muscled loin. The croup is gently rounded to the set on of the tail and is not steep, sunken or flat. When moving at a trot, a properly built Vizsla maintains a steady, level backline. Chest moderately broad and deep reaching down to the elbows. Ribs well-sprung and carried well back; 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 when moving it should be carried at or near the horizontal, not vertically or curled over the back, nor between the legs. A docked tail is preferred.
Shoulder blades proportionately long and wide sloping moderately back and fairly close at the top. Upper arm is about equal in length to the shoulder blade in order to allow for good extension. Forelegs straight and muscular with elbows close. Feet cat-like, round and compact with toes close. Nails brown and short. Pads thick and tough. The removal of dewclaws, if any, on front and rear feet, is strongly recommended, in order to avoid injury when running in the field.
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.
Short, smooth, dense and close-lying, without woolly undercoat. A distinctly long coat is a disqualification.
Golden rust in varying shades. Lighter shadings over the sides of the neck and shoulders giving the appearance of a "saddle" are common. Solid dark mahogany 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 or scarring must not be faulted. The Vizsla is self-colored, with the color of the eyes, eye-rims, lips, nose, toenails and pads of feet blending with the color of the coat.
Far reaching, light footed, graceful and smooth. When moving at a fast trot, a properly built dog single tracks.
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 1 1/2 inches over or under these limits must be disqualified.
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.
The foregoing describes the ideal Vizsla. Any deviation from this ideal must be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Deviations that impact performance and function should be considered more serious than those that affect only appearance.
Partially or 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 25 ½ inches, or under 20 ½ inches and any female over 24 ½ inches or under 19 ½ inches at the highest point over the shoulder blades.
Approved January 13, 2009
Effective April 1, 2009
Canada: (size difference, less white allowed, no white on toes)
Introduced by Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) in 1979
Origin and Purpose: The Vizsla (pronounced as if spelled VIZH-LA) is of Hungarian origin, where various records indicate its history as going back many centuries. It was the companion hunting dog of the early warlords and landed aristocracy who used it for general-purpose hunting. It was known in Hungary as the "Yellow" Pointer. In North America it is used primarily as an upland bird dog, where its excellent scenting and retrieving characteristics have been widely acclaimed. It is a strong swimmer and also retrieves well from water.
General Appearance: The Vizsla is a short-haired, medium-sized sporting dog. It conveys the impression of an alert, muscular, well-balanced animal with a distinctive and aristocratic appearance.
Temperament: The Vizsla is intelligent, calm, obedient, and easy to train. It is a sensitive dog which becomes attached to its owner and develops a strong but not overly aggressive protective instinct. In the field, the Vizsla is an eager, happy hunter which is at home on land and in the water.
Size: The standard size, measured at the withers, for the Vizsla is 23 in. (58 cm) for males and 22 in. (56 cm.) for females. A dog of good bone and substance in this size range shall weight from 50-65 lb. (22 - 29 kg). A bitch weighs about 10 lb. (5 kg) less. The length to height ratio should be approximately 1:1.
Coat and Colour: The hair of the Vizsla should be short and dense and lie close to the skin. Each hair should be thick and elastic and the coat should have a glossy sheen. The correct colour is a golden-rust, sometimes described as the golden colour of a bread crust. In some strains slightly lighter or darker shades may predominate. A white mark on the chest under 2 in. (5 cm) is permissible but not desirable.
Head: Skull should convey an impression of being lean and muscular, with a median line down the forehead. The topline of the skull should be straight. The skull tends to be comparatively narrow in relation to its length, with that of the male being slightly wider. The occiput is slightly visible. The stop should be slight and sloping rather than abrupt. Muzzle: the muzzle should be approximately the same length as the skull. It should be narrow, end squarely, and have clean straight lines. Mouth: the jaws should be strong, and well-developed teeth meeting in a scissors or even bite. The lips should be smooth and well developed and cover the teeth tightly. The lips extend in a level line 3/4 of the length of the muzzle. Eyes: they should be almond shaped, bright and intelligent in appearance. The colour is in harmony with or darker than the colour of the coat; they should be moderately deep set. The eyelids close neatly and cleanly with no overlap. The nictitating membrane should not be overly exposed. Ears: the ears should be thin, silky and moderately tapered with rounded ends. They should just meet under the jaw, or reach to the corner of the mouth, but should not extend as far as the canine teeth. They should be set about 1/2 inch (1 cm) below the level of the skull and hang close to the cheeks.
Neck: The neck should be of medium length in proportion to the body, it must be well muscled, with a definite arch at the nape and widened to blend smoothly into the forequarters. The skin of the neck should be smooth and tight.
Forequarters: Shoulders: the shoulder blade should be of medium length and must be tightly held in place. The angle formed by the shoulder blade (scapula) and the humerus should be approximately 90 degrees. The musculature should be firm, smooth and clearly defined. Upper-arm (humerus): the bone structure should be heavy, smooth and well covered by strong firm muscles. The skin should be firm, pliable and smooth. The upper-arm should be equal in length to the shoulder blade (scapula). Lower-arm (radius and ulna): strong big bones with good muscles. The legs should be straight whether viewed from the front or side. The angle at the elbow joint should be approximately 135 degrees. Pasterns: the angle that the pastern makes with the lower leg should be nearly straight (about 175 - 180 degrees). Paws: the paws should be cat-like with tightly closed toes and big rough pads. The feet should be webbed. The nails should be short, firm and well curved, and their colour similar to that of the eyes, nose, and coat. Dewclaws should be removed.
Body: Topline: the topline should be broad and smooth and is slightly arched over the loin and croup to the base of the tail; there is a slight depression at the juncture of the withers and the back. Chest: the chest should be deep, reaching down to the elbows and moderately broad. A cross-section of the chest is oval with well spring ribs, narrowing between the elbows to permit free and easy leg movement. Width of the chest between the forelegs is at least 6 in. (15 cm) for a male and 5 in. (13 cm) for a bitch. Loin: it should be broad, strong and well muscled. Croup: it should be heavily muscled and smoothly rounded to the base of the tail. Abdomen: the abdomen should be trim and neat with a moderate tuck-up.
Hindquarters: Hip bone (pelvis): this is the framework which forms the basic support for the hind legs. These pelvic bones should be wide and strong. The musculature attaching to these bones should be very well developed and gives strength to the hindquarters. Upper thigh (femur): this bone should be heavy, straight, round, and smooth. Muscle attachments should be very powerful, broad, and evenly distributed. The angle at the hip joint should be 90 degrees. Lower thigh (tibia and fibula) should be well muscled. These bones should be longer than the femur. The angle at the stifle joint should be 110-120 degrees. Hocks: the angle at the hock joint should be from 125 - 130 degrees. Paws: same as the front.
Tail: The tail-set is lower than on the other continental pointing breeds. In motion it is carried outstretched, at or above the horizontal level. A portion is docked, approximately 1/3 so that the tip of the shortened tail is level with the juncture of the upper and lower thigh. It should be thicker at the base than at the tip.
Gait: Viewed from the front, the dog's legs should appear to swing forward in a free and easy manner, with no tendency for the feet to cross over or swing wide. Viewed from the rear the gait should be true-tracking. The topline is level when dog is in motion, while the head is carried high and the tail "flags" constantly at the proper level.
Faults:
1. Very nervous dogs should be heavily penalized.
2. Very dark or very light colour coat.
3. Hare feet.
4. Light yellow, green, blue or "Pop" eyes.
5. Throatiness.
6. Dogs 10 lb. (5 kg) over or under the standard weight.
7. Dewclaws not removed.
8. Roached, hollow or camel backs.
9. Too steep a croup.
10 Undershot or overshot bites.
Disqualifications:
1. A dog 2 in. (5 cm) or more over or under
the standard height.
2. White markings over 2 in. (5 cm) on the chest or white markings anywhere else other
than the chest.
Hungarian Short-haired Pointing Dog - Vizsla
(aside from Canada and USA most of the world uses this Vizsla standard)
FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE (AISBL) (click here for PDF file)