What Were Vizslas Bred For? (And Why They Won't Leave Your Side)

If you have ever met a Vizsla, you will know the experience. First comes a beautiful golden-rust dog of great elegance. Then, within about four seconds, that dog is leaning on your legs, gazing up at you and making it very clear you are now best friends.

Vizsla owners call them velcro dogs, and they mean it with enormous affection. The reason for all that devotion goes back a long way.

A Hungarian hunting companion

The Vizsla is Hungary's national treasure of a dog. It was developed as a hunting companion for the Hungarian nobility, working across the country's wide open plains. Its job was to find game, point to it and bring it back, which takes speed, a terrific nose and, crucially, a dog that works closely with its person.

That last part is the key to everything. Vizslas were bred to stay in touch with their handlers and work as a team, not to head off on solo adventures. Several centuries later, the instinct is very much intact. It is just that the team now mostly works in the kitchen, the bathroom and the exact spot on the sofa you were about to sit in.

Personal space is more of a suggestion

Vizsla owners rarely go anywhere alone. Making a cup of tea becomes a joint project. Going upstairs becomes a guided tour. It is a bit like having a very glamorous, very attentive shadow with a waggy tail.

It is impossible to mind, really. Being adored that wholeheartedly is one of life's great luxuries, and the Vizsla offers it daily, free of charge (food and walks excluded).

A breed lovingly brought back

Vizsla numbers fell sharply during the upheavals of the twentieth century, and the breed owes a great deal to dedicated enthusiasts who kept it going. Today there are happy Vizslas all over the world, including plenty of muddy-pawed British ones.

Gifts for Vizsla lovers

For the walls, the Vizsla in the British Countryside framed wall art shows off that glorious coat. In the kitchen, the Vizsla vintage portrait tea towel is perfect, and our Vizsla collection includes illustrated Vizsla coasters too.

For Christmas, the Vizsla Christmas ornament is a lovely keepsake, and the Vizsla coir doormat makes a fitting welcome at the door (where, naturally, your Vizsla will already be waiting).

For something to wear, the "The More People I Meet, The More I Like My Dog" Vizsla sweatshirt is ideal for owners who would quite honestly rather be at home with the dog.

Find more ideas in our Vizsla gift guide and the full Vizsla Gifts & Homeware collection.