Spinone Italiano vs Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla - Breed Comparison

Spinone Italiano vs Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla - Breed ComparisonSpinone Italiano is originated from Italy but Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla is originated from Hungary. Spinone Italiano may grow 6 cm / 3 inches higher than Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. Spinone Italiano may weigh 11 kg / 24 pounds lesser than Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. Spinone Italiano may live 6 years less than Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. Both Spinone Italiano and Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla has almost same litter size. Spinone Italiano requires Moderate maintenance. But Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla requires Low maintenance

History

spinone italiano - historyThis Italian breed has an ancient blood line tracing all the back to 500 BC. Originally bred to hunt, he is today a friendly, alert and loyal companion. He is intelligent enough to do any job you give him. The Spinone is thought to be one of the oldest gun dogs ever, but it is not entirely clear that he came from Italy. There are some who think he may have come from somewhere in these European countries – Italy, Greece, France, Celtic Ireland, Spain or Russia. However, most believe the breed came from Italy in the Piedmont area.

The most common thinking is that he is a descendent of the Spanish Pointer and/or the Russian Setter. One other theory is that setters from Greece were brought to the Roman Empire and crossed with a variety of Italian dog to make the coarse haired Spinone we see today. Then the French put in their claim that the breed is a cross of many French pointers.

The theory that counts might just belong to the Italians who believe the ancestor to the Spinone includes the German Wirehaired Pointer, the Pudelpointer and the Wirehaired Pointer. It was not until the 19th century that the name Spinone was officially given to the breed.

Before that it might have been known as a Spinoso and named after a thorn bus in Italy called the Spino. This bush was so thick and sharp that small prey animals learned to hide under it because the predators could not get through it. The Spinone however was able to fight through the briars with its thick, coarse hair and tough skin.

The breed almost became extinct during the second world war as before and after the hunters in Italy had started to use other breeds for hunting. Breeders also began to cross the Spinone with wire hairs like German Wirehaired Pointer, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and the Boulet.

The most popular hunting dog in Italy today is the Bracco Italiano while the Spinone is still used for hunting.

hungarian wirehaired vizsla - historyIn the 1930’s some breeders noticed that the Hungarian Vizsla produced some dogs with more water, cold weather and ground cover protection because they had a much thicker coat than most of the breed. One breeder decided to cross one of these females with a German Wirehaired Pointer, thus producing the first Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. There were now three types of Vizsla – the smooth coated, the longhaired, and the wirehaired. The longhaired is very rare and can be either smooth or wirehaired. It is also believed based on anecdotal evidence that the original Wirehaired Vizsla was also mixed with the Bloodhound, Pudelpointer, and Irish Setter during World War II. Many kennels started breeding the Wirehaired Vizsla at this time.

This rare longhaired is not recognized by any official club or organization while the smooth and the wired are recognized as two separate breeds. There are only a few longhaired Vizsla and they are only found in Europe. The Wirehaired Vizsla was recognized in 1986 by the FCI in Europe and in 2014 by the AKC (American Kennel Club).

Like their cousins the smooth Hungarian Vizsla, the wirehaired version is a natural hunter and easily trained. They are great retrievers as well as pointers in the water or on the land. Their wirehair coats offer them more protection than their smooth coated cousins. They love to swim and are very good at it and will even use your back yard pool if it is available to them.

The wirehaired Vizsla came to North America in the 1970’s and was recognized by the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) in 1977, The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) by 1986 and in 2006 by the United Kennel Club (UKC). The Australian Nation Kennel Council offered recognition in 2007 prior to their entrance into the AKC Foundation Stock Service. They began showing the breed at AKC events in Performance and Companionship, prior to their full AKC recognition in 2014.

These gentle hunting dogs became great family dogs as they love children and just want to be with their people. Falconers have recently taken up the breed because their temperament is suited to this work as well. There are only about 400 to 450 Wirehaired Vizslas left in the United States and few thousand across the globe.

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Hound dog
Origin:
Italy
Hungary
Height Male:
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
57 - 64 cm
22 - 26 inches
Height Female:
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
52 - 59 cm
20 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
34 - 39 kg
74 - 86 pounds
45 - 50 kg
99 - 111 pounds
Weight Female:
32 - 37 kg
70 - 82 pounds
43 - 48 kg
94 - 106 pounds
Life Span:
8 - 9 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 11
5 - 10
Size:
Large dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Spinone Italian Spinone Italian Griffon Italian Wire-haired Pointer Italian Coarsehaired Pointer
Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla • Hungarian Wire-haired Pointing Dog • Drotzoru Magyar Vizsla
Colors Available:
white with orange markings, white with brown markings, and brown roan with or without brown markings , orange roan with or without orange markings, solid white
russet to golden sand
Coat:
tough, slightly wiry, and close fitting. rough
harsh, hard and loose fitting
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Affectionate, Alert, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective, Responsive, Social
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

spinone italiano puppy - descriptionThe breed is made up of strong, solid and muscled dogs that have an almost square build. His legs are made to travel any terrain and his head is long with an occipital that is pronounced and unique to the Spinone. They are said to have “human appearing eyes”, with a docked tail in countries allowing it and webbed paws.

Shorter hair covers their feet, head, legs, muzzle and ears. They have longer hair on their eyebrows and it is stiff, with soft hair on the muzzle and cheeks with a beard and mustache. It is a single coated dog though the coat is rough. They should have skin, lips, nose, and pads in colors that coordinate with their coats. For white dog it is a red-orange color, brown in dogs that are roan colored and dark red-orange in the orange and white colored dog.

hungarian wirehaired vizsla puppy - descriptionVery much like his cousins, the Wirehaired Vizsla is a noble looking breed. He is lean and muscular with a noble head and moderate skull line. Their muzzle is just a little shorter than the skull and the end is squared. They have powerful jaws and a broad, wide nostrils. The nose is brown, and the eyes are slightly darker than the dog’s coat color.

Low set ears are long and hang near the cheeks. With a strong, long neck and muscular shoulders, the Wirehaired Vizsla certainly looks the part of a hunting dog. Her chest is a little deep and the breastbone is prominent. She has round paws with short nails. Of course, her coat is wiry and dense. The undercoat is water repellent. He has an intelligent and lively facial expression.

Their ears are long but proportionate to the head and body. Their upper teeth overlap the lower teeth. Finally, the tail is thick and usually 1/3 docked. The tail is mostly carried in a horizontal position while walking or running.

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness – yes they live kids.

2.Special talents – Digging and running.

spinone italiano dog - characteristics3.Adaptability – Young dogs need a lot of attention but they don’t need a lot of space. The young dogs are energetic while the adult dogs are laid-back. They need exercise every day and at least a small back yard.

4.Learning ability – good/stubborn/intelligent.

Children friendliness

hungarian wirehaired vizsla dog - characteristicsVery good with children as long as he gets enough exercise.

Special talents

Very athletic

Adaptability

A puppy could live in an apartment in the city, but the adult dog needs a yard and is better off on a farm.

Learning ability

Very smart, very responsive, high learning ability.

Health Problems

spinone italiano puppies - health problemsThis is an ancient breed with not a lot of documented genetic issues, but it does have one deadly condition.

• Cerebellar ataxia (CA) is inherited and hits the puppies. Because it is a recessive gene both the mother and father must carry it for the puppy to inherit it. This makes it less likely than it would be otherwise. Puppies with the condition do not live more than a year. Since it is a genetic problem there is now a test for it that identifies carriers at a 95% accuracy rate.

• Like many other large breed dogs, they are susceptible to hip dysplasia. This can cause arthritis and/or lameness. There are now hip replacement surgeries available for this condition.

• Bloat is again common in large dogs and you need to watch for it with the Spinone. It can be deadly if not treated immediately. Let your dog rest quietly after eating. Do not let her exercise or play energetically after eating.

hungarian wirehaired vizsla puppies - health problemsMostly healthy but the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla does have some inherited dispositions to:

  • Hip Dysplasia: can cause lameness and arthritis.
  • Dysphagia – Megaesophagus: Causes drooling, problems swallowing and muscle – entropy
  • Food allergies and intolerances
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Both Ectropium and Entropion: curling of eyebrows out and in.
  • Idiopathic Epilepsy : Unknown origin. Can cause seizures.

Caring The Pet

spinone italiano dogs - caring1Feeding the puppy – feed a high quality dog food for puppies of large breeds. Feed 3-4x day but don’t overfeed or let him exercise after eating even as a puppy.

2.Feeding the adult - feed a high quality dog food for large breeds. Feed 1-2X day but don’t overfeed or let him exercise after eating.

3.Points for Good Health – Active and strong

4. Games and Exercises – The Spinone is an active breed, but not a fast dog. In fact, they like to travel at a trot so it becomes a great dog for jogging or running with. They love to jump, track, hunt, hike. They do well with agility, retrieving, flyball, carting, being a therapy dog, a rescue dog and a watchdog.

Feeding the puppy

hungarian wirehaired vizsla dogs - caringFeed high quality food for medium to large breed puppies. Feed 3-4 time a day 1-2 cups.

Feeding the adult

Feed high quality food for adult medium to large dogs. Feed 2x a day 2-3 cups.

Points for Good Health

Great stamina and very athletic breed.

Games and Exercises

The Wirehaired Vizsla is a working dog and needs serious daily exercise. He will be full of energy and excitement if he doesn’t get enough mental and physical stimulation. He needs a family that can walk a mole or two every day or jog with him. He easily becomes neurotic and high-strung if his energy is not dissipated. Excels at Field Trials, Competitive Obedience, tracking and Barn Hunt.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Spinone Italiano vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  2. Spinone Italiano vs German Shorthaired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  3. Spinone Italiano vs Irish Setter - Breed Comparison
  4. Spinone Italiano vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison
  5. Spinone Italiano vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  6. Spinone Italiano vs Perdiguero de Burgos - Breed Comparison
  7. Spinone Italiano vs Irish Red and White Setter - Breed Comparison
  8. Spinone Italiano vs Pachon Navarro - Breed Comparison
  9. Spinone Italiano vs Grand Gascon Saintongeois - Breed Comparison
  10. Spinone Italiano vs Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  11. Spinone Italiano vs Slovensky Hrubosrsty Stavac - Breed Comparison
  12. Spinone Italiano vs Smooth Haired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  13. Spinone Italiano vs Spanish Pointer - Breed Comparison
  14. Spinone Italiano vs Longhaired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  15. Spinone Italiano vs Braque Francais (Gascogne Type) - Breed Comparison
  16. Talbot vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison
  17. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison
  18. Weimaraner vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison
  19. Spinone Italiano vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  20. Spinone Italiano vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  21. Spinone Italiano vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  22. Spinone Italiano vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  23. Spinone Italiano vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  24. Spinone Italiano vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  25. Pharaoh Hound vs Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla - Breed Comparison
  26. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Basset Hound - Breed Comparison
  27. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Basenji - Breed Comparison
  28. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  29. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Hungarian Vizsla - Breed Comparison
  30. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Bluetick Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  31. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  32. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Bavarian Mountain Hound - Breed Comparison
  33. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Basset Fauve de Bretagne - Breed Comparison
  34. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Beagle-Harrier - Breed Comparison
  35. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs English Coonhound - Breed Comparison
  36. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie - Breed Comparison
  37. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Alpine Dachsbracke - Breed Comparison
  38. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Basset Bleu de Gascogne - Breed Comparison
  39. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Dunker - Breed Comparison
  40. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen - Breed Comparison
  41. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Chippiparai - Breed Comparison
  42. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs English Foxhound - Breed Comparison
  43. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Estonian Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Grand Griffon Vendeen - Breed Comparison
  45. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Hamiltonstovare - Breed Comparison
  46. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Beago - Breed Comparison
  47. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Kanni - Breed Comparison
  48. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Lithuanian Hound - Breed Comparison
  49. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Hungarian Hound - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds