COAT AND COLOR OF THE WIREHAIRED VIZSLA
“TO MAINTAIN A CORRECT WIRE COAT IN THE WIREHAIRED VIZSLA, STRIPPING THE DEAD COAT OUT BY HAND WILL KEEP THE COAT HEALTHY. OVER-GROOMING THE WIREHAIRED VIZSLA CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE TEXTURE OF THE COAT, WHICH CAN TAKE AWAY THE ESSENCE OF WHAT THE COAT IS FOR. THE COAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS BREED UNIQUE.”
A clipped coat is faulty . To maintain a correct wire coat in the Wirehaired Vizsla, stripping the dead coat out by hand will keep the coat healthy. Over-grooming the Wirehaired Vizsla can be det- rimental to the texture of the coat, which can take away the essence of what the coat is for. The coat is what makes this breed unique. By stripping away most of the coat for the show ring, the judges cannot tell if this is the correct double coat or the true texture. The Wirehaired Vizsla is to be exhibited almost in his natural state. Tidy- ing up the coat for the show ring is no more than stripping out the dead coat; taking off the excess hair from the feet, which is what you do before hunting them to prevent burrs from getting stuck to and in the pads, and cleaning up the dog’s “private” area for sani- tary reasons. If your Wirehaired Vizsla has a coat that is ready to go into the ring with only this amount of grooming, then you have a Wirehaired Vizsla with the correct coat. “ COLOR: Golden rust in varying shades. Red, brown or yellow colors are faulty. The ears may be slightly darker than the body; oth- erwise the coat color is uniform. White on the forechest or throat, not more than 2 inches in diameter, as well as white on the toes is permis- sible and common. Solid white extending above the toes or white any- where else on the dog except the forechest and throat is a disqualifica- tion. White due to aging or scars from hunting is not to be faulted. The Wirehaired Vizsla is self-colored, with the color of the eyes, eye-rims, lips, nose and toenails blending with the color of the coat.” A Quote from a Long-Time Wirehaired Vizsla Devotee: “I would say, in terms of color, what is most striking & important in their self-color is that the rusty gold, or golden rust, in various shades of light/dark, is that they are the color of autumn fields, they blend in the tall grasses of the puszta (treeless plains of Hungary) or the prairies of North America, as well as woodlands & marshes. I think their coloring is unique in that regard. No other hunting breed blends in as well as the Wirehaired Vizsla. Imagine the view that a pheasant under cover has of a WV pointing it! Just those mesmerizing eyes in the grass or bushes! Talk about camouflage.”
Photo supplied by Jeff Gowen and Belinda Perry.
The varying shades are from a russet gold to a honey gold. The gold in the strands of hair keep the coat from looking like a solid color. The faulty colors of red, brown or yellow can come from the dogs that were integrated in the early pedigrees. The Irish Setter (red), Pudelpointer (brown), and the yellow are still a matter of discussion. To have a solid white patch of coat on the forechest or throat that is more than 2 inches in diameter is a disqualification, as is solid white above the toes or white anywhere else on the body. There is a difference in a solid white and white roaning, which is a mixture of the coat color with white. This is a cosmetic fault in the breed. As the inheritance of white spots has multiple factors, both the solid white and the roaning white are to be bred away from. I have seen pictures of Wirehaired Vizslas recently with a full white chest and some with a white stripe down the throat. Although it is a disqualifying fault that does not inhibit the hunt- ing quality of the Wirehaired Vizsla, this is a fault that takes away from breed type. With the Wirehaired Vizsla, as in the name, the coat is of utmost importance; not only to separate the breed from others, but for the main purpose of protection. As breeders, we still have work ahead to develop better coat quality. With the new DNA testing available for coat types/textures, we now have more tools in the toolbox to help us in this quest.
318 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2021
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