Are Vizslas smart? Vizsla lovers already know that this breed is friendly, calm, and affectionate toward people.
But… Where does Hungarian Vizsla stand when it comes to matters of intelligence?
How smart are vizslas? According to many dog lovers and canine experts, Vizsla is one of the smartest dogs breeds alive.
Here is what makes them highly intelligent dogs.
Are Vizslas Smart?
Vizslas are dogs that can be trained easily, which makes them intelligent dogs.
Not only that they are smart and can be trained fast, but they enjoy learning new things.
Like with any other dog breed, Vizslas should not experience any harsh training methods, only positive reinforcement.
Are Vizslas smart? Yes, they are born smart, but they still a proper training and socialization.
These dogs were bred to be hunting dogs, which means that have great concentration, amazing motor abilities, and alertness. It is fair to say that this alert breed possesses instinctive intelligence.
Now that you know that Vizslas are smart, let’s see how you can learn how smart your Vizsla is.
Good to know: According to some dog experts Vizslas’ mental abilities are similar to a child aged between 2 to 2.5 years old.
Is Your Vizsla Smart?
Are Vizlas smart? Yes, they are.
Is your Vizsla smart? That is up to you to discover.
The best way to learn how smart your Vizsla is to conduct a test. Luckily, there are many ways to test how clever your Vizsla is.
Simple signs that you could take for granted may be the best indicator of your dog’s intelligence.
Here is the basic list to help you determine just how smart your Vizsla is.
If your Vizsla performs at least half of the listed guidelines you can be sure that your dog is highly intelligent.
- Your Vizsla is capable of memorizing commands without practice
- Your Vizsla can easily conquer space from any environment regardless of obstacles
- Whenever you are feeling blue, your dog is there to snuggle with you and comfort you
- Puzzle toys are fun for your dog and an easy task
- Your Vizsla understands when you are leaving
- Your dog knows how to get you to focus
- Your Vizsla knows how to stay safe
- Mastering new techniques are always an easy and fast process
If you are still not sure just how smart your Vizsla is after this list, you might want to perform additional testing.
This means that you should search for available Vizsla IQ Tests, or talk to a professional dog behavioralist about how to test your Vizsla properly.
Luckily, just like with humans, certain skills can be tested and enhanced with proper guidelines. Here is how to do so.
How To Make Your Vizsla Smarter?
Dogs are easy to handle when you know how to do it.
They need proper training and the right amount of early socialization to keep them engaged and both mentally and physically satisfied.
That being said, you should know that making your Vizsla smarter isn’t that challenging, it just requires a proper amount of training and enough amount of endurance.
Here are tips on how to make your Vizsla smarter:
- Use only positive training methods
- Always offer your Vizsla plenty of praise
- Always reward your Vizsla with his favorite treats
- Socialize your Vizsla the best way possible
- Start training your Vizsla from puppyhood
- Invest 30-minutes into teaching him new commands every day
- Always teach new tricks and commands
- Repeat daily basic commands
- Keep training sessions short, consistent, fun, and packed with treats
- Continually challenge your Vizsla to new environments and difficulties
As you can see the best way to keep your dog engaged and mentally stimulated is to invest your time and energy into training.
Training is what makes a dog a great canine citizen and keeps his brain active. Also, knowing as much as possible about the breed cannot harm it.
Staying well informed on the breed: its history, facts, training, exercise needs, overall physical, attributes, and temperament is what will help you have a smooth training process.
That being said, here is what you should know about this unique and smart breed.
Are Vizslas Smarter Than Other Dogs?
A smart dog is a mix of good traits and owners’ efforts.
Some dog breeds are much easier to train than others, while some are better at performing specific tasks.
Dog behavioralists are those who can tell the best how certain breed ranks when it comes to intelligence.
Here is what dog behavioralists so far know about Vizslas’s mental capacities:
- Vizslas can learn up to 165 words and signals
- Vizslas can count up to 5
- Vizslas can outsmart other dogs to get their reward
Still, these observations are based on a sample that’s not known.
There hasn’t been an official study presenting this breed’s mental capabilities as a whole. Therefore, if you are a Vizla owner and you want to know where your Vizsla stands mind-wise, here is how to test it.
Now that you have a better understanding of Vizslas’ intelligence, and how their mind is shaped, let’s see what is what makes dogs smart in the first place.
What Makes A Dog Smart?
All dogs are smart, just some are better in certain situations than others.
For a dog to be classified as a ‘smart breed’ certain standards have to be met.
In fact, there are three types of intelligence when it comes to smart dogs and determining their intelligence levels, and those are:
- Adaptive intelligence
- Working intelligence
- Instinctive intelligence
Each intelligence type comes with certain traits that push the dog to test his limits. This is why some breeds are more advanced when it comes to dog sports and some are perfect lap dogs.
Here is what each of these three intelligence styles stands for:
1. Adaptive Intelligence
Adaptive intelligence stands for problem-solving skills.
It is meant to show just how capable the dog is to solve certain problems around him and how he will use his adaptive intelligence to solve problems from specific environments.
2. Working Intelligence
This type of intelligence stands for the dog’s ability to learn commands, from basic commands to more advanced ones.
Working intelligence also stands for a dog’s ability to follow commands, since learning and following commands go hand in hand.
3. Instinctive Intelligence
This intelligence represents a dog’s natural ability.
Dogs were bred for specific purposes so some dogs are better workers than others, while some are better swimmers than others, and so on. Instinctive intelligence stands for what a dog is naturally capable of doing.
Is One Intelligence More Important Than The Other?
Simply said, no. One must go with another and there should be a balance between all three.
Every intelligence style plays a big role in how smart your dog as a specific breed will be, or is already.
Every dog, just like humans, can be smart in his way. That is why some are superb when it comes to search and rescue and some are one-of-a-kind when it comes to serving as therapy dogs.
They are all intelligent in their way. Many dog lovers will tell you that trainability is the key when it comes to good-behaved and smart dogs.
Just like humans, dogs are learners. The more time they repeat certain actions, they are learning better.
Repetition is what serves as the key moment in training dogs and helping them go through early socialization.
Which Dog Breed Is The Smartest?
To understand why Vizslas are so smart it’s important to know which breed is the smartest.
This way you can compare two breeds and see what makes both breeds unique and special in terms of intelligence.
According to numerous canine experts, the smartest dog breed alive is the famous Border Collie.
This breed can learn over 100 commands if trained right. They are herding dogs who thrive on activity and duties, and for them mastering commands is a form of a job in that they have to excel.
However, just like with humans, dogs’ intelligence may vary, even in the most intelligent dogs.
Vizsla – Breed’s Overview
Vizsla is a powerful dog of the lightfoot. They are well-built and muscular, and as such known for their speed and endurance.
Vizslas were bred to assist humans in hunting, which is why they have high energy levels.
Vizsla can easily spend the entire day outside working and being active and still demanding regular walks.
Vizsla is not for first time dog owners, but only experienced dog owners.
Among dog fanciers, this breed is also known for its striking coat and gold-and-red color.
Their coat is smooth and graceful while being dense at the same time, keeping the body safe and warm.
Did you know that Vizsla’s eyes are blue when they first open? Over time they do change, turning to grey first. From grey, they switch to a more yellow-brown shade.
This breed is very sensitive, which is why they are prone to separation anxiety.
As such, they need a lot of positive training, a lot of patience, and consistent training based on positive reinforcement methods.
One of the physically great traits of this breed is the fact that they are great swimmers.
Some breeds are exceptional swimmers, and your Vizsla is one of them.
If you are based near a lake or a river, you will have to make frequent visits to your Vizsla can jump in.
They will much appreciate water activities, so think about practicing one of many water sports for dogs, such as kayaking.
This can be a great bonding activity, and if you are thinking about competing with your Vizsla in many canine sports, water-based sports can be a great option.
Vizslas are an ancient breed. Documents on this breed date back to 1357, although many believe that this breed is originally from the 9th century.
AKC notices that Vizsla’s ancestors were bred by the Magyar people back in the mid-800s when they moved to Hungary and certain parts of Italy.
These dogs were known for their speed, agility, and willingness to react to any challenge.
All in all, this is a tough European dog breed that survived many historical events, from the Turkish occupation, over WWI and WWII up to the Russian Occupation.
It’s not uncommon for breeders to use certain breeds so they could develop new breeds – therefore, Vizslas were used as the foundation of the Weimaraner and German shorthaired pointer breeds.
The main reason for this was Vizsla’s hunting ability and trainability.
Conclusion On Are Vizslas Smart
The Vizsla is an active breed that thrives on duties. This dog loves being busy and keeping him mentally challenged and entertained is one of the best ways to keep his brain busy.
This is an intelligent breed that is always on the lookout.
If bored, or in any form neglected, this breed will become frustrated and will show strong destructive behavior.
To keep your Viysla’a brain active and busy invest in proper training toys, favorite dog treats, and in creating content that’s engaging and fun.
This is the best strategy when it comes to keeping your Vizsla’s mind sharp.
Frequently Asked Questions On On Are Vizslas Smart
1. How Intelligent Is A Vizsla?
Vizslas are very smart dogs. Their intelligence is compared to the intelligence of a two-year-old child.
2. Are Vizslas Easy To Train?
Vizslas are easy to train as long as you have the right kind of experience with dogs. They may be easy to train, but they are not suited for first time dog owners.
3. Are Vizsla Puppies Difficult?
Vizsla’s puppies are no different than puppies of any other breed.
With puppies, you will need extra patience, a puppy-proofed home, and properly implemented socialization and training.
4. Are Vizslas High Maintenance?
Yes, Vizslas are high-maintenance dogs. Why? These dogs have high exercise needs and sensitive nature which makes them high maintenance.
Not only that they need daily exercise, but they also need a lot of mental stimulation.
All in all, this breed is best suited for owners with an active outdoor life.
5. What Is A Vizsla Dog Known For?
As a breed, Vizsla is best -known for its sleek golden-rust coat.
Their red coat only completes their elegant and gentle look, with a sensitive facial expression and soft coat.
