Hungarian Vizsla vs Hellenic Hound - Breed Comparison

Hungarian Vizsla vs Hellenic Hound - Breed ComparisonHellenic Hound is originated from Greece but Hungarian Vizsla is originated from Hungary. Hellenic Hound may grow 9 cm / 3 inches shorter than Hungarian Vizsla. Hellenic Hound may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than Hungarian Vizsla. Both Hellenic Hound and Hungarian Vizsla has almost same life span. Both Hellenic Hound and Hungarian Vizsla has same litter size. Both Hellenic Hound and Hungarian Vizsla requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Hound dog
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Greece
Hungary
Height Male:
47 - 55 cm
18 - 22 inches
56 - 64 cm
22 - 26 inches
Height Female:
45 - 53 cm
17 - 21 inches
51 - 60 cm
20 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
17 - 20 kg
37 - 45 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Weight Female:
15 - 18 kg
33 - 40 pounds
18 - 25 kg
39 - 56 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
9 - 10 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 8
6 - 8
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Greek Hound or the Hellenikos Ichnilatis The Hellenic Hound, Greek Harehound
Hungarian Vizsla Hungarian Pointer Magyar Vizsla
Colors Available:
Black with tan markings
solid golden-rust color in several shadings
Coat:
Short, smooth, sleek
short, smooth, dense
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Playful, Stubborn, Sweet
Affectionate, Energetic, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Social
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
No

History

hellenic houndDeveloped in Southern Greece, the Hellenic Hound was bred to hunt hare and is an ancient breed. It is a medium sized breed with strong scent and tracking skills. It is believed to have been in existence for thousands of years. The ancestry of the breed included the Lagonikoi or laconikoi, native to southern Greece in ancient times. The breed was spread by sailors on Greece trading ships and colonization.

Todays Hellenic Hound is found throughout Europe. Kept somewhat isolated by the mountains, the breed was protected from outside breeding and they remained pure for centuries. It is a fearless, smart and hyped up purebred. The Hellenic Hound needs to have a job and if you don’t give him one, he will find one. He is smart and independent which sometimes makes him stubborn. It also takes this dog longer to mature than others, sometime between two and three years. It is not good for first time owners. Today’s hound is still a popular hunting dog and companion animal as well. They are rarely seen outside of the Greek country.

In 1996 the Hellenic Hound was recognized as the first Greek dog breed into the FCI. They are not recognized by the AKC. Its numbers continue to decline.

hungarian vizslaThe Hungarian Vizslas existed in the land that is now Hungary, the Pannonian Basin, at least since the 10th century when they were shown on etchings. It is thought that their descendants were various pointers, the extinct Turkish Yellow Dog and the Transylvanian Hound. The Vizsla is a hunting dog with the word being Hungarian for pointer. In 1937 the Carmelite Friars under orders from King Louis I of Hungry. The breed was isolated for centuries in the Basin by the aristocracy and land owners.

The Magyar people of the area developed the breed for hunting as both pointers and retrievers. They were excellent at hunting rabbits and water fowl. With a terrific sense of smell and boundless stamina and energy, the were prized as family and companion dogs as well. This was unusual for a hunting or working dog. Their size made them appealing as well. They were small by comparison to other hunting dogs both pointers and retrievers.

Easy to train, the Hungarian Vizsla works in water, forests and fields. They are able to retrieve in the water as well as on the land. Throughout their history, the breed outlasted the Turkish Revolution, the Hungarian Revolution World War 1 and World War 2, as well as the Hungarian People’s Republic Communist State. Things were a little dicey for the Vizlas several times beginning in the 1800’s when German Shorthaired Pointers and English Pointers were introduced into the area. The next time was after World War II. Fearful of what this Communist state would mean for the breed, some were smuggled into the United States and Austria.

At that time there were only a dozen or so Vizslas in all of Hungary. Their numbers were brought back from that small breeding stock. This history did result in several different strains grew into their own breeding stock. There are Vizslas in Czechoslovakia, Romania, Serbia and Austria. There developed separate lines that became separate breeds in the Wirehaired Vizsla and the longhaired Vizsla which is very rare.

After World War II, the Hungarian Vizsla came to the United States and the Vizsla Club of American was established as a first step toward AKC (American Kennel Club) recognition. This was attained in 1960. Rex del Geisimino came to the U.S. in 1951 and he was able to respond to commands in both German and Hungarian. Vizslas also came to the United Kingdom in this time frame. There are now about 4500 registered with the KC (Kennel Club of Great Britain). A Vizsla won the distinctive Crufts Dog Show in Great Britain, as Best in Show.

It is believed that this gentle, sensitive and affectionate hunter was part of the original breeding stock or the Wirehaired Vizsla, the Weimaraner and the German Shorthaired Pointers. The Hungarian Vizsla is intelligent and social. The need your attention as well as a lot of exercise to avoid destructive behavior born of boredom. They want to be with you and they can be very protective of you.

Description

hellenic hound puppy - descriptionToday’s Hellenic Hound is not a big dog but rather very average or medium. It is an athletic dog and looks like it. It has a balanced body with a deep chest and thick neck. It has medium height legs that are strong and muscular with paws that are prepared for the terrain it always works on. Its coat is short and tight. The colors of the Hellenic Hound are black with tan or white on the chest. Their heads are noble and rounded with a rectangle shaped muzzle. They have v shaped, long ears and round eyes. Their toe nails are black and so is their nose. It has excellent scent glands, very quick responses, speed and stamina. Their tail is thick and tapers off.

hungarian vizsla puppy - descriptionThe Hungarian Vizsla has a light build, a short coat, and a distinctive bearing. They are medium in size and muscular, lean dogs looking a lot like the Weimaraner. They are also close in appearance to the Rhodesian Ridgeback and the Redbone Coonhounds. They are more muscular and leaner than the Rhodesian Ridgeback and Weimaraner.

The Vizsla has a reddish nose and their nails and eyes should also be reddish or blending with the color of their coat. They have docked tails in the American standard but not in the United Kingdom, as docking is banned there. If he has a tail, you can see it flying through the air as he runs through the rough land to retrieve fowl.

They have a domed skull with a tapered muzzle that is shorter or equal to the skull. They have eyes that are contrasted with the coat and of medium size. The ears of silky, hang close to the face and the tips are rounded. The coat is rust in color with many shades. He also has a deep chest and hound like face.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

hellenic hound dog - characteristicsyes, they are very fond of children as long as they are carefully socialized.

Special talents

Great hunter, stamina ,scent, voice

Adaptable

He needs to have a yard or land. He doesn’t do well in apartments.

Learning

The breed is very intelligent and can be very trainable. However, they can also be stubborn and that makes training harder.

Children friendliness

hungarian vizsla dog - characteristicsChildren friendliness - The Vizsla is very good with children.

Special talents

Special talents - They are both excellent pointers and retrievers.

Adaptability

Adaptability - They are not very adaptable in living arrangements as they are much more suited for the country than the city.

Learning ability

Learning ability – The Vizsla is a very intelligent breed and easy to train. His learning ability is very high.

Health Problems

hellenic hound puppies - health problemsThe Hellenic Hound is a fairly healthy breed having been isolated on the Island of Greece for the most part. They are susceptible to:

Joint dysplasia

Could be hips, elbows or knees. If untreated can lead to lameness or inability to walk.

Arthritis

Causes joint pain and can cause lameness or inability to walk.

Bloat

Can be fatal if not treated immediately. To avoid it don’t feed a large meal before or after exercise.

Hunting injuries

Can be a variety of things that occur during the hunt.

Ear infections

Need to keep the ears clean and dry in order to avoid infections.

hungarian vizsla puppies - health problemsThe Hungarian Vizsla has a series of health issues that include:

  • Hip dysplasia – can cause arthritis or lameness.
  • Epilepsy – can be treated but not cured.
  • Cancer of various types – some treatable others fatal.
  • Sebaceous Adenitis – a skin disorder marked by inflammation. This only occurs in young adult dogs.
  • Ear Infections

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

hellenic hound dogs - caringFeed the puppy 2-3 times a day a total of 2 cups

Feeding the adult

Feed the adult twice a day a total of 2-3 cups

Points for Good Health

The Hellenic Hound has excellent stamina, speed and scenting ability.

Games and Exercises

This is a very active, athletic dog that needs to work and needs exercise. He is powerful, quick and has great endurance. It thrives on hunting but will need other activities on the days it doesn’t hunt. It needs a yard or land to play in. Agility, Field Trials, tracking, hunting and fly ball are all activities the Hellenic Hound will enjoy.

Feeding the puppy

hungarian vizsla dogs - caringFeed two to four cups per day of a high quality dry dog food. Break this up into three or four meals. Don’t free feed your puppy.

Feeding the adult

Feed two to three cups per day of high quality dry dog food. Feed in two servings.

Points for Good Health

The Vizsla is an athlete with high energy.

Games and Exercises

The Hungarian Vizsla needs at least 30 minutes of exercise every day and maybe more. He needs a large yard or open field, but daily brisk walks will do if that is all that is possible. He needs to be stimulated intellectually as well and enjoys fetch, jogging with you, lure coursing, field trials, tracking and scent work, confirmation, agility, barn hunt, dock diving, rally, and obedience.

Comparison with other breeds

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  8. Hellenic Hound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
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  10. Hellenic Hound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
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  25. Hellenic Hound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Hungarian Vizsla vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Hungarian Vizsla vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Hungarian Vizsla vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Hungarian Vizsla vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Hungarian Vizsla vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Hungarian Vizsla vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Hungarian Vizsla vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Hungarian Vizsla vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Hungarian Vizsla vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Hungarian Vizsla vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Hungarian Vizsla vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Hungarian Vizsla vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Hungarian Vizsla vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Hungarian Vizsla vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Hungarian Vizsla vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Hungarian Vizsla vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Hungarian Vizsla vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Hungarian Vizsla vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Hungarian Vizsla vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Hungarian Vizsla vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Hungarian Vizsla vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Hungarian Vizsla vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Hungarian Vizsla vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Hungarian Vizsla vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Hungarian Vizsla vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison