Tuesday, July 3, 2012

The Hungarian Pointer in the Minority

The Hungarian Vizsla is a great "family dog" according to some recent articles.  Good with kids and smart.  The ability to learn many things well.

The Hungarian Pointer (same name with different effect) is loosing the battle as a strong ancient hunting dog in my part of the world. 

Here in California, there are hundreds of Vizslas that live out their lives without ever seeing a upland bird or tapping into the talents nature and excellent selective breeding had created over 1,000 years ago.

Those of us that use our dogs as hunters are in the smallest minority.

A small band of misfits (Hungarian Pointer Owners) mingle amongst the more dedicated German Shorthair, German Wirehair, English Pointer, and Britney owners.  The ratio of hunting owners to "pet" owners in those breeds, in relationship to the Hungarian Pointer, seems to be overwhelming in favor of hunters.  Breeders focus on the hunting talent in the lines and not on what would be considered more trivial attributes.

The Vizsla is an amazing hunter.  My wish is for those who come across this post and have ever even considered getting out into the field with your dog, that you make the effort.


  Join your local Vizsla club. Take a Hunter safety course.  Attend some field trials.  Find a trainer.

The breed needs you.  Don't we have enough lap dogs in the world?   HSUS is focusing on California.

Freedom to hunt could be gone along with freedom to carry guns.  Being in a minority is tough but I'm alright with that. 
 Freedom to _________ is much more important
 than Freedom from _______.

"We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States ... We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state."
Wayne Pacelle, Senior VP Humane Society of the US (HSUS)


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Couldn't have said it better. Having recently progressed down the hunting pth, I cannot highlight enough, how much my dogs just love it. They are doing what they were bred to do. Then at night, I get to share the bed with them. Again, doing what they were bred to do!!! :)

Anonymous said...

What a great post bringing up a very good point. This is the exact reason that if I do breed Luna next spring I have already told the breeder I want hunt behind the sire. She has hunt in her, even if I don't have as much time to get her the ribbons she deserves (though we will attack that again this fall)... and I HATE seeing how the hunt is being bred out of these dogs, and they are simply going to family homes.... when you get to see how much these dogs LOVE to hunt IMO it just is not right to not let them taste that at least a little.
And while some push these dogs as being good family dogs, they don't get to hear of how many breeders are rehoming dogs because babies/kids came along. I wish this breed would go back to the "rarity" it was just 4 years ago when i first got Luna. We need more Vizsla owners who will do this fine breed justice.

PS. that whole banning hunting thing is insane, didn't know it was that bad there. So sad
Anna
www.akginspiration.com