Vizsla is a dog originally from Hungary. It is famous all around the globe for its intelligence, agility, and loyalty. They are excellent hunting dogs, but they also excel at companionship, making them popular family pets. In addition, their hunting skills make them ideal to be guard dogs. However, this doesn’t mean Vizslas are good guard dogs.
To be a good guard dog, they have to bark and growl anytime someone is around. A Vizsla only barks if there’s a danger, which could take too long for the person at home to realize an intruder inside their house.
This breed does not stand its ground when confronted with strangers but instead will run away. This dog is also not a good guard dog because they are very friendly with strangers and may end up “smiling” at them, which will lead to the intruder taking advantage of that kindness.
This article will talk about if vizslas are good guard dogs or not and how they behave in general.
Are Vizslas Good Guard Dogs?
No, Vizslas are not good guard dogs because they don’t bark and growl when someone is around. They also might run away from the intruder rather than confronting them. Thus, Vizslas are less likely to save your family from danger.
Most breeders breed Vizslas because of their impressive intelligence and loyalty. They make great family pets, but they are not the best guard dogs because of how friendly they can be with strangers, leading to someone breaking in.
A good guard dog needs to bark whenever there is the danger of an intruder to alert the family of trouble. However, this dog breed does not do that, so they are more of a better companion than guard dogs.
The Trait That Separates Vizslas From Guard Dogs:
This dog breed does not bark when someone is around, which makes it a subpar guard dog.
Other traits that separate vizslas from guard dogs are their intelligence, agility, and loyalty.
Do Vizslas Make Better Watchdogs Than Guard Dogs?
Dog breeds differ in their versatility and temperament. Some are better guard dogs, while others make better watchdogs. The Vizsla is intelligent, loyal, and agile, making it a good family dog but not so great as a guard or patrol-style dog.
What Are the Differences Between Watch Dogs And Guard Dogs?
Watchdogs are typically smaller in size with an innate guarding instinct that makes them alert to any person who enters their territory. This type of dog will most likely stay close to home (within a radius), which means they may bark when strangers are present (within this radius). The guarding breeds are bulkier like German Shepherds or Labradors, meaning they’re sturdier and easier to intimidate intruders if confronted. Still, they’re also more likely to roam and can end up wandering off.
Are Vizslas Protective Of Their Owners?
In the past, owners primarily used Vizslas as hunting dogs. They are famous for their ability to hunt in packs and retrieve prey from the water. When they were not working on hunts, these animals would typically guard a flock of sheep or other livestock from predators like wolves or coyotes. Historically speaking, this is likely where their reputation of being a protective breed exists.
Today, most owners primarily use Vizslas as companion animals and show dogs for the most part. But there is still some potential to them being good guard dogs in some situations. For example, if they grow up with children or other pets at home and feel comfortable around them, they may feel protective. But, on the other hand, if they don’t have this experience, then it’s unlikely that a vizsla would be a good guard dog as an adult.
The breed doesn’t make for very effective watchdogs since their barking can sound more like yapping than a warning, although some owners may find this kind of behavior endearing.
Can You Train A Vizsla To Be A Guard Dog??
A vizsla is a great family dog that gets along well with children and other pets. It will be protective of its home but not necessarily aggressive towards intruders. Training your Vizsla to behave as an alarm system or guard dog takes time and patience–it’s not something you can do overnight. If you want to train your Vizsla to be a guard dog, work on obedience training first.
The only way that a Vizsla could make a good guard dog is to train them to bark and growl anytime someone is near to alert the family of any intruders.
Are There Any Exceptions In Case Of Vizslas As Guard Dogs?
If you live in a rural area where there’s not much traffic, vizslas might be good guard dogs. However, they’re very territorial and protective of their homes, so they’ll bark at anything that moves near the house.
There are many stories about vizslas being guard dogs. One account is that when the owners were away, a burglar broke into Doug and his wife, Tracy. The owners had four vizslas–Doug’s two children had one each–and all four of them ran to bark at the intruder. The intruder then fled before he could take anything from home. Another story is that a vizsla in Ohio attacked an eight-foot boa constrictor in its owner’s backyard and killed it.
Things I Will Need To Train My Vizslas Into Guard Dogs:
Some of the things you will need to train Vizslas into guard dogs are:
- Treats or rewards for good behavior (food, treats, toys)
- You will need to train them with a “sit” command and an “alert bark” command. Then, Vizslas won’t just go running after the intruder once it’s inside the home.
- Buy training DVDs on how to train dogs
- A leash and a dog collar
- You will need to make sure that the Vizslas are on a high protein diet. It is because they are working dogs, so they must have good nutrition to stay healthy.
How Can I Train My Vizsla Into Guard Dogs?
Puppies need to be three months old when they start training
Do your research and find a trainer with experience in Vizsla guard dog training. Hire trainers for private lessons to tailor your Vizsla according to your needs, your family, and your pet.
Train puppies by having someone approach the house while walking their own
Conclusion
We hope this article has shed some light on whether or not vizslas make good guard dogs. Usually, Vizslas satisfy their owners with their loyalty and intelligence. Thus, owners only have positive things to say about them in general. But there were a few cases where they did regret getting one because of how high-energy they can be at times.
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