Do Vizslas Shed? [What To Expect From This Dog Breed]

The Vizsla is a beautiful, sleek looking dog with many great qualities. But what about shedding? Is this breed known to shed a lot of their coat and what does this potentially mean for owners? With these kind of questions in mind, I spent some time researching the Vizsla coat. I will be sharing my findings here today.

Do Vizslas shed? Vizslas do shed, as all dogs technically shed to some extent. However, Vizslas shed a low to moderate amount, which is one of their many great qualities. The lack of shedding is in part due to the fact that they only have one coat, as they lack an undercoat. Their hair is short and straight and sits close to their skin.

The Vizsla is in fact, known for being one of the most hygienic dog breeds. This is partly due to their genetics, and otherwise down to their desire to keep themselves clean.

One of the main benefits of owning is a Vizsla is their lack of odor, but without having to collect hair very often makes this breed so much easier to manage!

Let us now explore shedding in this breed further, with some other commonly asked questions and grooming tips so you that you will know exactly what to expect and how to manage this breeds coat.

The Vizsla Coat

Vizslas have a short to medium length single coat. They do not carry an undercoat around like some other breeds; which often needs to be shed. This does not therefore occur with Vizslas.

Nevertheless, the Vizsla coat is not hypoallergenic. Which means that they will shed to some extent and they do release dander (allergens found in dead skin cells, saliva and urine) which can set off allergies.

However, due to a low amount of shedding, Vizslas do not typically cause people to have severe allergic responses when they come into contact. The lack of undercoat and shedding appears to help here.

All Vizslas are naturally redheads, in that they all have a red coat, sometimes referred to as rust.

They can come in different shades of red, though the American Kennel Club (AKC) will disqualify certain shades, so, keep that in mind if you plan on showing your Vizsla or ever plan to enter any competitions.

Another great quality of the Vizsla coat is that it is self-cleaning. They very rarely need to be bathed and some Vizslas have never been bathed at all!

If they do end up getting the stinky dog smell, just a quick wipe down or short bath is usually effective.

Due to only having a shorter, single coat, Vizslas don’t do very well in colder weather. If you dreamed of dressing a dog up in sweaters and coats, a Vizsla may be the breed for you!

Vizslas are such ‘Velcro’ dogs, extremely affectionate with their people, that they will probably allow you to dress them up as much as you want!

Overall, Vizslas have a low-maintenance coat which is relatively simple to take care of. Taking this breed to the groomer appears to be generally cheaper than with other dog breeds.

How Often Do Vizslas Shed?

Though Vizslas may not shed much, they do shed all the time. Unlike many other breeds who have shedding seasons, Vizslas shed all year long.

Luckily, the amount is so little that it’s barely noticeable and quick to clean up.

Most dogs don’t clean themselves and lick off their fur, like cats do, but Vizslas are an exception to that.

The Vizsla has a rough tongue like sandpaper like a cat’s, as well. One area that is different between cats and Vizslas however, is that the dog won’t get hairballs like the cats will. Their hair is so short and there’s less of it, so they are able to digest it easily.

Vizslas tend to shed a little more in the Springtime as they get rid of their winter coat to prepare for the summer ahead.

This isn’t to say that they shed as much as other dogs at this time of the year, the amount is still less than other breeds.

Tips For Maintaining The Vizslas Coat

Vizslas may be considered low maintenance, but that’s not to say that there aren’t things that you can do to help to ensure a healthy-looking coat.

Brushing your Vizsla one to two times a week will help keep their shedding under control, meaning less of their fur will end up on your clothes and furniture.

It is best to use a soft bristle brush, or a pair of pet grooming gloves (like this great option on Amazon) to wipe away any loose hair or debris.

Because of the length of their single coat, at times all you need is a wet cloth to wipe away any dust, debris, and loose hair. This is one breed of dog that doesn’t need to visit a groomer very often, if at all.

While no dog is truly hypoallergenic, there are some breeds that do shed less and seem to be a good fit for people with allergies, the Vizsla is one of these breeds.

The Vizsla can shed for days before you would even notice a buildup of fur so it’s easy to keep ahead of it.

Tips For Grooming A Vizsla

As Vizslas do not need a lot of grooming, there aren’t many tips to make the process easier, or better. Saying this, there are however, a few tips that can help make the experience even better for you and your pooch.

Grooming your dog is a great time for bonding. With a Vizsla, bonding is an easy process as the breed tends to stick to their owner most of the time.

Even still, it’s always nice to have that quiet moment with your dog. You may find yourself brushing them more often than required due to the calmness it brings you both.

When it comes to choosing the tools for grooming your Vizsla, we recommend using softer brushes. With a single coat, you’re going to hit their skin a lot easier than you would if they had a double coat, or even a single coat of longer, denser fur.

The breed may not need to be bathed often but having some waterless shampoo on hand is always a nice product to have. Even if your dog doesn’t smell it’s nice to freshen them up every once in a while.

One way to keep a shiny and healthy coat for your Vizsla has nothing to do with products or tools, it has to do with their diet.

Feeding your Vizsla high quality food, with a high amount of a good meat protein will help their coats.

Another ingredient category to look for when you want to keep up with the shine on your dog’s coat is healthy amino acids or Omegas -3, -6, and -9. The healthy fats will go a long way in aiding a healthy coat for your Vizsla.

Trimming your Vizsla’s nails about once a month, checking their ears on a weekly basis, and keeping up with a regular oral schedule are other areas of grooming that you shouldn’t ignore either.

In Summary

If you want low maintenance, low shedding dog that is affectionate and loyal, then you definitely want to consider a Vizsla. Which is pronounced ‘veez-luh’ by the way.

From beginnings that had them partnering up with falcons for hunting, to becoming playful and affectionate family dogs, they truly are an all-around fantastic addition to any family.

Vizslas have a single coat, rather than having an undercoat as well as a topcoat, of short to medium-length fur.

The single coat doesn’t do a very good job at keeping them warm in the cold weather, so you’ll need to make sure you have some doggie sweaters if you live in a more northern, or colder climate.

Vizslas are a recognizable breed with their sleek bodies and rust-colored fur. While all Vizslas have the same reddish fur, they do come in a variety of different shades, and not all are recognized by the American Kennel Club.

If your Vizsla has a mahogany coat, for example, they will not be recognized or allowed admission for shows.

More than any other dog breed, the Vizsla is like a cat when it comes to self-grooming habits. Vizslas and cats both have a rough, sandpaper-like tongue and they lick themselves to clean and remove fur.

Most dog breeds don’t do this and will just nip at them if they are itchy, sore, or irritated.

Sure, it’s true that Vizslas don’t shed a lot, and it could take several days of shedding before you’ll even notice, they do shed constantly all year long.

Even still, it is a lot less than most dogs who shed seasonally. Vizslas will shed more in the Springtime, as do almost all dogs, but it’s still relative and not as much as other breeds.

Contrary to popular belief, no dog is truly hypoallergenic. There are some breeds, such as the Vizsla, that are pretty close due to the amount of hair they shed, or in this case, don’t.

The breed is a good choice for someone who has allergies but still wants a dog.

Vizslas don’t need to be bathed very often, only when they are visually dirty, or if they get an odor to them.

When it comes to brushing your Vizsla, you should maintain a schedule of at least once a week to get rid of any dead hair and debris, including dander and pollen.

When it comes to brushes and grooming tools in general, you want to use soft, non-invasive tools to prevent irritation to your dog’s skin.

They don’t have extra fur to act as a bit of armor, so the bristles will come into contact with your dog much more so than a Golden Retriever for example.

One area that people may not think about when it comes to maintaining a healthy and shiny coat for your Vizsla is their diet. What food you feed your dog plays a big part in the health of their coats.

Feeding your dog a diet high in protein will help keep them healthy overall.

Ensuring that they are getting plenty of healthy fats, like the 3 main Omegas, will also help to give them the sleek and shiny coat that is one of the distinct physical characteristics of the breed.

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