Are Vizsla Aggressive to Other Dogs?

The Vizsla is also called the Hungarian pointer, and it is a very active and energetic medium-large hunting dog. Being a hunting canine, it is not surprising that it is a robust, strong, agile animal that can run at high speed. It has an athletic build, and its muscles are well-defined. 

The Vizsla canine needs a lot of interaction with its environment. Many people wonder if this type of breed can get along with other animals, especially dogs. 

Can My Vizsla Dog Get Along with Other Canines? 

This animal can get along well with other dogs if they socialize properly. 

Vizslas generally get along with anyone and anything, including strangers and other animals. However, this is if they have learned to properly socialize with new people, animals, and experiences from puppies. 

Otherwise, they can easily become nervous and scared in new situations. That can be accompanied by hyperactivity and destructive behavior. 

A Vizsla who did not receive socialization training will have difficulty adjusting to a new environment and may have a difficult time getting along with other dogs. 

Can My Vizsla Dog Become Aggressive with Other Dogs? 

Usually, when a Vizsla is aggressive towards other dogs, it is not due to a specific reason but rather to a feeling or emotion that the canine is feeling at that moment. 

Genetically, this breed of dog does not show aggressive behaviors, but as we all know, not all dogs are the same. 

Many Vizsla owners have mentioned that their pets have gotten along well with other canines. However, 2 out of 10 pets show hostility to a specific type of dog. 

There is a case where a Vizsla dog has got on excellently with other dogs, except for the Husky canine. Every time this animal comes across a Husky, it tends to bark at it and want to dominate it. 

The owner claims that his Vizsla is a very calm and affectionate animal even with other dogs, but every time his pet comes across a Husky, it tries to confront it. 

No one really knows why these animals react like this when it comes to a specific dog. However, the Vizsla breed dog has always had a good relationship with canines, even with cats. 

Why is My Vizsla Dog Aggressive towards Other Dogs? 

There are many reasons why a Vizsla can become aggressive towards other dogs. In general, it is unusual for a dog to attack every other canine it encounters. This behavior can be due to different causes: 

• Lack of leadership by the owner. 
  
• Hereditary aspects of the pet. 
  
• The learning. That is how your pet has been raised and educated. 
  
• Lack of socialization. We refer to the lack of interaction with other animals. 
  
• It should be noted that this behavior can also be caused by fear. Vizslas can get very aggressive when they feel threatened. That makes them fearful, and they think they must defend themselves from the danger by which these dogs think they will be hurt. 

It means that if your Vizsla dog is in front of another dog and begins to bark or growl at it, it means that it feels some kind of threat from the other animal. 

One dog threatens another by showing its teeth and growling. That is a warning sign to the other canine that usually ends without serious consequences. The threat, therefore, is a sign of aggressiveness that your dog uses before attacking its opponent. 

Another reason for this type of behavior may be due to heredity or genetics from your pet’s parents. Territorial breeds such as Vizsla dogs are more likely to become aggressive towards other animals depending on their specific personality. The characteristic can be passed down from generation to generation. 

A Vizsla can become aggressive in front of another dog to protect its territories and what belongs to it, such as taking care of its items or toys. This animal can also show aggressive behavior towards those dogs that it perceives as a threat or danger to its family or herd. 

Your Vizsla dog can be aggressive towards another canine when under stress. Stress is a physiological reaction that prepares the individual to face extreme situations.  

When a Vizsla feels in danger, stress prepares it to act, whether it’s fighting or running away from the other dog. 

What Can I Do So That My Vizsla Dog Is Not Aggressive towards Other Canines? 

The causes for which a dog attacks others can be diverse. But among the most common are the incorrect socialization of the dog, the lack of rules at home, or its tendency to be territorial and dominant. 

The best thing you can do in this case is to pay your full attention to your pet so that it is distracted and only looks at you. 

Some of the things you can do are the following: 

• Go out in quiet times and with few dogs around. 
  
• Play with it and encourage it. 
  
• Take your dog on a short leash and, if necessary, with a muzzle. 
  
• Look for alternatives to fix your dog’s aggressive behavior. 
  
• Offer treats and prizes. 
  
• Keep it close to you at all times. 

Recommendations 

• When you have your Vizsla from puppyhood, it must learn to interact with other dogs during the first three months of life with its mother, siblings, or other animals. 
  
• It is a good idea for your pet to start interacting with other dogs from an early age and avoid fear or aggression towards its own species. 
  
• Be on the lookout for dog fights, as they are a common cause of bite accidents when trying to separate them. 
  
• The dog’s aggressive behavior with others is one of the situations that usually require an expert in canine behavior. Therefore, it is advisable to take your Vizsla to a behavior expert if it shows extreme aggressiveness. 
  
• Training a dog with aggression problems towards other canines can take between three and six months, depending on the case. To obtain satisfactory results, owners need to be actively involved in the process of educating their pets. 
  
• Food is essential to control your pet’s behavior. 
  
• Dogs must learn to associate food with obedience. Barking and grunting before eating is always a negative symptom of violence. Therefore, when you see that your Vizsla wants to confront another canine, you should avoid feeding it food. That means that only when the animal shows obedience and calm will it be fed. 

Remember that all these guidelines must be followed and complied with if your Vizsla develops an aggressive behavior that is unlikely since this breed does not usually have this type of personality.