# Wirehaired vs short hair



## Jrodey (Mar 1, 2017)

Is there a difference in the energy level between a wire haired Viszla and a short haired Viszla? The AKC lists the wirehaired as moderate energy and the standard Viszla as high energy. Is this true or just nonsense and they are both high energy?
I am looking at owning a Viszla and can let them run and socialize in the dog park several days a week, but I am not a regular jogger that will tire them out every day. Worried that they are too high energy for an active 60 year old retiree. Just want to be fair to the dog.


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## b4ruby (Sep 3, 2016)

We have a nine month old, intact male and he only needs moderate exercise. He of course could play all day but a run at the dog park for an hour or a hike and he can be relaxed in the house the rest of the day. His parents were both calm but also hunters and competed in agility. 

Having dog obedience work outs and expecting proper indoor behavior at a young age goes a long way in helping them be good companions. Ours learned very quickly except for his excitable peeing which is now also under control, thank heavens. We've had many dogs but he is our first Vizsla and they are wonderful.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I was also concerned about meeting the energy requirements of a shorthair Vizsla and opted to go with a wire. I have not owned a shorthair vizsla nor spent more than a day at a time with them, but from my experience and from comparing notes over the years, wirehairs _are_ generally more laid back than shorthairs. One breeder I spoke to described it as wires having an off switch. 
You'll come across a few higher energy wires or a few lower shorts, but I still think the trend holds. 

My wire will take as much exercise as I can give her. There have been times where we've just gotten back from a long hike or a 9 mile bike ride and when we get home she runs a few laps (zoomies) or grabs a ball for me to throw. If I didn't indulge her endless energy in those moments, she settled down quickly and without complaint. Similarly, over long periods of time where I've been under the weather or otherwise unable to exercise her regularly, she's adapted well and seemed content to snuggle by my side. 

She's also definitely more people oriented than dog oriented. While she does enjoy socializing with other vizslas and pointing breeds, dog parks are more hit or miss for us. For that reason if dog parks are to be your main place where the dog will get off-leash exercise, I probably wouldn't recommend either of these breeds. Nature trails or large fields where they can hunt and explore are a much better option. You don't need to be super active. In these settings the dogs will run 10x as much as you walk and get a mental workout.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

I've no real experience of smooths, other than one of my dogs is half smooth/half wire, the other being a full wire. The full wire (Elvis) is definitely more laid back than my other (Ruby), but both will work tirelessly on a shoot day. I'm doing a lot of work at home at the moment, dawn to dusk so I haven't really had the opportunity to get them out as much as usual for the last fortnight, but both seem content to lay down where they can see me working. I've never had mine to a dog park, I'm not even sure if we have them here in the UK, but I live out in the sticks and a good hour off their leads usually suffices for them, depending on daylight and weather I usually try and squeeze 2 hours though


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## Gatsby2015 (Oct 26, 2015)

We have a short hair vizsla- our first vizsla. We always had dobermans and thought they were high energy, but it is nothing in comparison to our vizsla. He needs at least an hour off leash a day coupled with play time that involves brain work- scent games, finding games, etc... When we're at work, he goes to a doggy daycare or my mom will come by the house for a few hours to take him to the off leash forest preserve. He's a great, loving, dog, and it's doable, but he does need a lot of exercise, physically and mentally.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Our breeder breeds both Wire and Smooth. We have a smooth. Dharma has moderate energy. I can quietly jog with her or we play chuck it kick it ball in the back yard or she just runs circles in the yard. She chases all kinds of animals and leaves or garbage and snowflakes. She is usually pretty good at one or two shorter walks a day. She will also go crazy in the house if she has extra energy on any given day.
Dharma does not warm up to other dogs and we don't have a dog park within walking distance.
When we go away on vacation she is quite happy to spend time in the water or hiking with us. When we are at home she will always be with us on the sofa, out in the yard or even in the bathroom! She is quite Velcro and sleeps in our bed between us. She looks for us when we go away. She really is unlike any other dog I have had and wouldn't get any other breed again. I think it is up to the breeder to find the right match of puppy and owner too.


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