Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix: Care Guide, Pictures, Temperament, & More

Sometimes referred to as a Golden Vizsla, the Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix is a hybrid dog that combines the Golden Retriever and Vizsla breeds. First bred in the 1960s in the US, the hybrid combines two high-energy dogs, which means that the Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix will need a lot of exercise daily. The Golden Retriever element of the dog also means that your hybrid will need plenty of grooming and may shed heavily.

The cross should make a loving family pet that will get along with all family members and be confident around strangers, too, and while training one can be a little more challenging than training a pure Retriever, the mix will be intelligent and should learn commands quickly enough.

Breed Overview

The Golden Retriever is described as being a high-energy dog, but nothing compared to the Vizsla, which darts around everywhere, constantly burning energy and looking for new physical challenges. As such, the main concern for new owners will be finding ways to keep their cross entertained and tired out. The cross will also be quite demanding of your time and attention. The Retriever loves everybody it meets, and the Vizsla is sometimes referred to as a “Velcro dog” because it follows its humans around everywhere, so you can expect a combination of these characters.

Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix Puppies

Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world, while Vizslas have grown in popularity in recent years. However, the popularity of these breeds can work against you when looking for crosses because breeders will concentrate their efforts on the purebred parents. With that said, accidental mating does occur, and there are likely some breeders that do offer them. You may also find them simply described as Vizsla mixes, but it can be difficult to know the parent breeds exactly in these cases.

Because they are a mix, the puppies will usually cost less than either parent breed. The breed is very high energy and demanding of its owner’s attention, too, and this can result in some finding their way into rescues and shelters, so it is worth calling around to see. Adoption prices will depend on location and the rescue itself, but puppies can fall at the higher end of this bracket because it is easier to find potential owners for puppies.

The puppy will have a lively temperament. It will want to investigate, and it will need a lot of exercise even when young. You should ensure that it is well socialized so that the Golden Retriever character comes out and the dog gets along with strangers, but also knows how to behave when meeting new people and other dogs. Training will also be important. Both parent breeds are intelligent, but you may face some resistance with training so you will need to be persistent and consistent to ensure the best results.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix

Mixed breeds, or hybrid dogs, tend to fall somewhere between the two parent breeds but may adopt some characteristics of one breed and some of the other. All we can really do is look at both parent breeds to try and determine the likely characteristics of the cross. In this case, there are some areas of crossover where the Golden Retriever and the Vizsla are very similar, which gives a fairly clear idea of what to expect. Both parent breeds are intelligent, for example, and they both make excellent pets.

Are These Dogs Good for Families?

Both the parent breeds make good family dogs. The Golden Retriever is especially gentle and understanding around small children, although the Vizsla’s excitability and tendency to zoom around mean that accidents can happen, and children can get knocked over accidentally.

The long ears of the Vizsla can be very tempting to young children, who will want to pull at them, so you will need to supervise any time between very young kids and long-eared Vizsla Golden Retriever Mixes.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?

Both breeds are known to get along with other dogs, and can usually be integrated into families with cats, too. Neither dog has a high prey drive, and they aren’t aggressive, so it comes down to a question of how the other animal acts around your dog.

Even though the breed is typically good with cats, you should still take introductions slowly. Don’t try and force the issue because this is when meetings tend to go wrong. Make sure the cat has somewhere to escape to and where it can spend time out of the way of the dog. This is especially important with lively breeds like these because their energy can be overwhelming for some cats.

Things to Know When Owning a Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix:

Golden Retriever Vizsla Mixes are good with family, get on with strangers, and they can usually get along with other pets and animals as long as they have the proper introductions. In these regards, they make excellent pets for most families, but they aren’t ideal for everybody. Here, we look at some of the characteristics and other traits of the breed so you can determine whether it is the right choice for your home.

Food & Diet Requirements

High-energy dogs need plenty of food to ensure that their bodies recover and that they have the energy to burn. These are also large breeds, although not giant by any means. If you are feeding a dry food diet, expect to feed around three cups of food a day, ideally split between two or three meals and fed at intervals. If you feed canned food, weigh your dog and feed according to its size and the food manufacturer’s guidelines.

If your vet recommends feeding more or less or following a specific diet, you should always follow these guidelines first.

If you give treats or use treats for training, don’t forget that these also contain calories, which means that you will need to reduce the number of calories you give to your dog at mealtimes. Obesity and weight issues are a big problem in dogs, and once a dog is overweight, it is very difficult to shed the pounds.

Exercise

Retrievers are described as high-energy dogs. They need a lot of exercise every day. But Vizslas are even more active. They will dart and run around everywhere, and if you can’t keep up with their physical demands, it can cause behavioral issues and other problems.

The hybrid breed will need a minimum of 90 minutes of exercise each day. This can include walking and hiking, but it would be beneficial to add some more intensive exercise to the regime. Throw a ball around the garden or, better still, enroll in canine sports classes. Both of these dogs can do very well at agility, and they can also perform in flyball and other sports. Such classes also help provide mental stimulation as well as socialization and training opportunities, so they offer mental stimulation as well as physical.

Training

Canine sports classes, agility classes, and general obedience classes are beneficial to all dogs, especially to energetic dogs like these. Mental stimulation can help wear energetic dogs out almost as much as physical exercise, so having your Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix take part in something like agility will keep them mentally active.

Both parent breeds are intelligent, and they are both considered easily trainable, described as being good dogs for first-time owners. But if you are a first-time owner, puppy classes or training classes are still beneficial because they teach you how to train the dog, and don’t just teach basic commands.

One area that you might need to pay special attention to is the barking. Vizslas, especially, are prone to excessive barking especially when they get excited or anxious. You may not be able to train the dog to not bark, but you should be able to teach them to quieten down on command.

Grooming

The two parent breeds offer a mixed bag when it comes to grooming requirements. The Golden Retriever has a long and luscious coat. It looks stunning and is very inviting, but it also sheds profusely. Regular brushing is needed to help combat this shedding. The Vizsla, although it has a short coat, is also somewhat prone to shedding.

This means that the hybrid breed will also shed but the level of grooming required will depend on whether it has a short coat or long coat. If your mix has the Retriever coat, brush daily. If it has the shorter Vizsla coat, brush once or twice a week.

Health and Conditions

Both parent breeds are susceptible to certain health conditions and hereditary diseases. Because this is a hybrid, it means that the mix is less likely to be prone to these problems, but there are some conditions that you still need to keep an eye out for.

Male vs Female

Males will usually grow to be bigger and heavier than females. This is true of both parent breeds, as it is with most dog breeds, which means that you can expect similar traits from the mixed breed. With regard to the characteristics of the different genders, some owners claim that females are more prone to moodiness and mood swings, while males are more loving. However, males need more attention and may be less independent.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix

1. They Come from Different Parts of the World

Both of these breeds have a long history, but they hail from different parts of the world. The Golden Retriever was bred in Scotland and was used to retrieve downed birds. It has a long coat to cope with the cold and wet Scottish weather so that it could retrieve birds from bogs and rivers. The Vizsla was bred in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and was also used for retrieving game, as well as hunting it. Records of the Vizsla date back to the 8^th Century and it is possible it existed before this time.

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2. They’re Very Intelligent

Golden Retrievers are used for search and rescue, therapy dogs, and as guide dogs. They are chosen because they are very intelligent and can learn appropriate behavior quickly while also being intelligent enough to determine what actions they should be taking according to external stimuli. The Vizsla is also classified as a highly intelligent breed, although it can be a little more stubborn.

The result is a very intelligent mix breed that also finds use as a service dog, and that can be trained quickly in experienced hands. It is also considered a suitable dog for first-time owners who can learn at the same time as the young dog.

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3. They Can Be Very Demanding

Golden Retrievers are obedient, loving, and loyal dogs that love to spend time with their owners. Vizslas are described as “Velcro dogs” because they will follow their owners everywhere and they will demand constant attention.

The Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix will be a demanding dog. Ensure that yours gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, and if you do go out to work all day, try building up to longer periods and consider getting a dog walker or sitter to come in and give the dog some attention during the day.

Final Thoughts

The Golden Retriever Vizsla Mix breed combines two highly intelligent and very energetic dogs. The mix will get along with family members, be good with strangers, and will usually also get along with dogs and other animals. It will have a very high energy level, however, and need plenty of daily exercise—you should expect to provide 90 minutes of exercise every day, and this should ideally be mentally stimulating as well as physically demanding.

You can also expect a dog that will follow you around and will demand attention and time with you, and one that might struggle with separation anxiety if it is left alone all day long, every day. The mix is considered a good breed for novice owners, though.

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Featured Image Credit: (L) Emil Priver, Unsplash | (R) Cole Wyland, Unsplash

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