Hugo & Mable are a pair of Hungarian Vizslas with amongst the most powerfully charming and attractive natures that I've ever come across, human or canine!
They are truly beautiful in so many ways. The rich, deep warmth of their coppery red coats is as a physical representation of their deeply warm and affectionate natures.
Hungarian Vizslas are reknowned for their gentle sensitivity and are supremely suited to life in a loving household, where they are loyal, doting and fearlessly protective of their family.
Hugo and Mable are so loving and so sensitive it is virtually impossible not to attribute human characteristics and feelings to them. They show love, affection, jealousy, anxiety, guilt, nonchalance, playfulness, excitement, happiness and just about every other trait seen in any partner in any happy and successful domestic relationship! I defy anyone to spend an hour with Hugo and Mable and still say that they are 'just dogs'!!!
Hungarian families have known for centuries that the Vizsla is far more than 'just a dog'.
Bred as working gun dogs, the Vizsla is an expert waterfowler, but unlike most working dogs, the Vizsla is also an excellent pet at home! Domestic pet dogs and working dogs don't usually mix very well, something that is seen in many rescued animals who are reared as working dogs and then taken into people's homes as pets.
Owners can have huge problems trying to turn a dog that's hard-wired to working farm life into a docile family pet who is content to be left at home, indoors, for hours at a time while the owners go to work, or shopping, or wherever, and then given a short walk round the block or round the park!
Vizslas, however, have always been adaptable and are truly happy indoors or out! They are certainly quite lively, needing ample stimulation, but they are also very, very happy to climb up onto your lap and cuddle you with paws & nose draped across your shoulder!! Fantastic with children, fun, affectionate and loyal, Hungarian Vizsla charisma is a winner all round.
Hugo and Mable are truly wonderful dogs. At nearly 9 years old, Hugo is the statesman in the house.
He's regal, calm, funny and affectionate indoors but unfortunately not quite so easy out on his walks any more. He had a nasty accident a few years ago when another, rather boisterous, dog jumped on his back and fractured his spine. He's had to endure difficult and dangerous surgery and it's been a long, painful road to recovery.
He'll never be as strong as he was before, and great care has to be taken with his back, but Hugo is a real stalwart and is so easy with his love and warmth that there's not much sign of previous injury at all indoors! He can't jump onto your lap, but he does work his way up and he has absolutely worked his way into my heart! I love him!!
It's only really when you're out with him that his injuries become apparent. He is, very understandably, pretty nervous of other dogs and will bark warnings and do everything to make sure they stay away. I think we can all relate to that... if you'd had an accident and painful injuries, you'd protect yourself too! Hugo is just the same!! He's easily distracted though, and his owners are always looking out for other dogs and will take him away from them to avoid confrontation. Once the threat has been passed, Hugo goes back to the business of having fun and enjoying his walks as much as Mable!
Mable is younger, at nearly 5 years old. She's more agile than Hugo, for sure, but she's also a lot cheekier!! Out on a walk she darts about looking for ways to press Hugo into play, or any other dog that happens to come by!
She is also very protective of Hugo and seems to understand his difficulties. While she goads him to play, she also makes sure no other dogs will approach him. It certainly makes for interesting walks, and, knowing their history it is really interesting to see how they interact and to observe their body language and habits.
I've met quite a few dogs now as I do more pet portraits, and having spent time with them all to get to know them and observe their behaviours and characteristics, it's easy to fall into the habit of 'humanising' them, attributing human explanation and rationale to their thinking and behaviours. The more time I spend with dogs, the less inclined I am not to humanise them! Hugo and Mable are so expressive in terms of body language and other forms of non-verbal communication, it's practically impossible not to imagine what they would be saying if they could speak our language!!
The other thing that has really struck me as peculiar to the Vizslas is the way they wag their tails! Held straight out horizontally their tails wag at a terrific speed, it's delightful and quite comical to see!! It's also very noticeable that the tails are shortened. Many people now see docking as cruel, but in this case it's really a necessity. The tip of the tail is very thin, whippy and easily damaged. As the dogs have a habit of wagging side-to-side, it is easy for the tip to get torn in undergrowth and on branches. They bleed readily, leave sores that are open to infection, and, understandably it would be extremely painful. Taking the tip off the tail of a newborn pup is harmless and safe, and saves them from a huge amount of danger and discomfort throughout life! I'm not going to argue with that!
There will always be someone who says that their dogs have never injured their tails in their lives, but I probably wouldn't take the risk. That's a personal choice, and I respect all arguments and decisions that are intelligently made; the health and welfare of the dog is the utmost important thing here! I have no interest in show dogs that suffer to be perfect in the eyes of the various Kennel Clubs! Dogs should be strong, healthy and, above all, happy!! Hugo and Mable are just that. They are beautiful dogs in every kind of way... the only trouble is, I couldn't take them home!!!
Rebecca, X.
www.rtphotographics.co.ukrebecca@rtphotographics.co.uk
