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It’s Pronounced ‘Veeshluh’

Sep 19th, 2008
by Margaret.

If you’re in New York and want people to just walk right up to you and constantly interrupt your dinner and talk to you and give you lots of attention short of asking for an autograph, simply bring a dog along. But you don’t want to bring just any dog, you want the Ferrari of dogs. You want people to stop in their tracks, crane their necks and yell, “What is that, a Vizsla?”

I am referring to what must be THE dog to have right now and DennisTheVizsla knows what I’m talking about.

I’m having dinner with a friend on the Upper East Side the other night (Spigolo at 81st and 2nd, if you must know) and I SWEAR TO GOD! Every 15 minutes. Passersby would crawl up to our table —  New York strangers, mind you — and coo and cuddle and pet. The dog, that is.

“Is that a Viszla?”, they’d ask in wonder as if they’d never seen one before.

OK, maybe I’m not being fair. Come to think of it, I guess I’ve never seen one in real life before either, and maybe I’m bemused because I am childless and petless, so I have no justifiable reason to ever talk to strangers, but I’ll complain until I’m blue in the face about how nobody talks to each other any more. How we’ve lost our sense of community. How if I even try to engage in conversation with a stranger then he or she will utter more than a terse grunt only if he or she is crazy, because only wacko, desperate and deranged people talk to strangers. Which means plenty of people think I’m crazy. But dogs give lonely people an awesome excuse to talk to each other.

Perhaps DennisTheVizsla can bark in on this topic as to whether it’s the breed or the whole dog species that promotes such congeniality among otherwise hostile people. Or maybe all you other dog owners out there know about this odd behavior. Is there some sort of caste system? Like if you have a mutt and try to talk to someone with a dolled up poodle, will the poodle owner snub you? Do good-looking dog owners get approached more often? Do certain breeds increase your chances for conversation?

Anyway may I introduce the lovely and talented 7-month-old Tawny with whom I had a very interrupted dinner?

Hey, did you know that Clifford the Big Red Dog was a Viszla?

Me neither!

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Posted in: animals.

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  • http://jamieandtnt.blogspot.com Jamie

    Cute. I just lost my English Bulldog a few months ago. All he was good for, besides farting and snoring, was he was a DUDE magnant.
    If I weren’t married…I would have been able to have sex for days with strange men.

  • http://cabbages-n-kings.blogspot.com Jenn Thorson

    Well, I learned something new today. I expected the Viszla to be a teeny little thing– something Paris Hilton carries in a purse. But look! It’s a real dog– and cute, too.
    Funny how certain breeds become trendy. Doesn’t seem right to me somehow. Get a dog because you love it, not because it’s the hottest model out there right now. :)

  • http://onediasozarks.blogspot.com Onedia

    Can’t go anywhere with our black and white Japanese Chin, Betty, without feeling like I am with a rock star.

  • http://fatcatcrochet.blogspot.com Linda

    She is beautiful. And apparently well behaved. My Mutt would have been a total spaz with all those people stopping to “talk” to her!
    Enjoy New York!

  • http://imnotneurotic.blogspot.com Abby

    Beautiful dog! I agree with Jenn, I thought it was going to be something teeny tiny.

  • http://margeauxj.blogspot.com MJ

    I had never had a dog in my life until I got Panther, my Yorkie. He’s tiny (he’s a teacup Yorkie), so he’s super cute and people have a hard time figuring out if he’s real or if I’m just some crazy lady carrying around a stuffed animal.
    After I first got him, I about had a panic attack after I took him to the mall for the first time in Atlanta. I was totally bombarded, and then people wanted to show me pictures of their dogs. AHHHHHHHHH!
    I’m a little more used to it now, but it’s still disturbing.

  • http://wordsofwisdomfromasmartmouthbroad.blogspot.com Smart Mouth Broad

    Adorable! Who can resist commenting on such a cutie!

  • http://www.mybluestreak.blogspot.com Blue Streak

    that´s funny. I never thought about there being a caste system, but there must be. I don´t have dogs or kids either, just a cat, which actually makes people not want to come to my house. So I don´t think I could have worse prospects for other living beings bringing me human interaction.

  • http://www.dennisthevizsla.com dennisthevizsla

    hello ngip its dennis the vizsla dog hay thank yoo for the showt owt yes vizslas ar reel dogs and not teeny tiny altho my brother tucker is kind of a midjit ha ha we ar hunting dogs and notoryusly hi enerjy altho agin not my brother tucker but thats becuz he is old i am told he wuz kwite the spaz wen he wuz yunger ennyway i wil admit its troo we ar a gud luking bunch of pups and we ar gud boys and girls just as long as we get owr eksersize!!!! ok bye

  • http://thetrailerparksfarm.com Mrs Parks

    Who knew…
    I guess I must live in a part of the “country” where everybody has a dog and nobody cares about your dog unless it chases your sheep or kills your chickens.
    Dennis looks and sounds like a very good dog.

  • http://fromthehouseofedward.blogspot.com Pamela

    Edward and I are well acquainted with Viszla’s as there is one who is a regular at the dog park we often visit. Yours is a beauty!
    We are here via the black box thingy, and have really enjoyed our visit!

  • http://mojo11.blogspot.com/ Mojo

    I had no idea about Clifford, but I might have suspected.
    The phenomenon you’re describing is hardly new. All those 70′s era “How to Pick Up Chicks” books included sections on how to choose your dog for maximum chick magnetism. I’ve heard I mean. Not that I ever actually read any of these you understand.
    As for what breeds, etc, are the best conversation lubricant… I’d say the entire dog species does a pretty good job, and the specific breed is less important than having one that’s either too adorable for words or … unique. And in a good way. It’s hard to win friends and influence people if you’re walking Forrest Hump for example. Something like a Rottweiler or Doberman or German Shepherd Dog is going to intimidate all but the stout-hearted and a Pit Bull or Staffordshire Terrier is going to do worse than that.
    The Viszla, along with its cousin the Wiemeraner (usually a little larger and silver-gray rather than red) are unique enough that people wonder what they are, but not so big that they’re afraid to ask.
    Whether pure-bred or mutt (actually the term “All-American” is the PC term for them now) is largely a matter of personal taste. I’ve always had mu…erm… “All Americans” and find they’re generally much better companions. Plus the unique factor is kind of built in.
    But my current best friend, Tonka, even though he’s an “All American” looks for all the world like a pure-bred black Labrador Retriever. Enough that he can pass if the company isn’t made up of show judges. So I have the best of both worlds as far as appearance goes.
    Unfortunately he’s pretty much a social retard, so he’s not much good for picking up…erm… meeting people most of the time. He doesn’t much care for people at large, and he’s not always subtle about letting them know it. Especially if he thinks there’s a sniff of a threat to his bestest human pal (that’d be me).
    So it’s not the breed really, it’s the manners. If your dog is friendly — and yeah, it helps if they’re good looking — s/he’ll probably get you a few more hits in the meatosphere.
    ‘Cause dogs just rock that way.

  • http://twogirlsformama.blogspot.com/ Sandra

    Wow! What a cutie pie. My brother has a Viszla puppy who is now 25 lbs and only a few months old. She gets tons of attention because, well, she’s a puppy, but also because she’s unique. I’d never heard of them before until he started telling me about the breed he was going to get. He’s always had labs until now. Ella, the puppy, will be a real live hunting bird dog. She’s already pointing which is so cute. She doen’t even know why she does it.
    To anyone interested, pop on over to my side if you want to see a cute puppy Viszla. (not trying to plug myself…I just know that everyone loves a puppy).
    http://twogirlsformama.blogspot.com/search/label/Pets

  • http://laurinandkellytalk.com Laurin

    There’s just something about a Vizsla. Maybe it’s the name or maybe it’s that they are interesting-looking (a red Weimaraner I call them).
    We had to get a Vizsla after spending time with my Aunt and Uncle’s two. Now, my parents also have one. They are fun, unusual dogs with the most interesting personalities. Viva la Vizsla! Sorry.

  • http://honeywine.wordpress.com honeywine

    Even though I’ve had my mini-poodle Pascal for a year, I’m still amazed at that phenomena. There really is a caste system and it seems to go by dog size. I notice it most in PetSmart. I don’t take Pascal out in public with me much (usually once a year for the vet or if I take a roadtrip and have no one to leave him with), but he is a living doll (I know I’m prejudiced, but he IS). I usually get stopped because people don’t know what he is since I refuse that stupid poodle cut business. But really, it’s nearly impossible to avoid a cute, well behaved dog!

  • http://www.shoutdaily.com Tricia

    I can’t even pronounce that breed.
    We have German Shepherds, which means people typically cross to the other side of the street to avoid us cause…you know…GS Dogs are all attack dogs or something.
    That not talking to people thing, it bugs me too. My husband likes to remind me that Americans are a seemingly cold group of people.

  • http://alimartell.com ali

    Clifford looks exactly NOTHING like a viszla. heh.

  • http://www.lovetheeclecticlife.blogspot.com Your Pal Pinki

    Tawny must be very well behaved to dine out in public. We never really paid much attention to dogs before we got our little girl. Now we understand why people are so crazy about their dogs and even carry pics of them in their wallets (we keep them in our phones). Ours is a sweetie pie and loves people to stop and give her attention. It can be annoying at times with strange, random people wanting to pet her.
    You and MrMudPuppy really need a dog, nothing large, maybe a border collie (they’re super smart like you guys), something you can take for walks and throw a frisby to.

  • i love dogs, but

    that’s one ugly mutt. Border collie, now that’s a beautiful dog. Or a chocolate lab.

  • http://midlifemisfit.com JANICE WATSON

    I’m amazed how dogs do help to start conversations, but I am one of those crazy people, who will start a conversation with ANYONE at any time, my husband asks “Who was that?” I dunno. I do worry about my antics incase people think I’m an escaped mental patient I’m just friendly and with dogs around I’m worse.

  • http://www.junecleavernirvana.com texasholly

    OMG. Too funny. I have an English Bulldog and can’t go anywhere with her without people falling over themselves to get close to her stinky face. I guess I just don’t get it.

  • http://www.midlifeslices.com Midlife Slices

    I’ve never heard of that brand of dog. It looks like a small greyhound and I’m certain I just insulted a whole bunch of Viszla owners. Peace. It was only an observation.

  • Bill Libbey

    I’d have interrupted your dinner too – what a stunning animal.

  • http://phhhst.blogspot.com/ phhhst

    When I was in NY I was amazed by the variety of purebred dogs. And yes, we stopped a lot of them to talk to their owners and ask them what kind of dog they had.

  • http://authoringauctioneer.com John J Savo, the Authoring Auc

    You should have put the dog in panties. That would have brought about a whole different breed of people who would have stopped and petted the dog.

  • http://www.colbymarshall.blogspot.com colbymarshall

    I also despise the way most people call the shih tzu a “shit zu”…URGGGGHHHH!!!

  • http://popeterry666.blogspot.com Alex L.

    I was expecting one of those hairless ones that look like rats. You can tell its still a pup though still got that WTF look on its face

  • http://www.lifejustkeepsgettingweirder.blogspot.com Anna Lefler

    What an awesome pup.
    Oh, and I agree with the commenter above about the pronunciation of shih tzu. The correct way to say it is “CRAP zoo.”
    Philistines.

  • http://www.travelingbells.blogspot.com Sandy B

    Hmmm, this is a new breed to me. Guess that one hasn’t made it to Mayberry yet!

  • http://wherehotcomestodie.blogspot.com Suzy

    If I could marry a dog, I would. And I’m talking about the 4 legged kind.
    Beautiful animal…

  • http://meandyouandellie.blogspot.com/ Ellie

    Go Cliford, Go Cliford, Go Cliford Go. Go Cliford, Go Cliford, Go-o-o-o-oh, Cliford Go.

  • http://www.boondockramblings.com Lisa

    I totally want one! I want to be cool. Totally….They are really cute.
    Wonder what would have happened if you’d had a teacup poodle in your purse?
    Oy! The paparazzi would have been everywhere..thinking you were Brittany or Paris or someone so cool to have a dog in their purse.
    ‘Round here they call that “disturbing” and grounds for “the men in white to be called.”

  • http://stephbrownthinks.blogspot.com Steph

    huh.. I thought clifford was a muppet or something? I guess you learn something new every day:)

  • http://www.barefootfoodie.com brittany

    Oh so cute!
    Are you alone in NY? I mean, anonymous canine inspired sex is allowed as long as you are in a different zip code as your spouse.

  • http://www.mydogumentary.wordpress.com gingela5

    Such a cute dog! I’ve only seen (and heard) of those on the Dog Whisperer!

  • http://georgienba.blogspot.com/ georgie

    that Viszla is the prettiest doggers I have seen ina long line of dogger blogs! wow…

  • Chris

    A friend of mine has 2 Viszlas and they are the TALK of their dog park and doggie daycare!! We have an English Mastiff, a 155lb brindle female, and taking her out in public – she’s like a celeb!! What, you people have never seen a ginormous dog before?? :-)