Home / Breeds / Compare / Vizsla vs Portuguese Pointer
Hungary produced the Vizsla, a medium sized pointing gundog bred to quarter open ground at speed, find game birds by scent and point them rock steady. From Portugal, the Portuguese Pointer is a medium sized pointing gundog whose traditional work was to range open ground at speed, catch game birds on the scent and hold them under a rock steady point. The two are put side by side here on the numbers that actually differ: size, exercise, grooming, what each costs to keep, and the health tests a breeder should show you.
The biggest gap is monthly cost: the modeled total is about $102 a month for the Vizsla against $80 for the Portuguese Pointer.
The next biggest gap is shedding: the Portuguese Pointer is rated 4 of 5 against 3 of 5 for the Vizsla.
The third gap worth noting is size: the middle of the Vizsla weight range is about 52 lb against 47.5 lb for the Portuguese Pointer.
| Vizsla | Portuguese Pointer | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Sporting | Sporting |
| Origin | Hungary | Portugal |
| Height | 21 to 24 in | 19 to 22 in |
| Weight | 44 to 60 lb | 35 to 60 lb |
| Lifespan | 12 to 14 years | 12 to 14 years |
| Coat | Short, smooth, dense coat lying close to the body, with no undercoat to speak of. It sheds lightly year round and needs little more than a weekly once over with a grooming mitt. | Short, close hard, dense. |
| Temperament | Driven, intelligent, steady and companionable | Energetic, loyal, focused and kind at home |
| Energy | 5 of 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Trainability | 4 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Grooming needs | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Shedding | 3 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Barking | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| With children | Good with children | Good with children |
| With other dogs | Usually good with dogs | Usually good with dogs |
| With strangers | Friendly with strangers | Friendly with strangers |
| Apartment fit | Not ideal | Not ideal |
| Daily exercise | 60 to 120 min | 60 to 120 min |
| Food per month (model) | $34 (3.2 cups a day) | $32 (3.0 cups a day) |
| Insurance per month (model) | $50 to $85 | $34 to $61 |
| Monthly total (model) | $84 to $119 | $66 to $93 |
| Yearly total (model) | $1,005 to $1,425 | $789 to $1,113 |
| Lifetime total (model) | $12,061 to $19,951 | $9,474 to $15,589 |
| Breeder health tests | 4 recommended tests | Panel not published yet |
| Health watch | Hip screening and eye checks are the core, with epilepsy and some cancers discussed openly by the breed club. Generally an athletic, clean breed. Ask to see health test results for both parents before you commit to a puppy; a good breeder will offer them before you ask. | Hip and elbow scoring and annual eye checks are the backbone of gundog health testing, and most gundog breeds also have DNA tests for the conditions found in their lines. Ask the breeder for the full panel, not just a vet checked claim. |
The two are level on the first-time-owner score, so daily temperament and the sections below decide this one.
Portuguese Pointer: matches the Vizsla on the apartment rating ("Not ideal") and edges ahead on the tie-breaks: barking, then daily exercise, then size.
Both are listed the same way for children and tie on the tie-breaks; supervision matters more than the breed label in this row.
Vizsla: sheds less, rated 3 of 5 for shedding against 4 of 5 for the Portuguese Pointer. Loose hair in the home is what shedding measures, and only loosely; no breed is allergen-free.
Portuguese Pointer: runs about $22 a month less than the Vizsla on modeled food plus insurance ($80 against $102 at the midpoints).
How the Vizsla and Portuguese Pointer verdicts are scored: the first-time-owner verdict uses 2 x trainability + (6 - energy) + (6 - grooming) + (6 - barking). Apartment living ranks the apartment rating first, then barking, exercise and weight. The children verdict ranks the children rating, then trainability and stranger friendliness. Allergy ranks lowest shedding first, then grooming. Budget ranks the lowest monthly modeled total. Where the Vizsla and the Portuguese Pointer finish level, the verdict is declared a tie.
On the modeled figures the Vizsla costs more month to month: about $102 a month at the midpoint of food plus insurance, against $80 for the Portuguese Pointer. Across the lifespan ranges, the model gives $12,061 to $19,951 for the Vizsla and $9,474 to $15,589 for the Portuguese Pointer. These are planning estimates, not quotes.
They tie here: both plan on 60 to 120 minutes a day, with energy rated 5 of 5 for the Vizsla against 5 of 5 for the Portuguese Pointer.
The Vizsla sheds less, rated 3 of 5 for shedding against 4 of 5 for the Portuguese Pointer. Coat notes for the Vizsla: Short, smooth, dense coat lying close to the body, with no undercoat to speak of. It sheds lightly year round and needs little more than a weekly once over with a grooming mitt.
Not equally. The Portuguese Pointer is the better fit for an apartment: it matches the Vizsla on the apartment rating ("Not ideal") and edges ahead on the tie-breaks, barking, then daily exercise, then size.
Choosing between more than two? Open the comparison tool and put up to four breeds side by side, or read all written breed comparisons.
Breed facts for the Vizsla and the Portuguese Pointer follow the standards and club guidance summarized on each breed profile. Cost figures are modeled estimates for planning, labeled with their basis, and are not quotes or veterinary advice. Health test panels are the recommendations published by the breed clubs and CHIC, as set out on each breed's health testing page.