There are two different types of Vizsla - smooth-haired and wirehaired Vizslas.
Smooth-Haired Vizsla History
Smooth-haired Vizslas can be traced back a very long way to their roots in Hungary in the 9th century, hence their name, "Hungarian Vizslas". Their use was not as similar back, they were mainly used to catch rats or as toy pet dogs.
During the 1800s Vizslas almost went extinct due to the high demand for English and German Pointers, but the Vizsla just survived. Then again just after World War 2 they faced extinction due to the fact that people were trying to rebuild their lives after the war and had no time for dogs.
Vizslas were gradually rebuilt and used for the breeding and development of other breeds of dog. Nowadays their main use in as Gundogs but they are also becoming very popular as family pets due to their loving nature and their need for attention.
Wirehaired Vizsla History
Wirehaired Vizslas are less common than their smooth-haired relatives and are in fact a completely different breed of dog. Wirehaired Vizslas were developed by breeding smooth-haired Vizslas with German Wirehaired Pointers. The aim of the breeding was to produce a dog that could work better in bad conditions and a long coat would protect it from the cold.
The wirehaired Vizslas were continuously bread and like their smooth-haired relatives faced extinction at times, but are now also used as Gundogs and pets.