# Too little too late?



## MyV&Me (3 mo ago)

Hello everyone,

My vizsla is named Paisley and she is 8 years old. I’ve always thought of her as well behaved and friendly. She doesn’t ever damage items. She did obedience training and follows commands. She is always loving and playful with everyone she meets. She is a healthy weight and has no bad medical conditions.

When I found this forum I was shocked by some of the high expectations and aggressive comments in the vizsla-owning community. It makes me really self-conscious and afraid.

For example, none of my family members work from home and there are some people insisting this is necessary. Paisley has always done well on her own for a few hours and when I have people stay with her she is typically will just sleep or play with her toys.

Likewise, Paisley has always gotten an average of 1.5 hours of exercise a day both on leash and off leash. This is not including playing toys around the house or going up and down stairs with me as we do chores. However, I’ve noticed many people insisting there is nowhere near enough. When she was about a year old I tried running with her and she never seemed to like it. She always wanted to stop and point at animals.

Am I failing at being a parent? Will this post give me all the harsh criticism I’ve seen on other posts? Do I deserve to get a vizsla again in the future?


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## TrumpetBlast (Jun 27, 2020)

I wouldn't sweat it. No dog is like all the rest, and if your routine works for you, keep doing what you're doing. There is a lot of variation in every breed, and this includes Vizslas. Sounds to me like you have a good dog and a good life- enjoy it!


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## DrogoNevets (5 mo ago)

You’ve gotten 8 years and have a dog you’re happy with.

Yes some people, maybe even myself, have high expectations, but they are our expectations. If you have the dog you’re happy with and can love why change a formula that works?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix.


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## samsmom (Nov 16, 2009)

Paisley sounds like the perfect dog!! I pray my Ruby will become a good dog one day (she is a **** hound right now), like my first Vizsla Samantha. She was such a chill dog - loved walks in the park as well as sleeping on the couch. Some people want that active high performing Vizsla- which is great! But I’m with you and want a happy, loving, velcro pet😀


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

MyV&Me said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> My vizsla is named Paisley and she is 8 years old. I’ve always thought of her as well behaved and friendly. She doesn’t ever damage items. She did obedience training and follows commands. She is always loving and playful with everyone she meets. She is a healthy weight and has no bad medical conditions.
> 
> ...


I would not take peoples opinions personal. We each have different experiences with our own vizslas. We are not the same, just as our dogs are not the same. One dog has a very happy life with leash walks, and off lead runs mixed in during the week. A different dog may drive it’s owner crazy, if not ran off lead twice a day.
Some nap with left at home for hours, others can tear up a Sherman tank if left alone for to long.

As for as puppies, I see them differently than adult dogs. There needs need to be met. They can’t be expected not to soil there crates, if there is not a plan to take them out often.


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## MyV&Me (3 mo ago)

texasred said:


> As for as puppies, I see them differently than adult dogs. There needs need to be met. They can’t be expected not to soil there crates, if there is not a plan to take them out often.


I do agree with the puppy comment. I got my vizsla when I was in school before I worked full time. She was let out very often and given constant attention her first couple of years. I’m speaking more of what I’ve done around age 5 and on.


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## MyV&Me (3 mo ago)

TrumpetBlast said:


> I wouldn't sweat it. No dog is like all the rest, and if your routine works for you, keep doing what you're doing. There is a lot of variation in every breed, and this includes Vizslas. Sounds to me like you have a good dog and a good life- enjoy it!


 Thank you for the kind words! Paisley was the smallest of her litter as well. I’m not sure if that factors into energy levels. Either way, she is a major source of joy for me and I see her wagging her tail all the time so I’m sure she’s happy too.


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## MyV&Me (3 mo ago)

samsmom said:


> Paisley sounds like the perfect dog!! I pray my Ruby will become a good dog one day (she is a **** hound right now), like my first Vizsla Samantha. She was such a chill dog - loved walks in the park as well as sleeping on the couch. Some people want that active high performing Vizsla- which is great! But I’m with you and want a happy, loving, velcro pet😀


Best of luck with Ruby! I’m sure you’re doing great! I think mental stimulation is still very important even with a high energy breed. Maybe once your little one gets the hang of her commands she will be all set!


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## BellaVT (12 mo ago)

MyV&Me said:


> I do agree with the puppy comment. I got my vizsla when I was in school before I worked full time. She was let out very often and given constant attention her first couple of years. I’m speaking more of what I’ve done around age 5 and on.


This sounds right to me: puppy Vizslas are very demanding of time and attention, but as older well-adjusted dogs they can be much more self-sufficient. I think most of the "aggressive" comments you see here are directed at people who are getting a puppy but are hoping to treat it they way they would an older well-adjusted dog. Since whatever you did produced an older well-adjusted dog, you must have gotten the first part right. You know what you are getting into, and thus should feel confident that you can do it again.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Too many folks want to get hung up on “ perfect”. Nobody gives a dog the perfect home. We try our best, and at the end of the day if the dog is fed, cared for, safe and secure, and most of all a valued member of the household, that’s all it’s asking for.
“Exercise” needs to be defined. Dogs don’t really do exercise. They do need to be kept in shape for their own good, but they’ll do that on their own given the correct environment, and opportunity.
Most folks are not getting their dogs out for 1.5 hours a day. That’s quite a bit actually. 1.5 hours of walking is probably 4-5 miles for the human, and three times that distance for the dog.
Some days Finn is out for 3-4 hours, some days less, but he can’t really handle more than 3 days in a row, before he needs a deep recovery period in the house. All my V’s have kind of been the same.
My wife tells me that I “ whomp him out” on the weekends, and he spends a few days just resting when I go back to work on Monday,😉


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

OP if it works for you and your dog all is fine! I won't repeat what others have said that I had already marked helpful in the thread, such a great community here! I did just want to say that I'm one of those that does communicate my opinion based on my experience and research that these dogs should be allowed at least 20-30min (more is always better) of off leash time in nature per day. I'm sure there are plenty of happy V's without it as well. It is just helpful information especially with young dogs and people (as I did as a new owner) post about how do I get the energy spent on my pup. I also think a lot of suggestions and feedback may seem like a warning for many where they may question their choices. I think it does serve a purpose as people coming here to research the breed before getting one should really understand the spectrum of possibilities and expectations before plunging in. I wish I found this site prior to getting Ellie as it would have really helped the early puppy phase of "what the **** did I just do getting this dog". It seems a vast majority of "professional" dog information content on the web doesn't tell the full story.

Bottom line, if you and your dog are happy and healthy, A-OK!


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