# Leaving vizsla outside



## Souter millar

We just got our first vizsla a couple weeks ago. We have named her tweed and she is an amazing little thing. I was wondering what people think about leaving her outside. We play with her all day just now because I am off work, I did read heaps of stories saying that we can't leave a vizsla outside. At the end of the day though I thought, nah she is a dog, not a person and she will stay wherever we want her to stay. I have built her a very spacious and insulated kennel. We first left her outside when she was just 8 weeks old, we live in New Zealand and the weather is fairly mild at this time of year, 5c min low at night. She won't even sleep in the kennel, she prefers to sleep on our covered deck, we haven't had any trouble at all with crying, she seems to love it out there. I was going to get her a jacket for the colder months, she will be about 7 months then. What are all your guys thoughts?


----------



## Henning

Hi Souter millar,

To be honest, I don't know why you are asking our opinion. You have read "heaps of stories" so you also know the general consensus. It seems to me that you have already made up your mind anyway.

Please post some pictures of Tweed. 

Henning


----------



## Souter millar

Hey Henning,
I appreciate your reply and after reading my post, maybe I didn't word it too well. What I suppose I was asking, is the reason for people not wanting to keep them outside because of the cold or because they love being with there people? Because keeping a dog in my bedroom is a big no no for me. I was actually planning on keeping her indoors (because of the research) until I went and picked her up. The breeder (highly thought if over here) had been keeping them outdoor since birth. Her mother also lived outside and it was one of the happiest most obedient dogs you could imagine. Does anybody else in this forum keep there vizsla outside or has anybody had trouble with this in the past? I will try to get some photos on soon, once I figure out this new phone lol.


----------



## born36

My Mac would kill me if I left him outside.


----------



## Henning

No worries, Souter millar.

It's not that my boy doesn't like being outside, he loves it, it's about being excluded. He is part of the family. He is not just a dog and I can see that we have a stronger bond than any of my previous pets. 

Soon we will be hunting together and personally I am a lot more confident because of our strong bond. I wouldn't exchange him for a dog that follows all my commands to the t and not understand him like I do, vice versa.

Henning


----------



## Nelly

Hi Souter millar and welcome, congrats on your new Vizsla, Tweed.

I cannot give you a fully personal response as I would never keep a dog outside, especially a Vizsla or similarly-natured breed. 

However, I do not live in a country, or environment where this would be possible even if I wanted to. (Scotland - freezing!)

As you will already know, the Vizsla is like velcro; a completely loyal companion and a dog to be part of the family. That is not to say the Vizsla MUST be sleeping in the bed or lying on the couch as they will feel as much a part of the family lying at your feet. 

There was a discussion here not too long ago about 'outside dogs' - I'm sorry I can't find it, maybe someone else can link the thread.

I imagine that the breeder kept multiple dogs, making it easier to keep them outside in kennels and perhaps the only means possible for her home + vocation. 

I would ask you why you would rather have her live outside? Because of the breeder's set-up? Will she be allowed in the house at all? I know plenty of people that do not let their dogs on furniture, it requires training obviously, but it is no biggie at the end of the day. 

Also I am not judging in the least so please don't take any of that the wrong way. Vizslas are desperate to please and thrive on interaction. Without it they can easily become quite anxious, destructive and esteemed escape artists. They are not dogs to entertain themselves.

5 degrees C is pretty low to me if I picked you up right, so I would definitely get her a coat.


----------



## Henning

http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,10469.msg78467.html#msg78467


----------



## Nelly

Thanks Henning! 

It might not be completely relevant, Souter millar, as you have said that Tweed seems to like it, but there might be some info in there that is interesting to you.


----------



## CatK

My other half gave a definitive NO to having the dog in the bedroom. Therefore our V is in his crate at night, two floors lower than us. He settled into this arrangement quickly and settles well in his crate. (I may sneak him up when the OH is away for work...)

My partner and I planned not to allow him on the sofas, but very quickly realised that a vizsla cuddle is one of the most lovely things in the world, and that if you want to do it for hours (which you may well want to once you realise they're like a warm silky velvet duvet) you need to be comfy, which means being on the sofa.

As soon as you discover the cuddle and see how happy they are when they snuggle into you, you suddenly can't imagine having them sleep outside.

Like Nelly, no judgement in this, just my experience...


----------



## MCD

My puppy gets destructive if you leave her alone outside- she will dig to China and gosh only knows what she will put in her mouth! They are truly Velcro dogs. We play with her for hours on end outside in the yard or take her for walks and she goes in the car with us when we can take her. Each dog is an individual as are their owners. I was just discussing getting her a Chilly Dogs Great North winter coat with the owner of the company in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) and she said that sometimes puppies in their first winters need coats in order to regulate temperature and not get cold. It is fine if they are extremely active but when they stop it becomes a problem. I have found that on this forum every one is entitled to their own thoughts..... But play nice. That is what makes this forum son great and unlike any other. Welcome to the forum.


----------



## v-john

And, we just had a post about a vizsla stolen too. That would worry me the most.


----------



## GarysApollo

No undercoat! The Vizsla can be out in the cold, but if mine are not active they are shivering their a**** off. They are not ment to be left out in cold temps.


----------



## Melissa_DT

My boy Bentley is definitely a prime example of a velco dog - he always wants to be wherever I am in the house...even tries to follow me into the washroom. He thrives on our interactions and seems like the most content dog in the world just to be spending time with me wherever we may be. He even whines when I close him out of the bathroom so i definitely couldn't imagine him being left alone outside, he would not do well. My opinion after experiencing this breed first hand (Bentley will now be 1 next month) is that they very much love to be part of the family and should be included as such. There can be boundaries set (ie - not allowed in the bedroom) but ultimately I feel that this breed in particular does best when they can be included as much as possible. I also have to admit, I do love having him follow me around because Vizsla cuddles are the best 

If you are going to keep her outside, I would definitely recommend a jacket of some kind. I use a jacket for Bentley in the colder months because otherwise he shivers like crazy. 

As others have said, I'm not passing any judgement here, just offering my personal experience with my boy.


----------



## solefald

I do not understand the point of getting a Vizsla too keep outside...


----------



## pippylongstocking

I don't understand why any domestic dog would be kept outside, (just how I was bought up ) but appreciate that everyone has choices. However, a vizsla is no ordinary dog. They are special. I wouldn't want my Ester to sleep outside at any time of the year. Just my opinion.


----------



## Souter millar

Awesome replies people, pretty much what I was expecting. I brought her inside last night but she cried until I let her outside. She is inside whenever I am home/not outside playing with her, she is not allowed on the furniture, which is my partners rule, so I end up in the floor with the dog because I know she loves being with me. I have had a couple of amazing dogs in the past but I still could not believe how quickly a vizsla makes a strong bond with you, I know it's in there blood but it still makes you feel a bit special the dog not wanting to leave your side. Thanks for the having the time to answer my question folks and I'm sure il be making another post in time, although Tweed is unbelievably obedient for her age she has a glint of mischief in her eyes lol.


----------



## Darcy1311

If I was to keep Darcy outside she would shrivel up and die, she is the life and soul of the house and I would miss so much of her in her little crazy ways and wild moments. Darcy is most definitely in indoor dog plain and simple.In my opinion,,,,,and it's only my opinion if you want an outdoor pet buy a cat.


----------



## Souter millar

Hahaha, no chance we are getting a cat lol. Don't get me wrong she is inside the whole time that I am home so we don't really miss her as the only time she is outside is when we are in bed, we go of bed about 10pm and I'm usually awake before 6, she comes in the house first thing in the morning.


----------



## Darcy1311

I would be so scared of someone stealing Darcy if she was out all night, In fact I am so paranoid of someone breaking in and stealing her..as with the thread on this forum some scumbag has just stolen a Vizsla...probably of the travelling fraternity using their special key......a pikey... :-\


----------



## Souter millar

Yeah, that is shocking, luckily over here in NZ there's not really any gypsies as such. I'm actually from Scotland and have had a few run ins with the travelling people in the past. Saying that here in NZ just now there is a sick group of people who are going about attaching a pink ribbon to people's fences. After that they come and steal your dog for fighting. It's mostly aimed at pit bull and mastiff types dogs but non the less they are scumbags, hope they get caught soon.


----------



## Watson

I can't imagine leaving ours outside. We are more attached to him than he is to us at times. We initially didn't want to let him on furniture. In the bed?... NO WAY! That didn't last long, he now is where we are. If we're eating breakfast, he's sitting in one of our chairs leaning up against our backs. Someone has to go to the bathroom, make room for two! Wouldn't want it any other way!


----------



## Souter millar

Yeah, she does want to be with us the whole time, luckily she uses soo much energy during the day she sleeps through. We do not let her inside when we are eating though, and I shut the door when I go toilet, she sits outside the door but no chance is she allowed in lol. If I have left her outside for whatever reason during the day for too long she will cry to be let in but like I said earlier she doesn't cry during the night. Once she wraps herself up in her poker fleece blanket that's her content for the night, hopefully it stays that way lol.


----------



## Carolina Blue

Sorry..but I could not fathom leaving K outside. The V is not an outside dog by nature. They are trainable. If you dont desire a particular behavior, then train the dog to not do it.


----------



## WireyV

I live in the inner city with a small garden, I had envisioned having the dog be inside when people were home, but outside when we were not. 

That only lasted about 2 days of (according to the neighbours) pretty constant barking/howling. So she began to be crated inside. 

I now leave her with access to the back of the house and outside while I am at work, I will often leave bones and frozen treats outside to convince her to spend some time out there, but I will almost always come home to a half eaten bone and grizzle on my couch or carpet! (see photo evidence below of how she gets the bone's through the dog door!)

Yesterday I was cleaning the house and needed to put the dog outside, so I closed off the dog door and she was having a fit about it! so she hasnt really out grown that horror of being locked out in the almost year I have had her 

That said she is often happy to go have some time out in her (seldom used) outdoor kennel on her own terms, mostly for watching birds.


----------



## mlwindc

My one year old v freaks out when we leave him outside. He pretty much stands at the door and wonders why he's not inside with us or why we aren't outside with him


----------



## harrigab

I keep Ruby inside for pretty much the same reason as I keep my kids inside ;D


----------



## CatK

I'm getting to be just as bad as he is though. I wash up, he stands himself between my shins and the cupboard, if he's not there I feel lonely!

If the door swings shut while ours is outside then we get a little face at the glass


----------



## mswhipple

All dogs are pack animals, and I think this is especially true of the Vizsla. They just want to be with their pack. ;D ;D


----------



## Nelly

Not a Vizsla, but like a Vizsla!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6rTnULor2Q


----------



## CatK

I've always loved this one - trying to read with a vizsla...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQGbjwTW35k

I was doing this with M and a laptop last night


----------



## MeandMy3

Our labs could stay outside all day and not be bothered about it. However, our V will only stay outside as long as her "sisters" or her people are with her. When she realizes she is alone outside, she makes a beeline for the door. Pretty funny to watch her ears flap in the breeze.


----------

