# Thoughts and Opinions on male vizslas



## jkt89 (Jan 11, 2013)

Hello All!

I was wondering if any of you could shed some light on what it's like to own a non-neutered male vizsla? I'm scheduled to bring home a little boy in 7 weeks and have been super excited! I've so been looking forward to this for nearly 7 months now. However, I'm starting to get cold feet and need some reassurance/answers. I've been wanting a vizsla for a long time now and have always assumed I'd be getting a *girl* (I've only ever owned female dogs), but lo and behold, the litter that I committed to is all boys. I'll be showing the dog through his championship, so neutering is not an option for at least a year. The more I research male dogs and recall past experiences with my friends' male dogs, the more worried I get. What are male vizslas like? Are they super dominant animals who try to hump everything/everyone in site? Will they pee all over the place when I take them to friends houses (ie mark their furniture)? These are undesirable characteristics in my eyes. I have friends who find their dogs marking in houses (and on people) humorous, and I just don't. Am I just over thinking this?


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Hi jkt89.

Question for you. Why are you getting a Hungarian Pointer? I have 5-year-old female and a 4-year-old male. They are different.

I love my male as a hunting partner. He is strong and tough as nails. Is he a PITA sometimes? You bet! A teen age athlete has to be channelled to be happy.

My female is soft and sweet and I love the heck out of the girl.

Maybe get one of each.

RBD


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Answer from our breeder about her dogs... 
girl V are a little more independent and listen better, the boys are velcro and prefer to stay by your side all the time. 
She said girls get sold first, and that I can have any boy I choose ... Perfect for me.

I had a GSD before and like obedience training but an intact V dog is more challenge because of all the explosive energy (and they talk back... haha). Sadly, I heard that other had trouble with Sam's litter mates.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Why don't you go hang out with some adult red boys if your breeder is close enough.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

lot of energy means a lot of time outside off lead - a tired V is a happy V - neutering will not lower their drive - put in the time & you will the pup of your dreams !


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

As for energy, it really depends. A female Vizsla (Hanna) which is a friend's dog is totally nuts. I mean hyperactive all the time. If I walk across the back yard and back, it's Like she hasn't seen me for a year. 

Ozkar is my intact male, he sits above my neutered male in energy levels, but is well below little Zsa Zsa's madness. Astro is just a chilled out dog unless hunting, so he's an exception to the hyper v rule........mostly.....


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

RBD's INTACT male has never once tried to mount my intact female. Our rescue boy, on the other hand, who was neutered at 4 months has tried to mount her multiple times. Neutering obviously didn't make him any better behaved...


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## Vida (Dec 26, 2011)

Welcome to the forum!
I have both a male and a female v. I always chose females but ended up owning a dog too ???
He's intact but never has a problem with humping or mounting,and is not aggressive. He does have boundless energy though,so be prepared for hours of off lead exercise every day.
You are very welcome to test drive either of mine if you live close enough??
I live in the southwest of England.
Can you get to any Vizz whizz's??? That's when v owners meet up. Then you can see how crazy our gingers are!


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Welcome.

My Mac is 20 months old now intact and not a humper or a marker of furniture. Outside though on a walk he will mark every minute. He is so good with his potty manners that he doesn't even go in the back garden I have to take him out front on the lead. So he isn't killing my grass either!

He has bonds of energy but trust me male or female this is a V trait. 

I agree with the others. Do you live in the UK?? If so we have regular Vizsla meet ups in the surrey area. 

Oh on the aggressive or dominate side Mac is a softy. Tough as far as injuries go but is never looking to pick a fight with other dogs or aggressive with people. He if anything suffers from over friendliness...."Hey Mac don't lick that man's forehead!!!"


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

I've owned three intact males through the years, and now I own two spayed females. In all honesty other than males lift their leg to pee, not much difference. The only physical difference I can perceive is that the males seem to recover faster, and have a longer work interval. In fairness though I know that my girlz' haven't had anywhere near the conditioning my boyz' did, simply because my lifestyle changed as I got older.

Females can be every bit as dominant as a male. They can be stubborn, willful, hyper, aggressive and sometimes I think spiteful.  
They don't learn any faster, or slower based on gender. Pretty much across the board all of my dogs "came into their own" in the 2nd to 3rd year.

I have only ever had one instance where a male lifted it's leg on the furniture, but before the "pump" got going he was off the ground and headed for the door, and I wasn't being especially gentle about it, and it never happened again! There is absolutely no reason whatsoever for a dog to "mark" inside of the house. It's not humorous or funny. It's only a sign that the person that owns it probably shouldn't own dogs to begin with because it's obvious that they don't have control. Don't use those people as an example for anything other than what not to do with a dog. SO yes, in my opinion you are over thinking it.

The "humping thing" is dominance based. I've had males do it,and Gunnr does it sometimes and she's a spayed female. Boy or girl, they got/get corrected for it.

RBD has a good question;

Why a Vizsla? Regardless of the sex of the dog, either sex can be an extremely athletic, energetic, independent and demanding dog. 
The girls are not softer,more biddable, or quieter than boys. Don't expect it.


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## GarysApollo (Nov 27, 2012)

My males are great, I have two. They both are the most well behaved dogs.Neither of my boys are aggressive or dominate, and do not hump! Marking is only an outside activity, they know better than to do that in our house or someone else's house. Neither will be getting neutered as I believe a responsible dog owner does not need to get them neutered, unless for health reasons. 

You may hear from people that unneutered male dogs are not social, can be aggressive, or very dominate. Very much not true, if that ever is the case it is the owner of the dogs fault not the dog. Early socialization and training will take care of any of the potential problem. I know many people with un neutered dogs and have never seen any of the problems, or myths about a un neutered boy.


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## maplevizsla (Oct 26, 2012)

After 4 females in 14 years, we dove into getting a male, and so far LOVE love love my 6 month old male!
Lots of good socialization and experiences, training and well-bred temperment should result in a non-agressive intact male. 
I've had dominant females who were bitchy during thier heat cycles, and know of a V friend who has more problems with her female V who 'head hunts' and is snarky, but has 2 males and they are sweet as pie. 
If I wasn't planning on breeding in the future, I would get another male - but female is on my radar next.


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## Kay92 (Oct 19, 2012)

We have 2 boys and they are wonderful! We love them and they listen very well. No marking problems.


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## Racer (Apr 23, 2012)

I originally was going to get a girl. I changed my mind because I wanted a larger dog. I too was worried about the exact same things. My boy is 15 months and still intact. He doesn't mark inside or even mark outside in the yard (he has one spot he's learned to go as the potty area). Away from home, he's marks like crazy. I do think that he may have tried to mark inside when he was a bit younger, but it was caught and corrected. He also has marked at my friends. But really that was because their dog peed first on the rug. But those are really exceptions, and I think an un-neutered dog as well as a female dog could also do the same.

I personally don't think neutering changes the formula. Any dog can be under socialized, act dominant/aggressive, or otherwise misbehave. As owners, we can greatly influence how a dog will be by how we care for them in their informative months (and of course after that period).

In the end, I'm glad I got a boy.


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## jkt89 (Jan 11, 2013)

Thanks so much for your posts!!!! You all have calmed me down quite a bit over this situation 
In response to the questions that were asked, I unfortunately don't live in England. I live in California and don't live particularly close to my breeder, but am planning a visit in the next couple weeks to meet her and the puppies. 

As far as my concern with getting a male goes, I was never worried about the energy level... just the dominance and indoor marking. I know vizslas are in general high energy dogs and I love that about them. My last dog (a lab) was hindered by a whole slew of health issues that effectively made her allergic to the outdoors and thus a couch potato, which was disappointing. I wanted an adventure companion this time around  I've never had a Vizsla before, but I have absolutely fallen in love with this breed and can not wait to welcome a little V into my life!!!


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## KB87 (Jan 30, 2012)

I think you will enjoy your V pup no matter what, male or female. We have a 10 month old male who is the sweetest, most loving, affectionate dog I've ever had. He spends every minute we're home within a foot of us and is constantly trying to curl up with us (when he isn't terrorizing the house or his toys.) He has never seemed dominant or been aggressive at all. He has never once even growled at us. At 10 months I've never seen him life his leg (still squats like a girl) and will only mark when at the park. We neutered him a few weeks back (that's another discussion) so I cannot speak on marking later on for an unneautered male. He's also never tried to hump another dog, only me but that was corrected.

Overall, your pup will be what you make them. Training and correction early on are your best bet. Enjoy him while he's young- he'll be growing so quick it will blow your mind!


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