# Thinking of a Vizsla as First Dog-Question about Breed and Breeders



## salascz

Hi everyone we are looking to get a dog and went to the Chicago IKC show a couple weeks ago and we really liked the Vizsla. I have an 8th grade boy and 6th grade girl who want a dog and I have wanted a dog since I was a kid so we are seriously considering it. My wife would like a dog too but it would really by mine and my daughters.

The two breeds we are thinking of are the Vizsla and the Portuguese Water Dogs (yes I know they are rather different breeds but in reading about them and seeing some at the IKC in Chicago the similarities are greater than many would expect-high energy, family loving, intelligent, playful, strong willed). I have been reading a lot of books on dogs and training (I like those by Patricia McConnell, Ian Dunbar, and Brian Kilcommons) but have not found too much specifically on Vizsla. The www. vcaweb.org is OK for information suggestions/recommendations from experienced Vizsla owners about things to think about would be welcomed. Also any recommendations for breeders whose dogs have great temperament, are socialized by a family and if possible initiate early training behaviors would be very welcomed. Ideally we could find a breeder in the midwest since we are close to Chicago. 

I realize that breeders cannot guarantee a temperament, but from what I have read, outside of the family and how they socialize and train the dog, it is the breeder which haves the greatest influence; beginning with how the breeder attempts to select for temperament and then how the breeder initiates socialization. As such if you have interacted with breeders to the extent that you feel knowledgable as to their practices and goals I would be very interested in knowing what breeders you recommend for Vizslas.

Thanks
Salascz

ps hope this is Ok in the rules, I looked and it seemed like it but if not just let me know. If I need to I can provide an email address to move this discussion off line if that would be better.


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## Looney

Get ready for a bunch of "you need to reconsider" or " you need to do more research"

i've noticed that is the most common responses...they are not for everyone.

you need to be able to exercise them more than you can imagine (what i'm told,mine is mellow so far 13wks)

if you choose the V good luck i absolutely love my puppy and he was breed well and very social....no barking unless with a new dog but he doesn't know much about strange dogs yet.

google and look around for breeders, everyone will give you their opinions and whatnot but it's mostly up to you. People told me NOT to get my pup where i did and i feel he was taken care of 100%. He has no accidents in the house, he's so friendly and loves everyone so far. Noises don't bother him, cars, alarms whatever...he does get excited (loud) around other dogs.


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## Hbomb

I am no way experienced but what I know is they need a lot of exercise and attention. They are intelligent dogs and want to please you so you need to keep their minds occupied. If they are left to get bored they become destructive. I knew of one poor thing whose owner never walked it and it ended up chewing it's own tail off out of frustration 

If you are an active outdoor family I am sure a v would be great for you! If you have a friend/ neighbour with a v it would be good to go walking with them/look after the dog for a couple of days so you get an idea of what it's like. 

Sorry I live in UK so won't be much help with breeders! I think it's a good idea to meet the parents if possible"

Have fun 
[li][/li]
[li][/li]


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## Looney

i researched the V's for about 4yrs....then when WE were ready we decided to get one. Lucky enough the breeder i was interested in just happened to have a litter expecting. i was 3rd for a male, they had 9 pups 3 males....so i gots one!!!!

this is NOT the dog to get because they look good or fun! 
this is NOT the dog to get just to get a dog.

again hope it all works out for you and again i absolutely love my little man......


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## kristen

They are not just a pet, they are like having another kid. They will require the same time, attention and care, but you will reap the same rewards. You give them attention, training, mental & physical exercise and they will reward you with love, joy and lots of kisses/snuggles.
They are high maintenance, and require interactive exercise. They will be an integral part of your family, and will want (need) to be a part of everything in your life.
Do you have 2 hours a day to devote to exercising the dog? 
Are you happy to spend your weekends hiking?
Are you prepared to share your sofa, lap, bed with the dog (no really, no matter what you say, that dog will be on your lap within weeks if not hours)

As a first dog, this will be a lot of work. I grew up with a GSP and my husband with ridgebacks, so we knew what we were getting into, but its still overtaken our lives. We dont WANT to go out without him. We havnt seen a movie in the theater since we got him, we eat takeout in and rarely go out for dinner anymore. Our weekends revolve around where were going for our weekend adventure with the dog. He is a member of our family, I love him more than I ever thought it possible to love a dog, and be brings me so much joy. He also licked a drink of my cider last night, tried to scratch the electrical outlet out of the wall, and stole one of my shoes in an effort to get me to chase him around the house. Wouldnt change it for the world!


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## Vizsla Baby

It sounds like your family is the right "age" for a Vizsla. The older kids would help a lot - mine sure do! 

During my adult/married life, we've had a mutt, a black lab, currently an old wire haired dachshund and now a 10 month old female vizsla.

She is about 25% more work than the other puppy breeds we've had but she is sooooooo worth it. She is smart, lovable, cuddly, trainable and super friendly. She's very easy going and just wants to run or play. Her energy is very low as long as she gets her play time in.

If you get a vizsla, make sure you have someone who can care for it during the day - just like you would with any other dog breed. You wouldn't want it sitting home in a crate all day or in your yard (some can jump 6 foot fences). Doggie day care would be an option if all of you work.

Make sure you are committed to running the dog daily - preferably off leash. We go to a dog park during the week and out to some open farm/wooded property we have on weekends.

There are quite a few other discussions on here from people considering a Vizsla - take some time and read through them.

Good luck, you'll love your baby! But get ready to answer a million questions like "what kind of dog is that?" "aren't weimeraners supposed to be gray?" "doesn't your dog ever run out of energy?" (common dog park question and yes she does - once she leaves the dog park - that's why were are there! duh!) I just smile & answer them.


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## ironman_stittsville

Hbomb said:


> ..I knew of one poor thing whose owner never walked it and it ended up chewing it's own tail off out of frustration  ...


what an awful story! that is going to stay with me! :'(


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## Looney

between potty breaks, walks, mental and physical training and the yard...he gets plenty of exercise.
We let him sleep in the bed with us but he is being crate trained to be in there during the work day *(until he proves he can live on his own unsupervised)*(i know i know....)*

All of our dogs in the past were crated during the day then one day they were all just "good" enough to be on their own. That's they day i'm waiting for.

mine little guy *(knock on wood)* doesn't chew up anything but our arms *(playin')* or yard stuff...*(sticks, stones, ......)*

hasn't even looked twice at the cords for the lamp and whatnot.


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## ironman_stittsville

kristen said:


> ..
> Do you have 2 hours a day to devote to exercising the dog?
> ...


I agree with the spirit of Kristen's question. I heard this number, 2 hours per day, when I began to consider a V for my family. I have found that Phobe 'needs' a good 45 minutes off leash running and playing each day. She gets that. I also take her out for another 45mins - 1.5 hours 3 or 4 times per week. She doesn't 'need' all of that exercise but I find that she is a very easy dog to live with when that amount is provided.

I love being the forest and exploring new trails so Phoebe and I do a lot of that, it isn't something I have to do, it is something that I enjoy doing and Phoebe gets all the benefit of it.

The purpose of my post is to say that 2 hours of off-leash exercise each day isn't 'needed' in my opinion but it's at least an hour each day with lots of other opportunity for other activities (Phoebe and I do training in the house and in the yard for obedience, air scenting, tracking, tricks, etc.

My 2 cents,
Rh.


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## threefsh

salascz said:


> The two breeds we are thinking of are the Vizsla and the Portuguese Water Dogs (yes I know they are rather different breeds but in reading about them and seeing some at the IKC in Chicago the similarities are greater than many would expect-high energy, family loving, intelligent, playful, strong willed).


They may be similar in temperament, but the grooming requirements are completely different! Keep in mind, Vizslas only need to be bathed every few months. Our Riley carefully grooms herself (licks and nibbles) every morning and evening. If this is something that would bother you, go with the PWD.

Also, I've never EVER met another breed of dog that has more endurance than a Vizsla. She ran/played very hard at the park yesterday evening with a full-grown doberman for 45 minutes... when we got home, she spent at least another 30 minutes awake and chewing on a rawhide bone. I'm sure we could have been at the park for at least 1.5 hours before she was actually "tired".

Last note of advice: I like to refer to Riley as our "ADHD" dog. Vizslas are constantly alert, very easily distracted, and have to be trained in short 10-15 minute sessions or you will lose their attention. I think this comes with the fact that Vizslas are so smart... their minds are constantly working and they get bored very easily.


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## finch

I agree with everything said here so far. My V-mix is almost 11 months and she need at least 1 hour every day of off-leash running to be "her best self." It has been really rainy here the past couple days and since she doesn't like the rain, we have skimped a bit on the outside time and it shows... she has been "looking" for trouble to get into, grabbing sock, shoes, a loaf of bread this morning... but she NEVER does this when she has been exercised. We also get to the dog park 1-2x per week where she plays with similar energy dogs for 1.5 hours and weekend days are dedicated to a hike or something where she can get in a couple hours or more of off-leash running/swimming/exploring/etc. We also do short training sessions every day 10-15 minutes and dedicate the beginning of each off-leash walk to some training too.

I have 2 older labs but raising my V has been a whole other league of work. Her level of intelligence is higher, she is eager to learn and eager to be my my side all the time. My lifestyle has really become more active since adopting Finch and I can't imagine my life without her now. The biggest thing to consider about adopting a V is the amount of time you are really going to have. I know everyone knows that puppies are a lot of work, but I agree with the poster that said expect 25% more work with a V. For me, that number might even be higher! They are rewarding dogs if you have (or are wiling to have) the lifestyle that fits them!


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## luv2laugh

ironman_stittsville said:


> kristen said:
> 
> 
> 
> ..
> Do you have 2 hours a day to devote to exercising the dog?
> ...
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with the spirit of Kristen's question. I heard this number, 2 hours per day, when I began to consider a V for my family. I have found that Phobe 'needs' a good 45 minutes off leash running and playing each day. She gets that. I also take her out for another 45mins - 1.5 hours 3 or 4 times per week. She doesn't 'need' all of that exercise but I find that she is a very easy dog to live with when that amount is provided.
> 
> I love being the forest and exploring new trails so Phoebe and I do a lot of that, it isn't something I have to do, it is something that I enjoy doing and Phoebe gets all the benefit of it.
> 
> The purpose of my post is to say that 2 hours of off-leash exercise each day isn't 'needed' in my opinion but it's at least an hour each day with lots of other opportunity for other activities (Phoebe and I do training in the house and in the yard for obedience, air scenting, tracking, tricks, etc.
> 
> My 2 cents,
> Rh.
Click to expand...

Oso "needs" 2 hours every day to be a sweet little doggy at home. Otherwise, he is sweet, but restless and curious and getting into quite a bit of trouble. Mental stimulation does tire him out as well, but it's pretty much 2 hours a day, sometimes we do more. Once in a while, we notice he doesn't need it, but this is rare. I'm sure it varies from dog to dog. Also, we don't ALWAYS want to take him out. I always enjoy it, but when I am busy and my husband takes care of it, he gets overwhelmed fast. My mom loves Oso to pieces, but says she could never babysit for him because he is, "too much" for her. 

To the OP, looks like you are doing some great research. We got our little guy in Chicago from Peter Sideris, he has a perfect little personality, but I would have loved him to be better potty trained when we came home. Another breeder we were looking at had all the little puppies ringing bells to go outside before we came home. Oso went anywhere and had no concept of potty inside vs. outside. For the first week, I was frustrated, but it got better quickly. We followed Ian Dunbar's plan to a tee and I was very frustrated when we STILL had accidents in the house. I was actually very mad at Dunbar at the time, but now he is forgiven.

Something I loved that Peter did was have Oso sleep in a crate by himself for 3-4 days before going home with us. Oso was already used to sleeping in the crate when he got home, I recommend this whomever you go with. When I was looking up Oso's lineage, Crimson Sky Vizslas in Illinois really stood out to me in a positive way. They describe their dogs with such love, it is obvious they are not only beautiful V's with great hunting genes, but are raised to be members of the family. They would be my first stop in checking out places for another V (after asking all the appropriate questions of course). 

http://www.crimsonskyvizslas.com/About us.htm

We have a whole thread as to which breeder we got our dogs from. That is a starting point, always ask all the right questions and make sure they ask the difficult questions of you. 

http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,2991.0.html 

You will get lots of great responses here which will challenge you as to whether you are ready for a Vizsla. Be realistic in your needs. A poor match up is no fun for anyone. There are some books on Vizslas that I have not yet read, but seen mentioned throughout the forums. 

I see Versatile Vizsla by Coffman listed a lot. 

http://www.amazon.com/Versatile-Viz...0561/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331918641&sr=8-1

This forum is an AMAZING resource. You will find a wealth of information by searching on here.


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## VictoriaW

We are a family with 3 young kids (8, 6, 4). 

While I had a poorly-socialized, poorly-trained toy poodle growing up, Gracie is for all intents and purposes our first dog (she is my husband's first-ever dog).

It can be done. In your post you sound very serious -- you've put a lot of thought, energy, and research into this decision. That hard work, if coupled with ongoing dog training and involvement in the V community, will compensate for your lack of dog ownership experience. 

Vizsla ownership has become a bit contagious where I live, and I get plenty of questions about Gracie from would-be Vizsla buyers. What I say is that a Vizsla is great for a family if you intend to make the dog a centerpiece of family life...if the activities you do and enjoy are ones the dog can do and enjoy with you.

Before Gracie, we hiked in the forest, went to the beach, played in the yard, kayaked, camped, and puttered around the house. Well, with Gracie we do all of those same things! We keep her busy and she keeps us busy, and we are all better for it. But Vizsla ownership is a huge part of what we "do" as a family. 

What I am trying to say is that adding a V will work best if you can integrate the dog into all parts of your life. If the dog is something you are ADDING on top of a slew of scheduled kid activities, dog-free family vacations, adult hobbies...well then it's not going to work out so well for any of you.

Bottom line: the more you can do with your V the more sense it makes for you to get one (and the less sense it makes to consider owning any other dog!). 

FWIW, we've taken on both training Gracie to hunt and showing her, even though we thought we were looking for "just a pet". I'm not sure that there is such a thing as "just a pet" with a Vizsla! ;D

Good luck!


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## SteelCityDozer

Dozer us our first dog ever in life for either of us. Not exactly a starter dog but we love him and make it work. My interests have changed to accommodate him but I like the improved me. And I'm anxious for another. That said I would NOT be able to balance him and children right now. But that's why we don't have any.  duh. I agree with 1-2 hours of exercise per day. He is 19 mos and when I went to the dr for the first time in the last year, I lost 10 lbs and I contribute that to Dozer. And I was not an inactive person before. And that lbs is after the winter! Then I usu take him to the dog park for 2 hours each once or twice a week. And he is A LOT more $$ then I ever expected. He has some health issues but we went to a very reputable breeder so you just never know. And i now think you have to go into expecting some trips to the vet and rejoice if you luck out.


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## polkan

> we are looking to get a dog and went to the Chicago IKC show a couple weeks ago and we really liked the Vizsla


You could easily get in touch with the owners or breeders who were showing their Vizslas at the IKC that you went to. The Chicago area has higher Vizsla breed popularity than any other area in the country, and there are some good breeders there. 



> I realize that breeders cannot guarantee a temperament, but from what I have read, outside of the family and how they socialize and train the dog, it is the breeder which haves the greatest influence; beginning with how the breeder attempts to select for temperament and then how the breeder initiates socialization.


I would say that the top of the line breeders feel very confident about the temperament of their dogs. It all depends on who you deal with. 

Unfortunately, there is only a handful of truly outstanding Vizsla breeders in the US. 

Just as an example, Mehagian Vizslas in Arizona is one of the oldest breeders in continuous operation (45 years!) and her list of achievements is simply astonishing (two Hall of Fames, multiple Dual Champions, Versatility Certified, Registry of Merit). Her family is still breeding and their dogs keep winning both in the show ring and in the field. 

My suggestion would be to get in touch with the best and ask any question you may have directly.

http://mehagianvizslas.com/?page_id=41


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## VictoriaW

Salascz,

While googling for something else tonight, I came across this site:

http://www.rusticu.com/breeding.html

It looked like it would be of interest to you or anyone who is the process of evaluating breeders.

v.


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## jld640

I agree with all the time assessments, but I will add one more. Savannah is my first dog, too. You will spend a significant amount of time doing 'first dog' research in addition to Vizsla research. Beyond reading posts on this forum, you will also be doing things like finding a vet, finding your local 24 hour clinic, finding a dog walker/daycare/boarding facility, locating your favorite pet stores, deciding on training philosophies/consistencies, training your family, learning about potential medical issues, etc.

As you plan how to incorporate the pup into your day, add some time for neighbor conversations, bookwork, and internet searches. Lots to learn and as SteelCityDozer mentioned, Vizslas are not starter dogs, but if a V is the right breed for you, it will all work out.

Good luck!


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## Mischa

I definitely agree with everything here and want to stress what Kristen said, they really are another child. 

Our lives were flipped upside down and focused on Mischa. We rarely get to do anything until Mischa has had her run. She almost always comes first. 

As for the needed two hours, this is the case for us. Mischa is 2 now and has grown into an amazing child but I also know that that is because we always, always focused on getting her exercised and tired! She didn't have too many opportunities to misbehave since our goal would be to knock her unconscious. 

I did a lot of research and was on this forum everyday for 6 months before we took her home. Dennis and I even got to meet Kian in an off leash park. I thought we were ready and knew what we were getting into. I was wrong. 

Anyway, they really are a remarkable breed as long as you are strongly committed to their needs (lots and lots of exercise and training!) you will be fine.

As for breeders, Mischa is from Onpoint. I know they ship to the U.S. We've been doing hunting training with Pointblank Dogs in Peterborough, ON. I'm not sure if they ship but when we get our second V (not if and not soon lol) it will be from Pointblank.

-Janice


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## Aston585

My boyfriend and I just got our first Vizsla from a breeder, Jim and Linda Busch, in Winnebago, IL which is pretty close to the Chicago area. They have been breeding for 40 years and all of the comments from people that have gotten a Vizsla had nothing but great things to say. I am always emailing her questions and sending her pictures of our pup Aston. (I say she because Jim isn't the computer user haha). They have been nothing but helpful in our first dog and Vizsla experience. 

Here is their website if you'd like to look into them further:
http://www.buschvizslas.com/

And Vizsla Baby is right, be ready for everyone to ask you what kind of dog it is, followed by a confused look when you say Vizsla.  We always get, is that a lab?? which is odd since they really don't look like a lab haha. But one thing you always smile at is the countless times you get "OMG, he is so cute!" 

Enjoy and good luck on whichever breed you decide, but all of us here are a bit biased


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