# Am I ready for a Vizsla?



## bamcisman (Jan 25, 2010)

I need some advice. I have been reading about the breed for over a year now, and I know this is the breed for me. My wife and I are very active and love the breed. Here's the catch: the apt I live in now does not allow pets (bummer I know) so I wanted to wait until I move back to Texas next year to get a Vizsla. However, I will be going to school as well as working. If this is my schedule:

School: 8am to Noon

Work: 2pm to 8pm

So I would have time before school and in between school and work. Also, depending on my wife's schedule she may or may not be there while I'm at work/school. Some days she will, some she won't. 

Basically, I don't want to be selfish and get a V but not be able to give it the time and energy it deserves. Is that schedule feasible?


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## Peris (Aug 1, 2010)

Hi there

I, like you, researched the vizsla for a long time before knowing that they were the dog for us. We are an active couple who love walking and running and so the Vizsla seemed a perfect fit for us. However, I kept reading about breeders who wouldn't give puppies to full time workers. At first I thought this was unreasonable but after lengthy discussions with my husband, I decided to change my hours so that I would be at home most days. All I can say is thank god I did! My lovely 17 week old pup is now only left alone one day a week and I get a dog walker in on this day to break it up for him as he hates to be left alone for long periods. We had to work very hard at conquering the separation anxiety as he would bark and whine when we left him for even an hour, however, he is now much better but we still don't leave him alone for more than a couple of hours if we can possibly avoid it. He is a joy to own but you get out what you put in and I definitely wouldn't go back to working Mon-Fri. Good luck with your decision.


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## NZ_V (Jun 4, 2009)

Hi there

My situation is different, I work 8-5, 5 days a week, and Rossi is home by himself while I am at work. I have never had separation anxiety issues with him, and he does not bark while home alone (neighbours confirm this). He has plenty of toys in his kennel, kong treats, bones etc to distract him while I am gone. So my view: with careful training and enough attention/quality time after work hours it can work! (I do agility with my boy and take him to gun dog club too)

It certainly works for me. 

Whenever you do decide to get a V....your life will change forever!!! for the better ;D


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

bamcisman

We all want to spend more time with our dogs. The reality is that someone has to pay for the dog food, so we do the best we can.
Given your schedule I see that the dog would only be alone for ~ 6 hours max. This is well inside a V's capability.
For some reason some people tend to think that their dog needs to be active, or attended, continuously. The reality is that given their choice dogs sleep a lot. More than we think. V's tend to run at the redline, and they need rest. They're not training for the Ironman while you're away.

I've been working 8-12 hour days, with a 40 minute commute, 5-7 days a week, for the last 25 years. All of my Dogs have adapted to this schedule, and have been just fine. It messes them up more when I get cycled onto a night shift.

Give a Vizsla love, attention and affection. Make sure it knows it is a member of the household, and they will thrive.


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## Mercutio (Jan 18, 2010)

We both work 9 - 5 Monday to Friday and merc seems to be doing ok. At one stage we had an issue with barking annoying our night shift neighbor but some extra activity toys solved that pretty quickly. The first few months I came home at lunch to feed and play with him but it looks like you'll be able to do that anyway. Our breeder said that the problem is when people bring home a puppy, spend every waking moment with them for a few weeks then suddenly go back to work and the dog is alone for 8 hours. She said that from the start we should practice leaving him alone at first for short amounts of time and then longer and longer.

It sounds like you've thought about it a lot. You and your v will be just fine. Have fun


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## bamcisman (Jan 25, 2010)

Thanks for all the encouraging words and advice!


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## Crazy Kian (Aug 10, 2009)

My gf and I are gone for about 8 hrs a day M-F, he seems fine.
It's tough when he was a little puppy, so we would come home and check on him, the longest he was in his crate was 4 hours back then. We did this til he about 6-7 months of age. He's now 18 months old and fine with our schedule.
Like Gunnr says...


Gunnr said:


> Give a Vizsla love, attention and affection. Make sure it knows it is a member of the household, and they will thrive.


Good luck.


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## Tenspot (May 4, 2009)

our 3 yo V is home alone about 8-9 hours each day, she has the run of the house, loose. She has never destroyed anything and spends most of her time snoozing on the couch or in the sun on the floor.


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## Drago (Jun 11, 2010)

We are away 8hours a day too.. 
I must confess.. we're thinking to buy a second dog. I always feel sorry for Drago.. 

He has never destroyed anything, sinces I left him out of his crate. However a friend of mine has a V who would break the whole house in pieces while he is gone ... I think we are lucky!


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## Moose (Oct 2, 2010)

we got our Vizsla when I was 6 months pregnant with our 1st baby, hubby was just starting out in his career, and I was still completing my university degree- I would walk him three times a day , in between classes- I enjoyed the excercise for me as well as for him but I found it was spoiling him in a sense...because once baby came along, his walks went from 3- sometimes 4 AND a rollerblade, in a day ; to 1 walk .....around the block. He got extremely antsy , not destructive but he had energy to burn- he'd run around our 900sq ft. home and slam into the walls because he'd get going so fast and couldn't stop.... gotta love V power ;-) 

But once things settled in, and everyone got into our routines, including Moose, he calmed down and was ok being left for chunks in the day without going for ten thousand walks in a day. I also found bringing him to the dog park helped a TON. Just make sure you give your pup ample time to run, he or she will be fine with you and your wife working so much- they just need that love, affection and attention when you're home. 

If we're both going to be out of the house for long periods of time now, we always have someone go let him out for us though, we have a much larger home for him to 'own' and a fenced backyard with lots of running room- so sometimes all it takes is 30mins of prompted play in the backyard and he's exhausted. 


[I want a second dog too now....but hubby isn't so keen on the idea]


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