# Finding a breeder and hunting question



## sansa17 (Aug 3, 2014)

Hi Everybody, 

This is my first actual post on the forums, but I've been registered here for a few months and have been doing a lot of reading up on the breed. After much thought, consideration, and spending probably way too much time researching online, I have finally decided that a Vizsla would be a great fit for me and that I'm ready to adopt. I have just begun the process of searching for a breeder, but I have to say it's a bit intimidating to me. I have been speaking to one breeder in Germany (I live in Switzerland) who although seems very reputable with very healthy dogs, I get the impression she only breeds her dogs for hunting and as I am not a hunter, I feel a bit incompetent. I am not at all opposed to hunting, in fact I have been considering taking up the sport just so that I could allow my pointer to do what he or she was bred for, but I wouldn't know where to start.

So I guess my questions are, how many breeders did you speak to before settling on one and how did you know that you had found the right one? And is there anyone here who learned how to hunt just because of their V? Also if anyone on here knows any reputable breeders in Europe, please send me a pm! Thank you all for your time and I look forward to getting to know everyone on these boards


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## sophvale (Jul 28, 2014)

Hello sansa17, 

It's great to hear you've really researched the breed and all they entail. When it came to choosing a breeder for me I had a list of reputable breeders (supplied by the state Hungarian Vizsla association of New South Wales) and began looking at their websites (those that did have them). Next I sent an email out to multiple breeders to touch base with them and put feelers out so to speak. Some replied promptly and some didn't reply at all. The next step for me was calling different breeders and getting a feel for them. I wanted a Vizsla as a companion (not specifically for hunting, showing etc.) and as it would be my first Vizsla I knew that I might have ongoing questions and wanted to choose a breeder that was interested in their pups and their wellbeing even after they've gone home to to their new homes. 

Well after speaking to many breeders I connected with one and after getting to know them, their ethos and method of rearing their pups I chose to go on their waiting list. I was willing to wait for a pup from the breeder I chose and finally brought home my little man Henley and eight weeks old back in march of this year.
The wait was well worth it!


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

san - breeding 2 the hunt side of a V does not take away companionship show or anyother options - they just breed with pups proven in the field - IMO - the hunting side turns out the smartest PUPS !!!!!!! LOL


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## sillybluecreature (Oct 6, 2013)

I think for me it was very overwhelming looking into a breeder but what was super helpful was that we met up with as many Vizslas as possible in the area and talked to their owners. Asking about breeders and getting a feel for which one was recommended was also good. There were also breeders that were not currently breeding and asking them for whom they would avoid or suggest and overall advice was the best (since it's a small community and when you hear from several sources that a breeder is good you know you have hit gold!).


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

san - breeders 2 avoid - I breed companion pups - I breed show pups - a 1000yrs of breeding 4A HUNTING dog - who in their right mind would change this - a well bred V is a COMPANION 4 LIFE - they take time - a lot of hard work ! - now the hunting ? GO 4 IT - you will never know what a V was bred 4 !!!! till you put them in the field !!!!!!!


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## sebas-apollo (Oct 13, 2014)

i am also new to the breed, and while my dog is mixed, he strongly resembles his vizsla side in appearance and behavior. thus, i have been getting him used to the outdoors as much as i can, and i absolutely am interested in learning to hunt because of him. i think it would be fun for me, fun for him, it would be a great skill to learn, and i can spend time with my dog (and away from the computer!)


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I know of some reputable wirehaired vizsla breeders in Europe if you're at all interested in them. The one in Germany would likely know some smooth vizsla breeders, so if you'd like I could give you her contact info. I also know a vizsla owner in Switzerland and he may know of some breeders. I'll ask and get back to you. Shoot me a PM if you want. I *believe* in Germany, for a vizsla or any other hunting breed, to be used as breeding stock they have to pass the national hunting test. It's highly regulated that way, but I'm sure all puppies don't go to a hunting home and there is no reason for you to feel intimidated. I think all first-timers do though! 

I did a lot of research online and only found one breeder I really wanted a puppy from. I filled out her puppy application along with an introduction about me, why I wanted a vizsla, why I wanted one from her, and what I planned to do with the dog. She set up a time to talk and when we did it was just so natural. I felt comfortable with her immediately. She ended up canceling that litter and referring me to someone else, but she is still one of my go to people for questions about the breed. So along with all the good advice about looking for health tests, good temperament, titles in various fields, go with someone you like. 

I am one of the weirdos that is learning how to hunt for my dog.  I'm in the States and with it being such a marginalized sport now, experienced hunters and dog trainers are more than happy to help someone new. I joined a local dog training/testing organization, read tons of books, watched tons of videos, and picked the brains of hunters here. If you do get a puppy from a breeder who hunts and they are close enough, I'd bet they'd be more than happy to help train you and the dog. I still feel a bit out of my depth at these events because it's a culture I didn't grow up in, but it's surprisingly enjoyable. Scout, my dog, is never happier than with a bird in her mouth and that encourages me to keep at it.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

ein !!!!!!! SHOOT me a PM - you must HUNT - LOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## sansa17 (Aug 3, 2014)

Hi Everybody,

Thank you so much for your helpful replies! I have been getting a lot of useful information from these forums and am now speaking with a number of different breeders. There is a lot of information to sort through, but I guess my best bet might be going through other Vizsla owners in the area and speaking with the breeders of their dogs. I have been fortunate enough to find another member of these forums from Switzerland and it seems like there might be a new Vizsla club in the making. 

Does anyone here have any experience with breeders in Hungary? I have been speaking with one breeder from the Vadaszfai kennel and have liked her quite a lot so far, so I was wondering if anyone else is familiar with them. 

As for hunting, I am going to try to find other Vizsla owners that hunt and go with their recommendations for training, etc.. It's too much information for me to sort out on my own! 

Thanks again for all of your replies!


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

sansa17 said:


> There is a lot of information to sort through, but I guess my best bet might be going through other Vizsla owners in the area and speaking with the breeders of their dogs.


I am by NO means an expert at finding breeders, but that's what I would do. We didn't have a good grasp of the breeders in our area when we got our V, so we went out of state. It's trickier if you travel so far that you don't get a chance to meet your breeder/their dogs until you've already put down a deposit. Now that I have a V, and have subsequently met a lot of other V owners/breeders in our area, I know immediately what breeder I would want for another V (not that that's happening!) and whose dogs I like the look of, temperament of, etc. There are some I love and others... I don't. There would be no need to go out of state. Likewise, I'm sure attending shows/hunt tests/etc. would give you the same info.


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