# Considering getting a vizsla puppy



## Hhoward377

My name is Heather, I am a stay at home mom to a 8 month old baby. We have had a German Shorthaired Pointer, we got her a little over three years ago and fell in love. When we got her from the rescue she was between 2 and 3 years of age. I said that she needed to be good with young children because I had young nephews at the time and my husband and I knew we would eventually start a family. We noticed she was timid with children but we also figured it was because she wasn't around them a lot. Then last October (when I was 8 months pregnant) she bit my 11 month old nephew in the face. We called a dog trainer immediately and began working with our dog. She had no aggressive body language, her ears weren't back, she didn't growl, she just bit. We worked with her and she seemed to improve, then a week ago she bit our son in the face as well. We spoke with the rescue and it was determined that the best choice was to return her so they could find a home with no young children. We returned her to the rescue just in the past few days. I'm heartbroken to say the least. 

My husband and I want to wait a while before getting another dog, we want to heal emotionally as it feels like we have abandoned a child. I had seen Vizslas when we had our GSP and I considered when Annie died of old age that might be the next breed we got. I never thought we would have to give Annie up after having her three years.

We love the activity level of the sporting breed dog. We have 3.5 acres fully fenced (no cross fencing so the dog can pick up speed) and our family has a ranch that is a couple hundred acres. My husband is a hunter, but first and foremost the dog would be a family dog. We don't allow dogs on the furniture though. Our dog Annie was crate trained and slept in her crate, however, when the weather was nice she enjoyed sleeping outside on our back deck right outside our slider. It gets very hot where we live, so we had a doggie dog and she could come and go from the air conditioned house to the yard whenever we pleased. When we weren't home she still had access to her room and the outside, but not the entire house. 

My husband feels if we get a puppy that it would bond to our child and be good with children. It has been years since I have had a puppy and the thought is daunting. Does anybody have advice or experience with a puppy and a 1 year old? It will be months before we get another dog, but I don't think I could wait years. I also want my son to grow up with a dog. I am used to getting rescue dogs and knowing their personalities before getting them. When we got Annie I explained that while our yard was fenced, if a dog was described as an escape artist, we probably weren't the home for it. With a puppy, how do you train it? Any advice for training books or methods?


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## datacan

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## Hhoward377

My thought is I would prefer an adult (2 - 3 years old) instead of a puppy. My husband is just worried that it will have issues with children again. We have many friends who got puppies (GSP and Vizsla's) with young children and their dogs are wonderful with young children, he thinks that is because they were raised as puppies with them. Also, when I search for a Vizsla on Petfinder haven't been finding true Vizsla's, instead mix breeds.


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## MilesMom

A typical schedule for Miles is a 7 mile run (usually off lead) in the morning, 30-45 min walk at lunch with some training time after, and an hour of swimming/ off leash hiking/ fetch/ play date at night. On the weekends we will run/ hike longer since we have more time, or we take him on a longer swim. We try to get him extra exercise on the weekends to carry over into the week, and he also goes to daycare once a week for socialization. 

Vizslas do not self exercise. It's awesome you have a big yard, we wish we did, but the truth is they will just stand there and look at you. 

In regards to the home/ sleep arrangement, they are a true Velcro breed. when detached from their family they can be depressed and destructive. Ours follow us around the house constantly. They are lap dogs and need lots of love and affection.

I would say plan on 2-3 hours of dedicated exercise and training time a day. If you think that your schedule can accommodate that, then Vizslas are a great breed and we love our two very much.


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## luv2laugh

I am so sorry to hear about your pointer. I could be wrong, but my hunch is that a vizsla is probably not the right breed for you. It sounds like you did a lot of things right with your previous dog (hiring a trainer, etc.) and have a wonderful home for a pup. But, it also sounds like that other dog had special needs when it comes to children. 

I would say almost all vizslas have special needs as well and require a LOT of effort and proactive strategies to prevent problems. They are prone to timidity and need to be socialized a LOT as pups. I think they say they have to meet 100 people before the 16 week mark. Every day we were out with the dog introducing him to people of different colors, shapes and sizes. (this, by the way, is recommended with all breeds, but is especially important with a V). My mom frequently told me the first few months with O was more difficult than having a newborn. Most of their lives vizslas are prone to over exuberance. It can take a LOT of work to stop jumping. Even a very well behaved Vizsla (who doesn't jump) can knock over a young child on accident as they are very bouncy and many get adrenaline rushes when excited. This is especially true for a young V. Some vizslas tend to have a better natural understanding of how to be gentle, they are a very sweet breed. Our Oso is very gentle, but he has had to practice and been trained with the cats from the moment he arrived in our home. 

A vizsla will love your yard and acreage, as long as someone is walking out there with him/her. Like mentioned before, if you don't move and it's not a new place, your v will most likely just stand next to you and look at you. If you can't provide your V with realistically at least 1-2 hours a day of interactive exercise/stimulation a day, there is a good chance you will get behaviors which are destructive and make them very difficult to live with, whining, chewing, zooming, etc. NOTE: Oso used to need 2-3 hours a day as well and I think to be safe, that should be the minimum time expected to spend. 

Vizslas are an amazing breed of dog, but they truly are a high needs breed. It takes a lot of pre-work and then continuous maintenance to get them to a point where they can be the relaxed good family dog that you are describing. I know there are other breeds who require less training to be that kind of dog and I highly recommend seeking them out. A more independent breed may suit your lifestyle better (one that will enjoy that amazing acreage you have!)

It sounds like you are all a bit traumatized with your last experience (and I understand why). I think your best shot in avoiding anything like that again is to find the perfect match for your family. While you enjoyed your pointer's energy, it may be less important to your family's needs than trainability, calm demeanor, etc.


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## Rudy

Lifestyle Choice not Chance and spot on" ;D 

Organic" war processor


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## R E McCraith

you hunt - you have land to run with ( note WITH ) your new pup - all it takes is commitment !!!!! - with over 43yrs with a V in my life - I have NO regrets - you are way ahead of most future V owners - GO FOR IT - it is a breed that never grows up & never leaves home !!


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## Hhoward377

Thank you for all of the responses. I understand that this is a Vizsla forum so you may not be familiar with German Shorthair Pointers. Our dog Annie was very high need, high energy, and extremely intelligent. These were all things that we loved about her. It is true that when I start looking for a breeder, I will be looking for one with a sire and dam that are a little mellower (due to our child). However, the high need and high energy aspects of her were not the reason we had to give her a way. She was an individual and a member of our family, but as is the case with some rescues, she had been abused in the past. It took us years of working with her and socializing her to get her past that, she just couldn't get past it with children.

Organicthoughts - Thank you for your input. Yes, dogs are a lifestyle choice and an individual. I hope that your friends who lost jobs, marriages, and so forth had other issues than just the dog. Getting a dog is a decision that both my husband and I are making, but if it ever came down to my marriage or my dog or my son or my dog I think I will make different decisions than they did. I think I see some anger in your post since we choose to find another home for our dog. But please keep in mind we didn't pass her off to a family member who had no knowledge of the breed, we didn't surrender her to a county shelter, we didn't euthanize her, we linked her back with a rescue who will do their best to match her with her perfect home and we did this after much thought and attempts at training. We recognized our dog as an individual who was not happy in our home because of the new addition and we did what we thought was in her best interest instead of trying to make her fit. It almost comes across in your post that you are suggesting we should have given away our son instead of our dog, and that is not appreciated. I'm sorry if you have had bad experiences in the past with people who have had to give away their dogs.

Luv2laugh - You may be right that the vizsla is not for us, but I truly hope it is and that is why I am reaching out in this forum. I want to make sure that our next dog is the best fit so we do not have to go through this heartache again. I want to mourn a dog because they have past away from old age, not because I feel like I have abandoned them. Your empathy is appreciated.

R E McCraith - Thank you. We want to make sure we have the time for the commitment, but look forward to roaming the acreage again with a dog again. Like I said before, we loved the high energy.

By saying that the dog will be first and foremost our family dog instead of a hunter I was more referring to the fact that hunting season is only 25% of the year. We are a very active family and no offense but the typical family dog lab or golden retriever can't keep up with us and come across as lazy.


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## Rudy

My Sperm Donor

Never earned Daddy or Father and family all ran German short hairs as upland guide bird dogs 3 full sections of lands

Bownie humbled all that wanted some and GSP are great hunters and mates and as a toddler

I had glued 2 by my sides 24-7

I came into this life 11 lbs 7 oz( Natural) :-[

some say He hated me for this ;D

taking out his play pen 

I love GSP as well and there still a much different twist to me

Both a Great the V commands more one on one affection and time severed 

But you sound ready to go and rumble to me as well


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## redbirddog

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2013/08/home-in-hills.html

A typical week of hikes are posted above. The days we don't hike the hills we do at least a one hour walk on leash. Like a baby, there is no "days" off. My wife's business is out of the home so they have someone with them almost all the time. I have a pair and they play together so that helps. My daughter has two small children 6 months and 2 1/2 years old. They have a little mutt dog that is 12 pounds and is perfect. They come over and visit "the big dogs" and we dog sit our "granddog' every once in awhil."

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/07/lily-honorary-vizsla-pup.html

At least that is my opinion.

.http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2010/07/purchasing-vizsla-so-it-doesnt-end-up.html 

RBD


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## Hhoward377

Thank you organicthoughts, and yes, I took what you wrote out of context. Thank you for clarifying the misunderstanding. I really appreciate your insight into the differences between the GSP and the Vizsla. I grew up with multiple dogs and they were a part of my family, my husband did not. So having a dog that is more demanding for attention may be difficult for him to handle. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. Maybe going with another GSP would be in our best interest. Our dog was good at exercising herself during the daytime, it sounds like Vizsla's may not do the same. 

Redbirddog - I'll take a look at the links, thank you. We choose to only have one dog at a time. We go a lot of places and do a lot of things and the dog always comes with us. It is easier for us to just have one. Little dogs definitely are not for us.


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## Hhoward377

Redbirddog - I love your blog. We live in Northern California, about three hours north of the Bay Area. We were just down there on Saturday as that is where the rescue that our dog Annie had come from. Her foster mom was discussing the types of people who may adopt Annie and she was talking about all the great places in your area to take dogs on hikes, so it is nice to see your pictures and imagine her being able to hike them too. 

After all the input I really feel that I need to go with my gut instinct and a puppy is not for us. I still think that a Vizsla would be a good breed for our family.


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## R E McCraith

Hh - as U POINTED out this is a V forum !!!!!! Very protective of the the breed - me especially - A+ for asking 4 help at the beginning of at least a 16yr relationship - a well bred V is a special needs pup at the get go - somethings may sound negative but - these are coming from members that have been there and done that - I only want a happy pup in a home that cares - & yes it does get personal - why sugar coat the truth !!!!! LOL


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## MilesMom

www.socalvizslarescue.org. 

Our breeder, Julie, runs this rescue group. She is a knowledgeable and friendly person truly dedicated to the breed and she can assist you in deciding if a rescue is right for you. 

I too wanted a dog for our second, hoping to avoid the puppy stage again since we are so active it's hard to keep the activity restrictions as we have an adolescent Vizsla, and I enjoy my clean non destructive home. She determined were were not a good fit for a rescue V, as many have special needs/ training requirements. Our Miles is fearful and submissive, and we have worked hard on having him overcome his fears. He's great now, he is my regular running partner, and can go to all restaurants/ community events/ parties but it took hard work. She thought a potentially unstable adult dog could cause him to regress as he is so sensitive, so we got another puppy and it's going great. 

She can help you with your family situation determine if a rescue V is a fit for you.


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## datacan

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## Hhoward377

Thank you, I really appreciate all of this information and input. I am a "researcher" and like to gather advice and tips. We won't be moving forward on another dog for at least another few months. We need it to feel like the right time.

MilesMom - Thanks for the referral for the rescue, I will keep an eye on her page to see what is available. 

R E McCraith - I expected nothing less than finding people who love their breed. I have been very impressed by the Vizsla's (and their owners) that I have met to date. I love that these forums connect me with people who have "been there and done that." Thank you.

datacan - LOL, the 8 month old is an attention hog right now. The question is when are they not? To me its a delicate balance of finding the right time, but also not waiting to long. I want my son to be raised with a dog... I want him to have the same appreciation for them that I have. There will probably be another child a few years down the road, but I can't see it being realistic for me to wait 10+ years to get another dog. Such a dilemma.


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## einspänner

Heather,

I know you're not ready yet, but I wanted to point you towards this thread that is occasionally updated with Vs available for rescue. http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,7761.msg73774.html#msg73774

I also consider myself a researcher and I spent a lot of time on this forum learning about the breed before getting my own, but even better I went to some NAVDHA events to meet vizslas and other pointers in person. That allowed me to decide that a shorthaired Vizsla was not for me at this point in my life. I opted for a Wirehaired Vizsla, which are generally better at settling down in the house.

See if there is a pointer club, a NAVDHA chapter, or some UKC or AKC events in your area. That will allow you to compare Vs to GSPs and maybe introduce you to another breed you like even better. 

Based on what you've written so far, I have no doubts that you'll think long and hard about this decision, but I just want to add that waiting even longer to add a dog to your family doesn't mean you can't teach your son to love dogs in the meantime. You can start teaching him how to interact with dogs and when he's older he can be included in the process of getting a dog as well as in caring for it. I was around 9 when we got our first dog and I'm really glad to have that memory. If I were younger I doubt I would have appreciated it as much.


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## R E McCraith

Data - DID NOT LOOSE my HAIR !!!! had a growth spurt and grew through it !!!!! also Voted must likely to recede in high school LOL !!!!!!!!!!!


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## datacan

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## Rudy

;D


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## R E McCraith

Data - Har - Rudy - VVe did stray from this post !!!!!!!!! but if YOU do not have a sense of HUMOR !!!!! never get a V - PS Data did your dad invent the plastic bottle ? LOL !!!!!!!!!


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## datacan

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## VictoriaW

Hhoward337,

I am sooooooo sorry that you have had to find a new home for your dog! :'(

You are in a tough spot. Raising a puppy (especially a V!) with kids is one of life's great joys. We brought Gracie home at 8 weeks when my kids were 8, 6, and 3. She is WONDERFUL with them, and I have to believe it is at least in part because she is growing up with them.

Parenting toddlers, though, is a TON of work. Only you know if you have the bandwidth to raise a puppy at the same time. I know that I didn't! But then I was not nearly as dog savvy as you seem to be.

I am sure that you are thinking about this...but if your family is not yet complete, then even a puppy that you raise with your first child could be alarmed by a future addition. And then there would be the whole issue of managing baby/toddler(or preschooler)/dog interaction: who watches the 2 or 3yo with the Vizsla while you nurse the newborn etc. 

Another random thought...if you can bear to wait a bit, then there is more hope of your son being a bit older when you have to say goodbye to your new dog 10-15 years down the road...I do think there are some ages when it would be particularly heartbreaking to lose a best friend. Your son will definitely still be growing up with a dog if you wait a few years (I do hear you saying that you cannot wait this long!!!).

I hope you keep in touch and keep us posted on this thread. Lots of luck to you.

LOL, I wrote this before I noticed that we'd veered off course...


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## jld640

If you have time, I recommend using the search bar for 'babies' and 'young kids'. There is a wealth of info available. There was also a thread a while back where a bunch of mothers posted their experiences. I couldn't find it in the few minutes I have this morning, but hopefully you'll find it or one of the Mom's who posted can direct you there.

Good luck!


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