Vizslas are beautiful dogs that fill their homes with boundless energy and love. These strong-bodied dogs were originally bred in Hungary to accompany hunters, yet you no longer have to travel that far to adopt one of your own. From animal shelters to online ads, Vizsla puppies can now be found easily by anyone who loves the unique characteristics of this breed. However, those who are looking for a purebred Vizsla should be wary of just picking a puppy from anywhere since only a reputable Vizsla breeder will be able to prove their bloodline and give them the training they need to grow into social and obedient dogs. As you begin your search for a purebred Vizsla, use these tips to ensure you adopt your new dog from a nurturing environment.
Ask About Registration & Memberships
A quality breeder will be an active member of organizations that support best practices in breeding. Ideally, their dames and sires should be competition champions that have been shown in AKC & IABCA conformation. This demonstrates their commitment to maintaining the bloodline that is essential for keeping the characteristics that everyone adores in a well-bred Vizsla.
Tour the Facility
It is important to ensure that your puppy comes from a clean, comfortable environment that is designed to prevent kennel illnesses and negative behaviors that come from being confined without socialization. A good breeder will encourage visits since it allows them to show off their high level of care. During your tour, check for clean cages, adequate play space and ask if there are regular schedules for feeding and exercise. The puppies should also look genuinely happy, and you might even catch a glimpse of some being trained.
Look for Limited Litters
Everyone has heard the horror stories about puppy mills where hundreds of dogs are born and kept confined in small areas until they are purchased. Avoid falling prey to an unethical breeder by looking for someone who only keeps a limited amount of puppies available at a time. This is important because it ensures that your puppy has been raised in an environment where the breeder and their staff have time to properly socialize their dogs before they are sent home.
Inquire About Early Health Care
Unethical breeders give little regard to whether or not their puppies are truly healthy, and it can be hard to know if something is wrong until after you get them home. Vizslas are hearty dogs that tend to have long life spans when they are given proper care, so give your puppy the best start by making sure your breeder has invested in their health. At minimum, your puppy should have received their appropriate shots and been dewormed three times before they are released from the breeder. Dogs that have been with the breeder for more than eight weeks should also be groomed with clipped nails and free of pests such as fleas.
Check for Guarantees
A breeder that has invested in the health of their puppies will also be willing to give you a guarantee for your Vizsla against genetic hip, heart and eye defects for the first year. Some breeders will go the extra mile and offer a two-year guarantee provided you demonstrate efforts to protect your puppy’s health by providing the recommended proper diet. A quality breeder will be willing to do this because they have carefully selected the parents they use for breeding to screen out potential genetic defects.
Plan to Be Involved in Early Stages
Vizslas are commonly referred to as Velcro dogs because they bond with their owners and remain loyal for their life time. For this reason, Vizsla breeders prefer for prospective owners to become actively involved early on in the process. For example, they might invite you to meet the mother before the puppy is born, and they will definitely encourage you to visit your puppy during the first few weeks of their life so that they can begin the socialization process. If you cannot visit the facility or participate in trainings, then the breeder should also have other methods to allow you to learn how to be a responsible Vizsla owner, such as training videos and brochures that help you understand the unique characteristics of this fun loving breed.
Learn About Training Methods
Although Vizslas are obedient, proper training is essential for them to learn how to be on their best behavior. Negative training methods can lead to undesirable behavior that can be hard to reverse. Unlike puppy mills that tend to let dogs run wild until they are adopted, a reputable breeder will offer training for your new pet that is based upon research proven methods for teaching dogs how to behave. Ideally, your dog should be able to walk on a leash, sit, stay and wait at the door for you. Vizslas can also be taught how to fetch and drop along with basic expected behaviors such as to potty in a specific place and avoid jumping on people. Learning how your puppy was trained will help you recreate the experience at home so they continue to learn through positive reinforcement.
Expect to Demonstrate Responsibility
Breeders who love what they do, also love the dogs in their care. This means that they will take pride in making sure that each one goes to a good home. If you are seeking a puppy before it is born, you may be asked to put down a deposit to demonstrate your commitment to bringing it home. This ensures that too many puppies are not brought into the world without a proper owner. You may also be asked to show proof of your residence along with other factors such as employment so that your breeder knows you will be able to support your new dog.
When you find a quality Vizsla breeder, their love for what they do shines through in every dog that leaves their facility. Making sure that the dog you choose is brought into a happy, healthy environment from the moment they are born will ensure you enjoy a lifetime of happiness together.
Why You Should Seek a Reputable Pointing Dog Breeder
There are hundreds of dog breeds out there and breeders to go along with just about every single one. However, a pointer brings about its own special class of challenges and rewards. Here are a few ways to know whether you should be seeking out a pointing dog breeder.
Energy
You have an insane amount of energy and need a best friend who can keep up. This breed is not known for lounging around in a sunbeam all day. They will be ready for a jog at the crack of dawn, a hike at lunch and a swim in the creek in the evening. Want to run errands? This sidekick will be up for absolutely any activity at any given point throughout the day and still have enough energy left to burn at the dog park later.
Ability to Find Animals
You like to know exactly where every neighborhood rabbit resides. And the birds. And the local squirrels. This dog breed will freeze and point to every one of these. If you are an avid hunter, this will serve you greatly. If not, you will want to train your pooch not to bring you airborne as she shoots off after every little piece of game she sees.
Loved
You want to be missed. Your trusty pointing dog breeder can set you up with the best friend you will ever have. This loyal breed will love her human to the moon and back no matter how long you have abandoned her for your pesky job. Going to the mail box? Expect to see ears that perk up at the mere sight of you 30 seconds later and what can only be described as a drunk-with-love smile as she sees her beloved human re-enter her world.
Intelligence
You want an incredibly smart dog. This breed is definitely shooting on all cylinders and can grasp what you are trying to teach in a surprisingly short amount of time. Of course, that is not always a guarantee that she will follow her training to the letter. It does mean, however, that when you catch her on that sofa instead of her dog bed, she will slink off with the utmost look of guilt, assuring you that she will do better next time. Or at least not get caught.
If any of this sounds like a fit for your personality and lifestyle, it would behoove you to contact a pointing dog breeder and get matched with a pup who will bring love, intensity, and absolutely adoration into your life.