Topic: Potential Owner Looking for Advice (Read 1119 times)

nate_1 · « **on:** February 08, 2010, 05:35:48 PM »

Hi, I'm considering getting a vizsla and I wanted to get a little info from owners before I continued any further down that path.

To quickly sum things up, I just recently discovered the breed through some internet research and generally reading about the breed in books. I am found myself liking many of the characteristics that I've read about. However, my main concern is their energy level. I was wondering if anyone might be able to give me a brief breakdown of a typical day with your dog in order to give me an idea of whether their energy would be more than I am able to adequately handle.

Thanks!

jp · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2010, 05:44:12 PM »

There is a lot you can learn by clicking around on these forums and reading different topics. Even better, go to a dog park and meet some real live v's, maybe even different ages!

Crazy Kian · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2010, 06:06:55 PM »

We have a 10 month old male, neutered.

Mon- Fri - get's walked for 30 minutes in the morning with a 15 min off leash play time. The evening he gets a 45-60 minute walk on a leash.
Tues and Thurs. - gets min. 60 minutes of off leash running with his dog walker.
Sat & Sun. - walked in the morning for 30 - 45 minutes, then we get together with other owners from the forum and take our V's to a forest or open fields for at least an hour if not more. Then he just chills the rest of the day on the floor or the sofa.

Oh and when we can we take him up north to the cottage for a weekend. He loves to run and could probably run for hours if he had to.

In the summer we will try and introduce him to running along side a bicycle or one of us rollerblading. I've tried running with him but my pace is like a fast walk for him.

If you enjoy spending time outside then a V should suit you just fine.
They are not a dog that can be neglected and never walked/played with or trained. They will be at your side constantly and some days you just wish you had your space, but that's a rare thought.
There is nothing better than coming home from a horrible day at the office and seeing my buddy's tail and back half wiggle side to side with enjoyment.

As mentioned before, try and see a few in person before you commit.

Good luck with your decision.

Pineapple Princess · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2010, 06:23:45 PM »

Hi Nate. Our Vizsla Hobie is 4 months old, so I can provide some perspective from a puppy standpoint, which I think is important.

I too was a bit concerned when researching "pre-puppy"- at times I began to fear bringing home a hyperactive jumping bean who would ruin my home, eat everything in sight (edible and non) and never tire. I eventually had to pull back and stop reading so much stuff. my husband and I knew that we were both active, loving individuals who were looking for a "velcro dog" and were willing to put the time and money into raising a good dog.

We both work, so right now M-F Hobie is crated during the day with a break during lunch time. For socialization and exercise, we are looking to put her into an all-day play group one or two days a week very soon, now that she is up to date on her shots. It is wintertime in Pgh and has been very cold, so she hasn't been able to be outside very much.

When we get home from work, Hobie is VERY excited to see us (as you can imagine) and usully we have to indulge her with some puppy play for a few minutes before she will even calm down enough to let us put her collar and leash on to take her outside to do her business. Her tail is like a whip, it goes back and forth so fast.

The evenings vary - sometimes she is very active and we play fetch between the dining room and kitchen with her for long periods of time to expend some energy; sometimes she's surprisingly sedate and is happy to lounge on the couch with us (as close as possible, sometimes on top of us). When it's time for bed, Hobie has learned to recognize this and goes right to sleep with us.

She has NOT destroyed our home, hasn't eaten the curtains, and does find time to rest. yes she is wild sometimes, but not to the point that we can't handle it. Alcohol helps.

If I'm being honest, there has been more biting than I expected. I'm not sure if this is just Hobie, or if this is typical. This is in the evenings and she's playing with us. When this happens, if she gets too aggressive, we simply give her a calm time out or two in her crate and then she's fine. This has definitely eased up in the past couple of weeks.

We have lots of friends who have dogs, and we all get together to let our dogs play just about every weekend. This has been great for Hobie. I highly recommend this for socialization and exercise.

One thing I think most everyone on this forum would tell you is that your Vizsla will want to be with you as much as possible when you are at home, including when you go to the bathroom/shower.

I'm at home today and as I write this, Hobie is curled up on my lap. And she has been chilling out and sleeping all day. Definitely not the wild child that you might expect.

We have never regretted our decision to get a V. She has brought us so much joy. I could stare at her for hours, pet her for days, and cuddle with her until the cows come home. I can't wait until she can run with us.

Good luck!!!

madaboutvizslas · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2010, 06:41:47 PM »

Hi Nate_1,

There are lots of posts on the forum regarding just this topic and I am sure you will find them very helpful. After 20 months of having a V I would say it is pretty crazy for the first few months and then they mature and calm down at about 15-18 months. Mine gets a 20-30min walk Mon-Fri and then spends 3-6 hours on its own in the yard. The weekends we are normally at home or out and she comes with us.

My advice would be, I hope you have a decent yard or park nearby as they like to run. You can't keep them penned up all day. And as PP said they have a strong need to be with you. A neglected V can be very destructive. Have a read on Wikipeadia about V's and Weimaranas.

But if you want a great looking, athletic and very affectionate dog then this is the one for you!

doglover · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2010, 09:02:47 PM »

Clyde is 8 months now and he gats 2H at the off leash dog park at least 5 days a week (usually it is 7). My youngest is in kindergarten from 12-3 and I usually go when everyone is gone. If I had not been able to devote this time, I probably would be crazy right now. I do think he is on the hyper side. I hear about V's that take naps. Clyde NEVER lays down. He just follows me all day. I would also agree with the biting/aggression/growling. It has been an ongoing issue and I had not read about it at all before I got him. I do feel like he is starting to turn a corner though. I love him to death and I have no regrets but I cannot deny that he has been A LOT of work!

Crazy Kian · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2010, 10:36:49 PM »

Doglover, is Clyde neutered?
We have noticed that Kian is starting to "mature" slightly ever since he was neutered a few months ago.
As for the nipping, he has prety much stopped it, he does like to take your fingers in his mouth and suckle on them and then lick them

But as a young puppy, he was extremely hyper. We would let him out of his crate and he would literally do laps around the apartment.

Ambers Mom · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2010, 12:25:53 AM »

I will give you my perspective on being a V owner. My sister had V's for many years, showed them and bred them but never more than a litter every couple of years. She always tried talk me into getting one, but I was too put off by the energy and excitement of the breed. Long story short- 3 years ago I agreed to "babysit" Amber for my niece for a couple of months. Amber was 2 months and by the time she was 12 weeks I was hooked and loved her so much. She became my dog!! She is the sweetest dog, everywhere we go she makes friends and someone always tells me that they want to take her home. She has never been destructive. She did take a long time to house break, but that is rather normal for the breed. I would have to grab her from the crate and run to the door with a towel wrapped around her for the first 6 months. She is very well socialized. Loves everyone, has never exhibited any aggression towards anyone or anything. I take her running or walking almost every day. I have a large fenced yard, but she doesn't want to be outside unless I am out with her. She loves other dogs, if I had another dog she would probably like to stay outside more. I would recommend researching the breeder before you commit to purchasing a V. I think the key is getting one that has been bred for temperment. Good Luck!

I can't believe how much I love my DOG!

Gunnr · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2010, 01:28:28 AM »

Nate_1

I've had Vizsla's underfoot in the house for almost 24 years. I wouldn't have it any other way. They're a lifestyle.

As for the energy levels. I was a Cat II USCF cyclist, a triathlete, and have done too many 5K's, 10K's and marathons to remember. My dogs were my training partners for many years. They can run for hours when properly conditioned and had no problems keeping up with me on a bike in the woods. A human running probably isn't much more than a lope for them They could also be big couch potato's if so inclined.
You need to meet the dog 1/2 way. This is an active dog that tends to run to mischief when they lack sufficient physical and mental outlet. They're problem solvers too and are very mentally acute.
I would suggest trying to observe a field trial. You'll really see what they're capable of at a trial.

Big Rick · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2010, 02:57:56 AM »

Last February we lost one of our beloved Rotties. We travel during the summer in our motor home and many RV Parks (mostly their insurance companies) practice breed discrimination so we wanted to get another dog but not a Rott. Sandy was determined to get a V but I had serious reservations because of what I read about their energy level. We are both in our 60s and Sandy is disabled following two back surgeries. I just didn't believe we could keep up.

We got Dexter in April and left on our summer jaunt the first of July. Yes, Dexter was very energetic along the way and sometimes we questioned our own sanity, having bought a V. His big problem was that our remaining Rott was 8 years old and didn't want to play with him so he often ran from one end of the motor home to the other.

As time passed, however, he began to mellow and become more of a couch potato (comparatively, of course). In fact when we lost our other Rottie over Thanksgiving we decided to get a female to go with Dexter and Scarlet joined the family just before Christmas. She and Dexter are actually half-brother and sister, having the same Sire. She is MUCH MORE laid back than he was at 3 months but she does have him to play with and play they do!!!

We love both our dogs and try to keep them busy with things to do around the house and they don't need more that 20-30 minutes a day in the back, off leash. Boy are they smart puppies. As one of the members of this forum says, "One is not enough".

Pineapple Princess · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2010, 02:38:09 PM »

Nate, I would agree 100% with Amber's Mom - definitely meet the breeder and the dogs he or she is breeding before the litter is born. Any reputable breeder should welcome this. And spend as much time as you can with the puppies, before you pick one out. I visited Hobie and her siblings several times before it was time to pick. And the breeder should be able to advise you on the different temperaments of the puppies when the time comes (on a basic level).

Hobie's parents were both very calm, relatively speaking- they never once jumped or licked me when I would come to visit, they were just very focused and watchful.

Very different from some of her other Vs' temperaments who were like Energizer bunnies. Still so lovable, just much higher energy. Goes to show that even with the same owner/trainer/breed/litter - different personalities are definitely out there.

doglover · « **Reply #11 on:** February 09, 2010, 03:08:00 PM »

In response to Crazy Kian. No, Clyde is not neutered. It is an on going "discussion" in our house. My husband wants him left in tact. I would like him fixed. Not sure which of us will win. My husband would like to breed him and get one of his pups in a few years. We will see. I hate to sound like I complain a lot and I do love Clyde to death but he is not like a lot of the V's that are described on this forum. I think Gunnr said once "some V's are dog first and human like second" (or something like that.) Clyde is ALL DOG but I am the type of person who thrives with a challenge. Clyde is my challenge but I am getting a lot of satisfaction from having him.

Jacobite · « **Reply #12 on:** February 09, 2010, 05:44:01 PM »

We've mostly had Rotties and 1 GSD .After we lost our last Rottie at a far to young age we looked very closely at a number of breeds trying to narrow it down to a healthy breed that had a lot of energy.like Gunnr I'm also a competative cyclist so the more exercise of any kind the better and boy do we get it.
A typical day for us is 15 minute walk at 6.00 am another half hour around 10.00 another 30 mins to 45 mins at 14.00 and now with the afternoons being lighter another 30 mins at 17.00 there is usually another walk on the lead at 20.00.At the weekend we try and get away in the car or I'll cycle somewhere and meet up with them.
I suppose its what you want from your dog and its good you are trying to go in with your eyes open.I had read about their energy levels yet have still been suprised at them but it suits me to have dogs like this.They are lovable ,funny and very loyal and after all those equally loving,funny and loyal Rotties I don't have to look for a telltale limp appearing after a walk.

nate_1 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2010, 06:34:38 PM »

Thank you all very much for your replies. It seems that I should see if I can find a breeder in my area (and hope there's one close enough to visit relatively frequently!) And/or find some local owners and maybe meet a vizsla or two and see if they're the right breed.

Thanks again!

BaileyBlu · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2010, 03:11:38 AM »

I've had a vizlsa for the last 14 years and recently added a vizsla puppy to the pack. I really forgot how much work a puppy is!
I take my boys to an amazing 7 acre wooded area where dogs can run off leash. It is a small piece of the country right in the city. There are great walking paths and they get plenty of exercise. I bring them up there in the morning for at least 1h15 minutes and then in the afternoon I take my 15 week old puppy either back to the woods or for a leashed walk for about another hour. It is important that pups nap after exercising. I find that when they don't, they go a bit bonkers. On occasion, I also bring him to puppy day care where he plays all day with other dogs. By the time I pick him up he is pooped!! In spite of all the exercise little Blu gets, he can still be a terror! Jumping and nipping at everything in site . . . I have the marks to prove it.

Vizslas enrich your lives in more ways than you can ever imagine. Just remember a happy vizsla is a well exercised vizsla which in turn makes for a happy owner.

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