Rescued a Vizsla

8744 Views 15 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Big Rick, Nov 3, 2009

kunik1962

Discussion Starter · Mar 10, 2009

Okay lets see if I can get this to make sense. I just acquired an approximately 10 month old Vizsla from a women that rescued it from a family that purchased him as a puppy from a pet store. (Hope that made sense). She could not continue to take care of it and begged me to take him (she had him around two months.) I presently own a 15 month old Alaskan Malamute and live on 10 acres at the edge of the National forest. I do not have a fenced yard but have not had an issue with the Malamute wandering off since I am usually home all the time (usually work from home). I began socializing my malamute at a wonderful dog park in Vancouver Washington that is a fenced 8 acre area at 5 months of age and she gets to spend 60 to 90 minutes there at least 5 days a week. I know I am crazy, I drive to the dog park even though I have all this space out where I live. I have had the Vizsla three days and wanted to ask a few questions.

Up to this point my only experience with Vizsla's was talking to other owners at the dog park.

1. Right now this Vizsla refuses to leave my side, I swear he is attached at the hip any time I am in the house. Any chance he gets he tries to crawl in my lap. Heck if I go in the bathroom he whines at the door. Is this normal?

2. He is potty trained and seems to be a lot smarter than my Malamute (He understood the dog door right away.) He loves to get in bed under the covers and crawls way down by my feet when we go to bed. Is this okay? He is like a furnace. I wonder how he manages to get air down there.

3. Right now I am giving him two cups of high quality dog food a day (the Malamute gets 5 cups), he wolfs it right down. He seems to be around 40 lbs and I can see his ribs just a tiny bit when runs etc? Is this okay? Am I feeding too much?

4. Do I need to worry about the Vizsla wandering off from the area around the house? There are lots of deer etc.

5. At the dog park he loves to run (its beautiful to see) and always comes when I call, too bad my malamute does not (Malamutes are pretty independent)

I basically took him in as he needed a place to live. I think he just needs lots of love and a bit of training. If my situation is not proper for him I will happily work with a rescue group to find him a better home. Any thoughts?

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madaboutvizslas

· #2 · Mar 10, 2009

Sounds just like typical Vizsla behaviour. They are fussy eaters and hard to fatten up (there are lots of posts on V food). They lose weight real quick too if they run alot. Every dog is different, so I'd be wary of it wandering off but mine doesn't go far (yet).

I had a book on Vizslas that said "If you don't want a dog that is going to follow you to the toilet every time, then don't get a Vizsla."

Has it sighed deeply at you yet or yodelled?

1notenough

· #3 · Mar 11, 2009

well kunik as madaboutvizslas has already said,It sounds like you have a vizsla very similar to the rest of the vizslas in the world.It sounds to me that your dog for ten months is just about right.One of mine just had an intestinal issue where he was a little dehydrated,he weighed in at 46and a half pounds.might be a little underweight.as far as the feeding guidelines go I firmly believe that they do not apply to these dogs.I feed a high quality food and for two dogs at eleven months they get five to six cups a day,plus bonus food snacks.I cant put weight on them ,it just wont happen. my dogs ribs shoe also and that's OK if I see too much of there spine I up there food immediately,because they are going through a growth spurt.it is that simple.As far as the deer and the dog go I would always be concerned about that.they are a hunting dog,and you never know what kind of a notion might go through there heads.as far as what they look like when they run.It is a sight to behold when mine run side by side.makes me all warm and tingle inside.GOOD LUCK with the dog

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Blaze

· #4 · Mar 11, 2009

Lucky you, you have a "normal " Vizsla! My male will turn 1 the end of this month and he is very much like yours in behaviour. Except I cannot get him to come when off lead in the woods. He won't go too far from me but when time to go .... no way ... too much fun chasing rabbits. And he knows what come means because he obeys me in the house or fenced yard.
Best of luck - enjoy!!

UplandV

· #5 · Mar 12, 2009

The dog's behavior is normal. The only thing I would worry about is the dog chasing a deer 7-10 or more miles, and they will. I've been at field trials where dogs chased deer for 7 miles, we know this because they had a tracking collar on...it sounds like your V is exceptionaly well mannered and well behavied for his age. Congrats.

Food- I feed my V's 4 cups of food a day, two in the morning and two and night. All the breeders I know, as well as other trialers do as well. We feed a super premium food, which typially requires less volume of food then non-premium brands. I run my V's a lot so they always have most of their ribs showing, but they also have veins popping as well as significant definition.

What a great sitation for that dog, 10 acres, next to 1000's more. Couldn't be a better home, I hope you keep him and enjoy him. If you do, remember that the dog will forever be attached to your hip!

Chris

1notenough

· #6 · Mar 12, 2009

It is nice to see that others feed more than the recomended amount.I Think it is a ploy by the dog food manufacturers to try and make us believe that two and three quarter cups a day is sufficent feed for a dog.As UplandV has stated a super premium food is absolutley necessary for digestability and nutrition..mine get fruits and vegetables added to their feed and i change there food about every three months.Like he said the dogs are ripped veins popping and ribs popping out.You have to keep an eye on them,they go through growth spurts where they will need more food than usual.it would seem that your dog does a lot of running also.have fun with your new dog

kunik1962

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 14, 2009

UplandV said:
The dog's behavior is normal. The only thing I would worry about is the dog chasing a deer 7-10 or more miles, and they will. I've been at field trials where dogs chased deer for 7 miles, we know this because they had a tracking collar on...it sounds like your V is exceptionaly well mannered and well behavied for his age. Congrats.

You have me a bit worried now. Will the dog find its way back if it takes off after a deer like that? If the dog happens to run east from my house it can go 40+ miles before running into "civilization" again.

madaboutvizslas

· #8 · Mar 14, 2009

If you keep your dog working close to you say 5-30ft and teach it good recall then you should not have a problem. If you are concerned about it running off then just keep working on this and give the dog lots of rewards (treats or pats) for returning (everytime whether its being good or not).

Also try getting a favourite toy and throw it out. Tell the dog to fetch. When the dog gets halfway there yell NO and then COME. You should be able to recall the dog no mater what it is doing. If you can manage that then you can stop it running off after a deer, across the road...

Make the NO a load and stern command and the COME nice and friendly (this sounds funny to others listening). And then reward for coming back.

Jacobite

· #9 · Mar 16, 2009

As everyone else says you have a typical Vizsla.I've had to put one of mines out of bed at night as it was getting to hot ,for me !
Fussy eating again no worries,one of mine will turn his nose up at food however we have to be careful as his sister will eat anything.
Deer chasing ? both of mine have taken off after deer if they manage to see them before me however they don't pursue the chase and both times it happend they came back pretty quickly however as others have said I could quite believe some of them would chase for ever.
As for being joined at the hip ,again completely normal behaviour.
I think your situation sounds perfect for a Vizsla.

UplandV

· #10 · Mar 22, 2009

Dogs can backtrack their own scent for miles even hours after they've become 'lost'. They'll typically come back on their own. My worry is cars, however if you have wilderness out your back door that shouldn't be much of a problem. The dog will get tired after chasing after the deer and come back. There's plenty of times I've lost my V when hunting and found them back at the truck waiting for me, after I looked for them for hours.

I'm sure it will be fine.

Chris

madaboutvizslas

· #11 · Mar 23, 2009

I noticed the other day when out hunting with my V how she knew where some of the game trails were. I have only taken her down this one trail 3 times and she seems to know where to break off onto a smaller game trail that I have been taking. I thought at the time WOW how does she know that trail is there. I figure either she has a good memory or she can smell the foot traffic of other hunters that may have been down there in the last day or so.

kunik1962

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 26, 2009

Okay I just wanted to pass on that Palo (dogs name) has now been in the family for just over two weeks and all I can say is that he is a total joy to have in our lives. He is really settling into the routine. He is so much different than our Malamute. He is eating 4 cups of high quality dog food each day now and still is not putting on any weight. He is now behaving in the car and not trying to climb over my lap to get out a door when its opened (he does start to shake a bunch though in excitement). I am still working on his jumping up to greet people and his desire to "counter surf."

The first few times in the dog park were interesting as he kept pretty close to me. Now he runs and runs and always "checks back in" to make sure I am here. Unlike my independent Malamute, Palo always comes when called no matter how far away he is. I don't know how I ever survived without this breed.

He is a total lap dog and if you give him an inch he takes a mile as he tries to scoot up into your lap, heck I have even found myself pushed out of the chair I was sitting as he gets more and more comfortable for a nice cozy nap. Hate to say this but he sleeps in the bed with us, and I swear once he is settled you cannot move him - you'd think he weights a lot more than 47lbs.

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VizslaLoverLexington

· #13 · Nov 3, 2009

Blaze said:
Lucky you, you have a "normal " Vizsla! My male will turn 1 the end of this month and he is very much like yours in behaviour. Except I cannot get him to come when off lead in the woods. He won't go too far from me but when time to go .... no way ... too much fun chasing rabbits. And he knows what come means because he obeys me in the house or fenced yard.
Best of luck - enjoy!!

My Katie should meet yours two V's in a pod it sounds like...She's just turned one and recall? what is that..there are squirrels, rabbits, ... to be chased!

Sounds like the poster has a wonderful environment for her new rescue V. Congratulations!

Zero4910

· #14 · Nov 3, 2009

kunik1962 said:
....He loves to get in bed under the covers and crawls way down by my feet when we go to bed.

^ I laughed so hard at this part

Good luck with your new bestest friend!

-adam

linkkm

· #15 · Nov 3, 2009

Yeah kunik1962, I do think the burrowing under the covers is a typical V trait as well. Nico sleeps right between us in bed too...he's either curled up in a ball at my feet (under the covers), sleeping perpendicular between us (so that my boyfriend and I have approximately 2 inches of room before falling off the bed and Nico has the rest of the bed, or....about 3 inches away from me with his head ON MY PILLOW! Add that to the sighs and other sounds Nico makes at night and it's quite an interesting sight!

I've never been a dog owner before and I'm so glad we went with a V - they're the best dogs. Sometimes I swear Nico's almost human!!

Big Rick

· #16 · Nov 3, 2009

linkkm said:
I've never been a dog owner before and I'm so glad we went with a V - they're the best dogs.

BOY! Having a V as your first dog is kinda like having your parents teach you to swim by tossing you in the pool!

If you can handle your V you shouldn't have any problem with other breeds, save perhaps a border collie! ;D

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