Thoughts on the Vizsla breed

[sikasako]

I have a 10 year old wire haired vizsla bitch and she is great at pointing and locating deer.
Personally prefer the wire haired over the smooth vizslas.
Bit hardier for the (Scottish) weather and better temperament in my experience.

 

[Selous]

We have a WHV that is about 15 months old. He has a headstrong streak that needed to be managed but is a natural at air and ground scenting. They are a slow maturing breed that need a bit of patience. Great in the house but he can be a bit of a softy!!

 

[Gm81]

We have one and he is a nice dog. Complicated in comparison to a lab or spaniel.
Our feels the cold big time. Great for summer. But I take the GWP in winter. The Viz has to have a coat to sit in winter.
Then please please check for immune history. Ours has an issue and I would not wish that on anyone. Would I have another..... Sadly not. Maybe a wire haired one is better.

 

[Bigron321]

I wouldn’t be without my HWV he’s absolutely excellent at indicating and tracking. He’s genuinely the easiest dog I’ve had he just wants to be my best mate.

What he lacks is that “edge” if needed, that’s why I also have a GWP - although I ask myself every day why indeed I didn’t get another HWV

 

[PCal]

We have one and he is a nice dog. Complicated in comparison to a lab or spaniel.
Our feels the cold big time. Great for summer. But I take the GWP in winter. The Viz has to have a coat to sit in winter.
Then please please check for immune history. Ours has an issue and I would not wish that on anyone. Would I have another..... Sadly not. Maybe a wire haired one is better.

Absolutely. I'm making a list of factors we will take into consideration when looking for our first dog, I shall absolutely make a note of checking immune history. Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread so far, its really appreciated.

For now the Mrs has been doing an excellent job of pointing out and finding deer, we were on the munties yesterday.

 

[Gm81]

Absolutely. I'm making a list of factors we will take into consideration when looking for our first dog, I shall absolutely make a note of checking immune history. Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread so far, its really appreciated.

For now the Mrs has been doing an excellent job of pointing out and finding deer, we were on the munties yesterday.

Is she well trained? If so I have one I could send to you for training as well

I hope you get a great dog. If you do Facebook, they have groups for dog types. This has a lot of info. I would join a group to see what things pop up. Obviously you have clueless people but some things you see build a picture of the breed. I say all this but I'm really saying my wife deals in that bit. I don't do Facebook.
The issue with our Viz, the Facebook group have been great.

 

[PCal]

Is she well trained? If so I have one I could send to you for training as well

I hope you get a great dog. If you do Facebook, they have groups for dog types. This has a lot of info. I would join a group to see what things pop up. Obviously you have clueless people but some things you see build a picture of the breed. I say all this but I'm really saying my wife deals in that bit. I don't do Facebook.
The issue with our Viz, the Facebook group have been great.

Haha! I wouldn't dare say I've trained her lol, but it is a pleasure for us to both head out stalking together. My Mrs does Facebook and will ask her to keep an eye some of those groups. Thank you all for the advice, the SD forums are invaluable!

 

[VanGogh76]

Terrible dogs, don't get them

I have a mongrel Vizsla x Fox Red Lab and a pure Vizsla that I rescued this year. They both go with me everywhere rabbit, birds, fox, deer - yes they have their quirks and I blame the trainer (Me) for some things but they've helped me find animals on a number of occasions when the thermal has let me down

 

[Feugh]

Like other contributors to this thread have said, I'd be inclined to get a wirehaired rather than a smooth and I would choose from a good breeder who works the dogs (we got a Gonegos bitch, a kennel which is based in Yorkshire, and would also look at Culdrein in Gairloch in the future).
Vizlas are a bit different to other dogs. They're generally very soft, love company, not very food oriented and a bit picky. I had a lab when I was a teenager, so having a dog which left food in the bowl if it was no longer hungry was a bit of a surprise. Ours was easy to train but did have a tendency to jump up when greeting someone when she was young. They have some mannerisms which seem peculiar to Vizslas. Ours likes to play with the kids and has always been gentle with them, so she is the perfect family dog. Maybe if she didn't get much exercise she wouldn't be as biddable? I don't know.
For deer stalking she is largely self-taught, with some help from me. She'll always point deer upwind of us and when she's really close she'll sometimes snort, as though there is too much scent getting into her nose (one of her minor annoying habits). If there is a deer directly upwind but over the top of a hill she'll let me know so that I can crest the hill carefully. After the shot she'll get massive satisfaction from finding the carcass. I'm sure that in the hands of someone who knew more about dog training she'd be even better, but I have no complaints.

 

[Fosbery Holster]

I’ve really tried hard to keep out of this discussion but l will add my thoughts to it, I’m not offering advice merely my own experience.

What an absolutely wonderful breed the HWV is…….I’m on my second one …….both of them developed “Epilepsy“, (l did my research but to no avail) our first one we euthanised at just over twelve months old there was no hope for her, this was after consulting two trusted Vet’s !!!

If you have chosen to have a Vizsla try asking the breeder if there is any Epilepsy in their bloodline, or any other debilitating affliction that might rear its head in the future.

Epilepsy can be controlled in the dog but this leads to, as in our dog, excessive drinking, excessive peeing, constantly looking for food etc; etc.

All the above shouldn’t happen in any breed, if l had complete confidence in any breeder l may chance having another one but l haven’t so unfortunately l won’t be having another………what an absolute shame !!!!

 

[Gm81]

I’ve really tried hard to keep out of this discussion but l will add my thoughts to it, I’m not offering advice merely my own experience.

What an absolutely wonderful breed the HWV is…….I’m on my second one …….both of them developed “Epilepsy“, (l did my research but to no avail) our first one we euthanised at just over twelve months old there was no hope for her, this was after consulting two trusted Vet’s !!!

If you have chosen to have a Vizsla try asking the breeder if there is any Epilepsy in their bloodline, or any other debilitating affliction that might rear its head in the future.

Epilepsy can be controlled in the dog but this leads to, as in our dog, excessive drinking, excessive peeing, constantly looking for food etc; etc.

All the above shouldn’t happen in any breed, if l had complete confidence in any breeder l may chance having another one but l haven’t so unfortunately l won’t be having another………what an absolute shame !!!!

That is a sad story. While we are not in the exact situation to you. I can relate to the drinking, peeing and food. The medication makes the dog become totally different to what they were. .....
Ours is a Kennel club recommended breeder. Still is. I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole. But she is a barrister so I guess saying bad things could end up with me in trouble maybe. But I don't know why anyone would breed to put a new owner through what you, I and many go through.
As you, there is way to much risk factor involved for us to have another one. Which is a shame as they are a great dog for outdoor people.

 

[Zane1988]

I’ve really tried hard to keep out of this discussion but l will add my thoughts to it, I’m not offering advice merely my own experience.

What an absolutely wonderful breed the HWV is…….I’m on my second one …….both of them developed “Epilepsy“, (l did my research but to no avail) our first one we euthanised at just over twelve months old there was no hope for her, this was after consulting two trusted Vet’s !!!

If you have chosen to have a Vizsla try asking the breeder if there is any Epilepsy in their bloodline, or any other debilitating affliction that might rear its head in the future.

Epilepsy can be controlled in the dog but this leads to, as in our dog, excessive drinking, excessive peeing, constantly looking for food etc; etc.

All the above shouldn’t happen in any breed, if l had complete confidence in any breeder l may chance having another one but l haven’t so unfortunately l won’t be having another………what an absolute shame !!!!

I am also looking into a HWV as a dedicated deer dog. Interesting about the Epilepsy so I will keep that in mind when choosing a pup