Abby Daba Doo Vizsla Breeder: Vizsla FAQ

How big do Vizsla's get?

The following is derived from the official American Kennel Club (AKC) and
Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) standards for the Vizsla (smooth-haired).
:In the USA, Vizsla females (bitches) should reach between 19.5” and 25” tall
and around 40lbs at maturity, while males (dogs) should reach between
20.5” and 25.5” tall and around 55lbs at maturity.”

In Canada, Vizsla females (bitches) should reach between 20” and 24” tall
and around 40lbs at maturity, while males (dogs) should reach between 21”
and 25” tall and around 55lbs at maturity.

In the USA, a female Vizsla should be 22” tall and a male 23” tall. In Canada
there is no ideal desired height in the official CKC standard, only an average,
which is 22” for females and 23” for males. In reality the average Vizsla
female is about 23”+ and the average male is 24”+.

How long do Vizsla's live?

Most Vizsla's will reach at least 10 years old, and the oldest may live to 16
years old. The average Vizsla lives to 12 years of age.
Vizsla's in our puppies’ ancestry have lived anywhere from 8 to 16 years old.

How much exercise do Vizslas need?

Vizsla's need daily exercise that preferably takes place in a large, safe off-leash
area that is free from canine contagion. This means that a walk or two
around the block is not enough, a dog-play session at the dog park is not
enough, a weekly jog is not enough. Vizsla's need to run freely for at least 7
hours per week: one hour per day or two hours every second day etc. If you
cannot supply this amount of exercise then please.... do not get a Vizsla.
We run our Vizsla's off leash at a local property. We do this almost every day
for at least one hour, often for up to three hours. We bird-watch, play fetch
and hide and seek with our dogs, get them to swim in the adjacent creek,
and have a great time with other dogs. This is the kind of thing you should
be into if you are thinking of getting a Vizsla.

Are Vizslas hyper?

As in any active sporting breed, Vizsla's are energetic and enthusiastic.
However, the Vizsla should not be hyper. Good breeders take care to breed
for a good disposition, intelligence and personality - as well as conformation
and hunting skills. Vizsla's do require daily exercise, which should include
running, not just walking, and they should have companionship and toys so
that they do not become bored. A bored Vizsla can become a destructive
Vizsla.

Do Vizsla's smell?

Yes, but not very much. All dogs have some odour, as do all living creatures,
however Vizsla's do not smell as strongly as breeds with more hair or a double
coat (such as Labrador Retrievers for example).

Do Vizsla's Shed?

Yes, but very little and only lots of short little hairs.

Are Vizslas a healthy breed?

In general, Vizsla's are an extremely healthy breed and it is common for them
to have a life span of over 14 years.

Some Vizsla's are prone to skin and/or food allergies. Vizsla's can be sensitive
to anesthesia used during surgeries and it is recommended that owners
consult their veterinarian regarding the use of a special anesthesia, such as
isofluorine gas, during surgery. Vizsla's may be sensitive to other drugs such as
Sulpha type antibiotics as well; consult your veterinarian for more
information.

Vizsla's are susceptible to hip dysplasia, although careful breeding has kept
this problem to a minimum in the breed. All Vizsla's that are going to be bred
should be x-rayed and certified clear of hip dysplasia by the OFA
(Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) or other official approved agency. X-rays
must be taken after the age of 24 months, when a definitive diagnosis can be
made. If you are purchasing a puppy, make sure that both parents have
been OFA certified.

Less common genetic diseases in Vizsla's include hemophilia, von Willebrand's
Disease, tail defects, and epilepsy. There is no test for epilepsy in Vizsla's as of
November 2008.

Can I do Obedience or Agility with a Vizsla?

Yes and yes, although you need to be very positive in your training methods.
Vizsla's will never be as easy to train as a Golden Retriever (for example), but
they do make good performance dogs in general. They particularly love
agility. Please always train for agility with a good school as agility can be
dangerous for the novice handler and their dog.

How much do Vizslas cost?

In the United States in 2008, a well-bred Vizsla will cost anywhere from
$1,000 to $1,800. In general a good breeder will charge enough to recover
their canine expenses that relate to breeding and raising a litter. These should
include health tests for the parents, uterine ultrasounds and x-rays for the
dam, health expenses for the litter, plus the costs associated with building a
whelping box, purchasing whelping supplies, puppy food, many good quality
toys, puppy evaluations, socialization and training equipment and so on.

The best breeders do not make money from breeding puppies, and indeed this
should not be their goal. Their aim should be to breed two excellent examples
of the breed together to improve the breed in general and their breeding
program in particular. They will be doing this to evaluate the parents’
breeding potential and to produce excellent puppies that improve on some
traits that the parents may lack. They will want to show at least some of the
puppies if they turn out as planned, and will be hoping to produce a litter
they can be proud of and possibly keep some of them in their breeding
program. Abby Daba Doo Kennels will approve families that meet our non-
financial expectations and who can afford a $1500 purchase price plus the
approximately additional $2,000/year it takes to support a Vizsla adequately
in the United States.

Do you have any Vizsla Puppies Available Now?

Most ethical breeders do not like this question as it implies that the buyer is
seeking instant gratification - which is no way to go about acquiring a long-
term family companion. Most good breeders will have a waiting list that
you may need to sign on to in order to be contacted when they have an
upcoming litter. Occasionally you will get lucky and a good breeder will have a
puppy available, often because a puppy purchaser has moved away or
acquired a puppy elsewhere etc. Sometimes a breeder will move an ideal home
to the front of their waiting list too; after all, their goal is to find the best
homes for their puppies, not to meet the needs of puppy seekers in this
respect. You will generally find that reputable breeders do not have puppies
available frequently or on short notice. We don’t breed to supply a demand,
we breed to satisfy our desire to improve the breed.

Abby Daba Doo does not have any puppies available in 2008. We will only
place a puppy seeker on our waiting list if they fulfill our expectations
regarding their qualifications as Vizsla owners. We do not ascribe chronological
sequence to our waiting list, but rather we seek to match a
particular puppy to it ideal home. Therefore we place very birdy puppies with
field homes, very compliant puppies in obedience homes, and those puppies
that have exceptional conformation we place in show homes, of
homes willing to do the above things to some degree. Our first priority is
always to find loving homes who can support a Vizsla properly, but after that
we prioritize our waiting list by this matchmaking process

Can Vizslas jump fences?

Vizsla's are extremely agile and can easily clear fences over six feet (and some
Vizsla's may be even more "talented"). They do require a securely fenced yard.
Usually, a Vizsla will not jump high fences to leave his yard unless he is bored
or lonely.

Can a Vizsla live in an apartment?

Vizsla's can live in any environment if they have enough exercise, a warm, dry
place to stay, and love and attention.

Do Vizsla's get along well with children, cats and other dogs?

Like most dogs, Vizsla's who are well socialized will get along very well with
children, cats, and other dogs. They love affection and companionship. In
general, the more people and animals that are around them, the happier
they are.

Do Vizsla's "mouth" a lot? Do they retrieve well?

Many Vizsla's are known for their "mouthing." They are very soft-mouthed
and like to gently hold a hand in their mouth. Many like to carry articles of
clothing and shoes around, like a retriever. Most Vizsla's love to retrieve.

Are there Vizsla rescue agencies?

Yes, almost every Vizsla Club has a rescue committee. Please check our
Resources section in this Vizsla site.

Abby Daba Doo Kennels
Vizsla Breeders of Boston

SHORTHAIRED HUNGARIAN VIZSLA
Boston, Massachusetts
eMail: info@abbydabadoo.com
Tel. 617.605.6500

Vizsla FAQ

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