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Your Vizsla
INTRODUCTION
The Hungarian Vizsla is one of the HPR (Hunt, Point, Retrieve) breeds and
can be described as a medium sized and 'many-sided' hunting dog or, put
simply, as an all-purpose gundog. Although the breed has a reputation for
being both easy to train and affectionate, you should NOT get the idea that
owning one will be a picnic! Their merits as working dogs are well known so
the focus here is to comment on their role as a family pet, since a
considerable percentage of all litters is destined to fill that post. Your
Vizsla will need careful management and clear and concise direction if it is
to become a valued family member. The following points should be taken into
consideration and most have been provided by Jackie Perkins - a breeder of
over 20 years standing:
TEMPERAMENT
The temperament of your Vizsla is paramount and, in the opinion of Jackie
Perkins (GARDENWAY) this is still the most important quality for your
consideration. After all, a dog may be the most beautiful one of its kind
but, what good is he or she if you cannot live together harmoniously?
Your Vizsla should be confident and friendly towards both humans and other
dogs. How you manage your Vizsla will impact enormously on its temperament.
Few people or animals respond well to harsh handling and there is little
doubt that most 'problem dogs' are the result of poor handling, often from
the owner's ignorance.
COMPANIONSHIP
The Vizsla thrives on human companionship and it MUST be a valued member of
your family, as so many owners will testify. However, in order to fulfil
that special role, your Vizsla has to know his/her place. Of course, this is
the case with all dogs but, many years of experience with the breed has
shown that the Vizsla excels in cleverness and downright cheek!
If you go out to work for long periods, a Vizsla is NOT the dog for you
(and, really, no dog should be!). Left alone, in such circumstances, its
intelligence will quickly come into play. If your Vizsla becomes bored, it
may seek to relieve its boredom by re-designing the legs of your furniture
or cupboard doors - at least those s/he cannot open and empty! Or, maybe,
your favourite knick-knacks that its ever-searching gundog nose can sniff
out might be preferred! And, toilet training will probably take for ever -
if, indeed, it is ever learned at all! Such behaviour is hardly likely to
endear him/her to you . . .
However, if you are at home with your Vizsla during those early, formative
weeks and months, you will not only have untold fun, as you realise his
potential and capacity for learning, but you will also develop the essential
rapport that will form an unbreakable bond between the pair of you.
PERSONALITY
Take a look at the results of the Shows, Field and Working trials, Agility,
Obedience and all the other, wide-ranging activities in which the Vizsla is
involved. You immediately realise you have a multi-faceted animal in your
life. Not only hard-working, but also intelligent, intuitive, inquisitive,
instinctive and 'in-your-face'. That's your Vizsla and you ignore him/her at
your peril!
BUYING YOUR VIZSLA
There are many points to ponder when making this decision. After you have
researched the various breeds, considered your lifestyle and finally decided
you DO want a Vizsla, the next question is:
1) From whom do you buy your puppy?
The Hungarian Vizsla Club has a puppy-line, whereby the names of reputable
club members - who expect to have puppies to sell - are made available to
interested people. You select one or some, make contact and are then
considered by the breeder(s) for suitability to have one of their puppies.
If you are, you go on their list.
Do be careful not to buy from a breeder just because you like the look of
his/her web-site! Having the ability to construct an attractive web-site is
not positively correlated to being a good and reputable breeder. Some
breeders use their dogs as a business!
First, ask the breeder if s/he complies with the Club Code of Practice. The
Club regularly publishes in its Newsletter a list of all the litters that
have been registered with the Kennel Club. The list includes details of the
hip scores (or their absence!) plus the ages of the dam (mother dog) and
sire (father dog).
Hip scores are important because they show the breeder is working to prevent
hip dysplasia. It is not a big problem in the breed and the Club wants to
ensure it stays that way. Therefore, reputable breeders have their breeding
dogs X-rayed to prevent problems with hips in the puppies' future.
Hip-scoring is NOT a guarantee because that is not possible with nature.
However, breeders who have hip-scores for their Vizslas have done their
level best to guard against the possibility.
The age of the parent dogs is very important. Sadly, some breeders use very
young bitches, far too young to be mothers and the Club works hard to
educate as many people as possible to avoid such practices. Members do this
because they care for their Vizslas and want to promote the best practice
possible.
NEVER BUY FROM A NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENT OR PET SHOP - good breeders have a
waiting list for their puppies.
VIZSLA PUPPY LINE
The Puppy-line Co-ordinator for the Hungarian Vizsla Club is:
Contact: Mrs Sonny Benson tel no: 01908 373097
Alternatively write to: The Oak Tree Bungalow, Five Oak Green Road, Five Oak
Green, Nr TONBRIDGE, Kent TN12 6RL
2) Check Kennel Club registration details
Is the litter registered?
Does the breeder have an affix (a kennel name that identifies the breeder)?
Is the colour of the Vizsla properly recorded?
The Breed Standard colour is 'Russet Gold'. If the breeder calls it any
other name then, clearly. the breeder is not familiar with the Breed
Standard and this should sound a warning note to you.
3) Will you get a Puppy Pack that details feeding, care, vaccination,
worming and also promises to maintain contact with you indefinitely?
4) Does the purchase contract insist that the puppy is returned to
you in the event of something going wrong? Beware of a breeder who does not
insist that the puppy is returned to the kennel if you cannot keep it!
5) Is the price reasonable?
Some breeders are charging exorbitant prices for their puppies. Do remember
a high price does not guarantee you have purchased the next Crufts champion!
Unfortunately, the Club cannot regulate prices but the Puppy Line will only
recommend breeders whose first concern is the well-being of the breed.
REMEMBER: First, contact the Hungarian Vizsla Club puppy-line for the names
of breeders with puppies for sale.
MANAGING YOUR VIZSLA
You can rely upon your relationship with this special breed to give you
enormous stimulation and satisfaction. Indeed, at times, you will be
challenged and frustrated equally yet, overall, you will be rewarded in
immeasurable degree. If you have 'got it right' both your lives will be
enriched and enlivened as you learn to understand and respect each other.
Fortunately, few owners get it wrong but, sadly, some do! So, it is up to
you to make sure you are not one of them. At the first sign of any
difficulty, contact your breeder for advice. And then, having received it,
follow it!
Dog Training Classes can be found all over the country and will train you in
the management of your Vizsla. Attendance at dog training, after
innoculation, will also 'socialise' your puppy and ensure it learns to enjoy
the company of other dogs and people, under your control. If you intend
showing your puppy, you will also wish to attend Ringcraft classes, where
you will learn the rudiments of handling your Vizsla in the show ring.
For both Ringcraft and Dog Training, do remember, that practice may not
promise perfection but it will go along towards it.
CARING FOR YOUR VIZSLA
Your Vizsla is no different from any small creature, be it animal or human -
it needs food, warmth and love; the latter includes discipline. Never
confuse discipline with chastisement: discipline is about learning and
training, whereas chastisment is about punishment. If you get the training
right, your Vizsla will learn to fit in with your life and you will never
need to chastise it. Simple commands will suffice, preferably of one word
and syllable - eg SIT, DROP, DOWN, NO! LEAVE, STAY etc., followed by 'Good
dog!' or 'Well done!' and a titbit as a reward. As with children, canine
discipline requires a calm attitude and consistency of approach. The main
focus should always be positive and reward the good behaviour.
COAT - a very attractive aspect, not only for its beautiful 'Russet
Gold' colouring but also because, being short-coated, it is relatively easy
to keep clean compared with some other breeds. When your Vizsla's wet, a
quick towel down will leave him almost dry whereas, if he's muddy, somewhere
warm and comfortable to lay - perhaps on newspaper - will see most of the
mud drop off when it's dry. To keep his coat gleaming, a brush down daily
with a 'velvet' grooming glove will work wonders. In the spring he will
start to shed his winter coat - often a lighter colour - to reveal the
lovely rich colour coat he wears in the summer, when a daily brush with a
horse (or human) brush will help the metamorphosis.
CLAWS - need clipping on a regular basis. It is easier to learn to do
it yourself as vets do not always take off enough. The old adage about claws
being worn down by walking on pavements etc doesn't always work. The Vizsla
should have thick fleshy pads: this means his claws can grow too long if
they have to touch the ground in order to be worn down. So, continue the
nail clipping that your pup's breeder should have started, on a weekly
basis, so that he becomes used to the routine and will sit quietly as you do
it. If he struggles, you may cut too short and make the claw bleed. This is
painful and will lead to the pup refusing to let you clip his claws again.
Be firm and kind and reward good behaviour.
LEAD TRAINING - The final part of the early learning process is lead
training. This should be done in the garden while his vaccinations are
taking effect. Make sure you never drag your Vizsla by the lead. Remember
that all training must be a positive and happy experience so, if he digs his
heels in and refuses to move, don't forget the food! A piece of cheese will
work wonders!
EARS - they should be sweet-smelling and clean in appearance. Usually
they are. A wipe with tissues is usually enough to keep them clean and a
cotton bud may be used very gently on the inside of the outer ear flaps.
However, NEVER insert a cotton bud down into the ear for fear of perforation
of the drum. Your dog will jerk his head quite vigorously if you attempt to
do this, perhaps with catastrophic consequences so, NEVER EVER DO IT! At any
sign of a discharge or unpleasant odour, make an appointment to see your
vet.
TEETH - chewing on raw marrow bones will keep them sparkling. There
are also many biscuits brands on the market, designed with canine dentition
in mind. Do remember, however, these have a calorific value and an abundance
of any 'food' will inevitably lead to an increase in weight over time. Many
propriety brands of tooth-paste are available and most dogs will permit
their owners to brush their teeth clean, particularly if you make it a
pleasant experience.
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