How much do Hungarian Vizsla
pups cost? I'm not interested in showing, just for a pet.
Prices for Hungarian Vizslas in Australia vary considerably. The average price for a
registered
Vizsla in Melbourne has been $1,000-$1,500 per pup or more over the past year or so, with
some breeders believing their pups are of higher value and charging
accordingly. In NSW & SA,
breeders have generally been charging less. Price is not necessarily a guide to quality.
Some breeders will charge per puppy what they were charged as a stud fee, others charge what they think the market will
afford or what other breeders are charging, etc.
The cost of pups is not usually determined along the lines of show
or not for show, they all cost the same to bring into the world and all require
the same level of care so it would be unusual for a breeder to tell you that one
pup costs more than another because it is of show quality. It could also
be argued that pet quality after all, is more important than show quality - a
Vizsla spends far more of its time being a pet than it would a show dog.
Because you do not wish to show a dog does not mean you should accept a dog of
inferior temperament or health. Purchasing your pup from a good breeder
will make it more likely that it will be healthy, well adjusted and able to
actively participate in your family, obedience, agility, hunting or whatever
else your pursuits encompass.
The clubs also run
rescue and re-homing services and the cost of these dogs is less
than that of a puppy. Rescue dogs may be in rescue simply because of a change in
family circumstances. Contact the Clubs for
details of the rescues they have available - or put your name down on their
rescue list to await a suitable dog.
Be aware - in the past year or so, litters of unregistered Vizslas have been
advertised in the papers - some for as much as $800 each.
Purchasers should be aware that some pups may not be
what the price tag might otherwise indicate.
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The advertisement says Champion
Imported bloodlines. Are these pups better?
It would be unusual
for a Hungarian Vizsla litter born in Australia NOT to have Champion Imported
dogs in the pedigree. The majority of Vizslas imported into Australia,
save the very youngest either have foreign or Australian titles on them.
I want to get a Vizsla, but I can't find a breeder
near me.
Vizslas, although
becoming more popular, are still not a numerically large breed like Labradors or
German Shepherds. The number of litters being registered each year has
been increasing. The breeders lists available through the Clubs will have
breeders who are spread out through several states. It is not
infrequent that Vizsla pups are transported interstate. Distance from
yourself to your breeder should be only a small part of the equation - you need
to be happy that any pups, be they close or far away, be they available
immediately, or ones which are yet to be bred, are equal to any others you may
be able to obtain - that is, the Vizsla you get should be the best one there is
for you. Just because you haven't
found a breeder does not mean there are aren't any Vizslas available - some breeders only choose
to advertise when they have puppies available. Breeder and puppy lists,
(& rescue Vizslas) are available
through the Clubs. See also "Where
to find a Vizsla".
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How do I find a reputable breeder?
Where to find
breeders advertised is covered in "Where
to find a Vizsla". Deciding who is reputable and who is not, is
up to you. Good breeders will ask you as many questions as you ask them.
They will want to establish what you expect of the dog (pet, competition
obedience, etc), and that you are a good home for their dog. They will
want to know if you have fences so your pup won’t escape, have you had
experience with dogs or Vizslas before, etc.
Caveats. If a breeder needs to “sell their
product” by denigrating others, what does this say about them? Do not
believe everything you read (especially on the internet! Including
this!!), hear, or are told. Weigh it up against your life experiences and
other information you can find -
does it make sense to you? If something sounds odd,
it probably is.
You should not feel
rushed into purchasing the first available pup because you have had difficulty
locating a breeder, or available pups. Take your time in making your
decision. After all, you should be expecting to spend the next 12 or so
years with your Vizsla - this is a long term investment. (How long would
you spend looking before you purchased a car? And how many years do you
expect to have that car?)
Does the breeder make
great claims about their dogs - how they have x wins from showing? Some
Vizslas in Australia may have little competition at shows because the breed is
not numerically large. Thus, hoards of Best of Breed ribbons (or those
won against ones own kennel) may not be meaningful. Do not let the opinion
of the breeder be your only measure for assessing the quality of their
dogs. Also, how important, or necessary is it for you to get a Vizsla from
a dog which has done well in the show ring? Whilst on one hand, if the
dogs have been shown or trialed in some capacity, others will have judged the
dogs, thus it is more than one person's opinion. On the other hand, just
because a dog has a title does not mean it must be bred.
A good opportunity to meet with many breeders to help decide whose Vizslas you may
prefer the look or temperaments etc of will be at a dog
show. Each
affiliated Club conducts two shows per year, with Victoria and New South Wales
also conducting Obedience Trials, New South Wales a Tracking Trial, and South
Australia a Field Trial. The Royal shows conducted in each of the state
capitals (plus Launceston and Toowoomba) are also another place to view Vizslas
being shown or obedience trialed. Dog shows are conducted in metropolitan
and/or country venues almost every weekend of the year, with many weekends
having shows on both days. At these smaller shows you may be able to
meet with breeders, but one wouldn't normally expect the majority or breeders,
or those from interstate to be present.
You may also meet and interact with Vizslas at a
picnic or fun day. The Clubs organise
a few of these each year, and in states where there is no formal Club,
enthusiasts also organise Vizsla get-togethers. If there is no Club in the
state where you live and you would like to meet with some Vizslas, contact the
Clubs and they should be able to put you in contact with a member in your
state.
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Do Vizslas shed?
Yes, all year round, though the
change of season to/from winter marks the major time points when the dogs change
coat. Bitches will also loose coat around the time their pups are weaned.
Do Vizslas get along with cats?
Yes, Vizslas can live with
cats. Dogs which are not brought up with cats will often want to chase
them, and certainly many dogs will chase neighbours cats out of their yard but
not those which belong in their household. As long as the cats can get
away from dogs (get up on furniture etc), they usually rule.
We are looking to get a Vizsla for
our son's birthday. Can you help us?
Although there are
many dogs born every year in Australia, it would be very difficult to guarantee
a dog (of any breed) is available for a given day, such as a birthday. According
to the ANKC, there were 361 Vizslas born in 2001. Even if a litter is
whelped around the right time for the pup to leave the breeder for your son's
birthday, all pups in the litter may already be 'spoken for', and thus none
available. Perhaps rather than a dog ON his birthday, your son may receive accoutrements, such as a lead and food and water bowls, in readiness
for the dog he will get for his birthday, but on another date?
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