Breeding Vizslas

All our puppies are sold with a contract that they are “Not to be Bred from”. We can lift this contract providing the bitch or the dog develops into an excellent specimen, in other words, conforms to the breed standard.

The gene pool is limited in New Zealand and we want to ensure we continue to produce sound puppies from our Kennel. The following are some of the reasons why people make a decision to breed. We do not believe that these reasons justify such a decision.

• “It will settle her down”.
• “It is better for the bitch if she has a litter”.
• “I love puppies”.
• “I will make some money by breeding”.
• “It will save me money by not having to purchase a puppy from another breeder”.

The Breeder

No one has exclusive rights to being a breeder. It is an open playing field but not always a level playing field regarding quality.

Breeding is full of unknowns but there are more safeguards in place with breeders who have knowledge of the faults and of the various blood lines Vizslas come from. They also have made an intelligent choice of the Sire and Dam.

A reputable breeder is one who will stand behind their puppies, i.e. give detailed information on the breed, dietary advice and puppy behaviour tips for the new owners to follow, thus preparing them to avoid some of the pitfalls in being a puppy owner. There should always be some follow-up with the puppy owners and good breeders will have an invested interest in the entire life of the dog.

Showing is not necessarily for everyone but it is the main way of measuring your own lines against the Breed Standard.

The Principles of Breeding

Some of the principles of breeding we follow are:

• Our aim is to continuously work towards improving the quality of the puppies that we produce.
• The temperament of the dog and bitch is paramount before we make any decision to breed.
• We do not breed until the Bitch is at least two years old. This is a mandatory requirement for the Hungarian Vizsla Breeders. The bitch needs to be fully mature and well developed and this does not happen before two years of age.
• Hip scoring of the Sire and Dam. This is a necessary check as it is important to prevent Hip Displasia in the breed.
• Having a litter should mean your time is totally invested in the puppies to ensure they are well fed and socialised. Take it from us – you are always exhausted after a litter. It is essential to ensure your puppies go to their new homes healthy, well handled, socialised, and able to adapt to their new surroundings.
• There are people who only sell to hunting homes. To hunt with your Vizsla is wonderful but all homes need to be thoroughly screened. We believe the Vizsla’s superior intelligence means they are better worked in some form of discipline – i.e. Field Trialling, Showing, Agility or Hunting, but no one discipline is better than another. It is the quality and environment of the home, plus the care they are given, that is so important.
• Every breeder, even reputable ones, can have things go wrong. However, we will stand behind our puppies and take all steps to ensure it is not repeated.
• We do not believe bitches should be mated without a rest between seasons as it takes so much out of them and you do not have time to properly follow up your litter to see if any problems have occurred.
• We are very careful about who we sell our dogs to. We find it helpful if you complete the online questionnaire as this gives us an idea of what you are looking for in a puppy. We also encourage potential owners to phone and, if possible, to visit our Kennel, so you have an opportunity to meet us and to see the dogs.
• We are selective in our breeding programme and therefore do not breed all the time.
• We will always re-home any puppies we have bred if there is a reason you cannot keep the dog. Thankfully, this is very rare.

Please feel free to contact us at any time. We are very happy to provide further information or answer any questions you may have concerning our lines.