Allergies

           Viszlas are known to be a very healthy breed; however, like most breeds they are prone to common health issues. My girls never get sick but they do have bad reactions to people food. They will break out in hives or bumps in different parts of their body. I personally do not feed them people food anyone because of this and I do not feel like taking her to the vet just so the doctor can say, “They will go away soon just don’t feed her from the table anymore. Here is your $150.00 bill.” If your Vizsla does have bumps or hives they will usually go away within a day or so.

         If you have a Vizsla or are thinking about getting one I would strongly recommend not feeding them people food because they are prone to allergic reactions and ear infections. I would also recommend feeding them a higher quality brand food to reduce the chances of your baby getting an ear infection.  It is worth paying the extra money for quality food to save your dog the pain of an ear infection. Currently, we give Drexel and Scarlet the Natural Balance brand dog food.

         Since Vizslas are hunting dogs so they go crazy when they see anything that is flying. This includes bees, wasps, and hornets. This summer Drexel and Scarlet have eaten many of those insects and guess what, they broke out in hives. Normally, ingesting these insects will not harm your dogs but I strongly recommend stopping them from catching one if you see them hunting them. Scarlet went after a bee last year and her lips were swollen for three days. We took her to the vent and they said she would be fine but she will be in pain for a couple of days until the swelling goes down. Save your puppy some pain and make sure your backyard is hive free.

(If your Vizsla has bumps, hives on their skin, or shows signs of swelling and it does not go away within 2-4 days I strongly recommend contacting the vent to rule out any serious health problems.) 

These are pictures of what hives on a Vizsla look like from Drexels latest allergic reaction to eating wasps: 

Velcro Dog

I had to sleep on the floor last night. Want to know why? Because I have Vizslas. You heard me right...I slept on the floor because my twin bed isn’t built to hold Drexel and I. This is another trait that makes Vizslas so unique. They need to be with you all the time and not just with you but ON you. Vizslas have received the reputation of being a "Velcro dog" they always have to be touching you no matter what you are doing. If you’re cooking in the kitchen they will walk up to you and just lean on your legs as you stand their cooking. It is adorable and cute when you are on the couch but the bed situation is a whole other story. In the 3 years I have had Drexel and scarlet they have always slept in a bed with someone. Always. Even when we go them as puppies they first night they just cried and cried in their crate until they were placed in the bed with someone. They are very social animals so they really do need to be with you. So last night as I was trying to get comfortable I realized the only way I could sleep soundly was if I surrendered my bed to Drexel once she fell asleep. When she woke up in the morning she left the bed and laid with me on the floor. It’s not that they refuse to lie on the floor they just want to be wherever you are.

Since they need to be on you all the time, if you are looking for a breed that sits in the corner and would be happy to sleep on a doggie bed at night then this is not the breed for you.

If you want a breed that will snuggle with you on the couch, bed, and everything in between then you have found the most lovable breed out there.