Video: Tad Walden
With any breed, there are often pitfalls in finding a puppy or dog. Reputable breeders often maintain lists of potential homes and spend a lot of time analyzing breeding options. The contact for the Vizsla Club of America National Breeder Referral is Florence Duggan at vcabreedinfo@gmail.com.
The Vizsla Club of America strongly recommends working with a breeder who is a member of the VCA and follows the VCA Code of Ethics for breeding. Click Here for our breeder referral list by state/region.
People looking for a Vizsla, whether a puppy or adult dog, need to expect a wait time of several months to a year or more. Most breeders will require an application detailing the potential home and the owner’s experience. Often, home checks and references are needed. Locating a breeder takes time and an investment by the owner. It’s an important decision that should be viewed as a relationship for the life of the dog.
Various types of ownership structures are available, depending on the breeder’s preferences. Full ownership, co-ownership, limited registration, and full registration are just a few examples. Breeders will discuss this with you at the time of application. Keep in mind that the breeder is interviewing you as much as you are interviewing them.
Contracts
Most breeders will have some form of contract or agreement between the puppy buyer/owner and the breeder. Contracts cover many topics, including spay/neuter, costs, deposits, vaccination protocols, return policies, guarantees, food/diet, titling in conformation, field titling, breeding, and ownership. Puppy buyers should attempt to understand all the elements in their agreements before purchasing a puppy.
How long will it take to get a puppy?
Most breeders don’t breed on a regular schedule. There are many things that a breeder takes into consideration. If they commute to work, they need to arrange puppy care during the 8 weeks after whelping. Gestation periods are 63 to 65 days. Ethics require VCA breeders not to send puppies to their new homes before reaching 8 weeks of age. Many reputable breeders maintain puppy buyer lists. It’s not uncommon for buyers to wait a year or more for a puppy. Puppy buyers should be very upfront with prospective breeders on their desired timing. Most breeders will recommend other potential sources for puppy buyers if they cannot meet the timeline of the new puppy buyer. It’s not uncommon for the perfect timing to happen. Still, we recommend every buyer enter into their search with an understanding that breeders, Mother Nature, and timing are not always aligned with the buyer’s desired timing.
How much do puppies cost?
Prices are as varied as the number of breeders. However, prices generally range between $1,500 and $2,500. Although there are instances where puppies sell below or above this range, we encourage puppy buyers to do their homework. They should check with reputable breeders about the potential purchase and the pricing to make sure the buyers aren’t falling victim to non-reputable breeders simply looking to profit from the sale of puppies. Buyers should always be wary of deposits unless they have checked references. Puppy buyers can often find comfort in speaking with other puppy buyers who have purchased puppies from the breeder. Reputable breeders base their pricing on the prenatal and pregnancy care they need to provide their dam, including post-delivery care and veterinary expenses.
Buyer Beware
Puppy scams are everywhere. These scams mainly deal with deposits or full payments before the puppy buyer ever meets the breeder. Scammers will take a buyer’s money and agree to meet them at a predetermined location to deliver the puppy. The buyer shows up, but the puppy scammer does not. By working with only those breeders recommended by the VCA, you can have the most assurance that something like this will not happen to you. We strongly discourage using newspaper classifieds and Google to find reputable breeders.