Vizcaya Breeding Practices

Many responsible breeders are working to keep prices reasonable in an effort to discourage puppy mill breeders (See www.nopuppymills.com for more information) Ask the breeder of any litter you consider about the goals of their breeding program; ask why they paired the parents of this litter and about titles the parents have earned. Make sure that both parents have been cleared of hip dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) registry. Get a copy of OFA numbers for both parents and ask for proof, as on the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals web site, not just their word for it. When you acquire a puppy from a reputable breeder, you also acquire support throughout the lifetime of your dog. Be suspicious of any "bargain" prices for this breed, especially if "registered" or "papers" is part of the selling pitch, or without show titles or field titles and OFA numbers. Make sure the puppy you are purchasing is registered with the American Kennel Club, with Wirehaired Vizslas registered through the Foundation Stock Service. Avoid purchasing a puppy from a breeder with whom you do not have a good rapport and avoid puppy mill, pet store and total Internet purchases.

Sometimes, breeders may seem "snooty" to first time owners, and you should not purchase a puppy from someone with whom you feel you can have no rapport, but because of the protective needs of this breed and because of their own breeding objectives, many breeders may seem reluctant to take a chance on a newcomer, especially one who only wants a pet and won't even consider doing any competitive events with the dog. You need to sell yourself to the breeder as much or more than you need to be able to pay for a Vizsla or Wirehaired Vizsla puppy, and you need to keep an open mind about what you might do with the dog in the future with the breeder's help and encouragement. You are buying more than a dog. You are buying a carefully planned breeding, a respected pedigree, and a lifetime relationship with a breeder.

WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT FROM US AS A RESPONSIBLE BREEDER

We breed only to produce puppies of excellent quality and to improve on the qualities of the sire and dam in temperament, structure, train-ability, and hunting ability. We know of no other valid reason to breed. We screen breeding stock for hereditary diseases, and only then do we begin to study pedigrees carefully to make as sure as possible that there are no genetic health or temperament problems being brought in from either the sire or dam's side. We breed no Vizsla or Wirehaired Vizsla before they are two years old, and certified free of hip dysplasia from OFA, Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. All certified dogs over two years of age will have a link to their OFA certification for your review. We have at least a four generation pedigree of the puppy, available for the puppy buyer to study, and we can intelligently discuss the traits of the dogs in that pedigree, and tell why this particular breeding was done. You may be able to meet the dam if she is on site, and we will be able to show you pictures of the sire and dam if he or she does not live in my home. Not all of the dogs or litters on this web site are at the home of Nancy Edmunds in Winder Ga. Many of the dogs seen on this site and puppies advertised, belong to the owner or co-owner and are at their homes. We may use this web site as a vehicle to get the word out about that particular litter being available.

We screen puppy buyers carefully to make sure they understand what the Vizsla or Wirehaired Vizsla is like to live with, as they are not for everyone. Please read the About the Vizsla page on this site to better understand the temperaments and personalities of the two Vizsla Breeds. Expect to be interviewed and have questions asked of you. When inquiring about a puppy, please let us know whether you are looking for a show, hunt or performance event puppy. The more flexible you are with the puppy's sex, the better chance you have of there being a puppy for you. We will want to know if you have other pets, small children and if you have a fenced yard. We discuss spaying and neutering with you at the time of inquiry, and will require that all are to be altered if not being shown and finished as an AKC Champion. All Wirehaired Vizsla puppies tails are docked 1/4 off per the WHVCA standard at 3 days old, along with both front dew claws. The smooth Vizsla tails are docked 1/3 off per the VCA standard, along with both front dew claws. All puppies will carry the prefix of "Vizcaya's" on their registered name, unless the puppy is coming from another breeder/kennel. We normally take a word from one of the parent's names or come up with a theme and will expect it's use in the registered name of the new puppy. From the time the puppy is born, until the time that he or she is about 6 weeks old, I will ask for their registered name, along with their call name, to be able to register the puppies as a litter with the AKC.

All puppies leaving my kennel are guaranteed to be free of hip dysplasia and genetic eye diseases. If your puppy is purchased for show/breeding and proves to have one of these genetic diseases, I will replace the puppy with one of a different breeding, but will expect you to spay or neuter the original puppy. I will refund a portion of the purchase price if your companion dog proves to have one of the genetic diseases mentioned.

We require, through a contract agreement and Limited Registration, that neutering and spaying be done if you are not purchasing a conformation show puppy, and include this in our contracts. We adopt the protocol of Dr. Laura J. Sanborn M.S. and the protocol of Dr. Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP when it comes to neutering and spaying dogs who will not be exhibited. If a puppy coming from my kennel is spayed or neutered before the agreed time frame, 14-18 months of age - I will no longer guarantee any health issues for that dog.Exhibited puppies will also go with a co-owned contract stating our agreement about showing and possible future breeding. Since we breed for conformation excellence and hunting ability, those homes that will be taking their dogs to a title in those venues will have first choice out of a litter. Agility and obedience to title or other performance events to title will have next preference. Deposits placed are to hold a puppy for you until they are 7.5 to 8 weeks old, are ready to go to their new homes, but are not necessarily to establish an order of choosing. Please do not ask to choose your puppy before the designated release date at 7.5 to 8 weeks old. Depending on the size of the litter, the sexes in it, and how many are going to title homes, we may choose to, and reserve the right to assign puppies to the purchasing homes. Deposits can be made with a valid check, or through PayPal using your verified PayPal account or your credit card. If you are using your PayPal account or your credit card, the deposit & balance payments must include the 4% fee added by PayPal. Checks must be written out to Nancy Edmunds, not Vizcaya Vizslas. The balance is due when the puppies are 8 weeks old, whether you take your puppy home then or a later date. Deposits are only refundable when we cannot provide you with a puppy. We do not always have all venues coming out of each litter so there are usually puppies for the couch and the park!

After all monetary agreements have been met and contract signatures are acquired, we provide a packet of papers to include the AKC registration paperwork if completed and returned from the stud owner, copies of the OFA certifications for both parents; pamphlet to help with training, feeding and learning about the breed; vaccine and de-worming records for the puppy and a four generation pedigree of the puppy you are purchasing. On occasion we may be making trips to various parts of the southeast, and it may be possible for us to bring your puppy to a location nearer you. Please ask if that is a possibility! If not, you will be expected to come to my home in order to pick up your new puppy.

We wean our puppies at 4 to 5 weeks of age, socialize the puppies well and allow them to go to their new homes at about 8 weeks of age. Puppies will be de-wormed, vaccinated for Distemper and Parvo only, as we do NOT recommend Hepatitis, Lepto, Parainfluenza and Corona. We provide a Puppy Information sheet to help you with your first days and years with the puppy, and we are always here to answer questions and provide suggestions and support for the life of the dog.

Please understand that the Vizsla and the Wirehaired Vizsla

are two separate breeds and therefore, if bred together,

would be considered mixed breeds and cannot

be registered in ANY quality registry.

We make it clear in our contract that we will take the dog back at any time

during it's life, should your circumstances prevent you from keeping the dog.

Recommended books to help you learn about the Vizsla!!

The Versatile Vizsla by Marion Coffman

The Complete Vizsla by Gay Gottlieb

The Hungarian Vizsla by Gay Gottlieb