So while the idea of getting a dog is still up for debate - here is the dog Dave has set his little heart on presuming I cave in and decide we can get a dog. He gave me the laundry list of why this dog puts Lassie to shame. That list is shown below:
- Excellent hunting dog, great pointer & retriever
- Level personality suited for families
- Medium sized dog: 40-65 lbs
- Short hair
- Gentle-mannered, Loyal, Loving, Caring
- Highly affectionate
- Quickly forms close bonds with their owners, including children
- Quiet - only barking if necessary or provoked
- Excellent ability to take training
- Self-cleaning dogs, only need to be bathed 5-6 times a year
- Have little noticeable "dog smell" detectable by humans
Sounds like the perfect dog right? So he sparked my interest and I went on-line to do a little more research. Turns out Vizslas have some qualities Dave forgot to mention...how convenient.
- Require 30 minutes to an hour of off leash exercise a day
- Thrives on attention, exercise & interaction. If they do not get enough attention and exercise they can easily become destructive, hyperactive & neurotic
- Under-stimulated Vizslas may also become depressed or engage in obsessive-compulsive behaviours such as persistent licking
- Vizslas are totally unsuited to be kept outside as they do not have an undercoat.
- Many Vizslas will sleep in bed with their owners if allowed, burrowing under the covers
- Vizsla are known as chewers. If you want a calm dog, do not choose a Vizsla
- The Vizsla is not recommended for apartment life. It is moderately active indoors and does best with at least an average-sized yard
So needless to say I'm feeling some reservations about the Vizsla. After all I would prefer a dog that doesn't require an anti-depressant or mood stablizier.
So a couple of questions:
Do you have or know a Vizsla? What do you think of it?
Do you have a non-Vizsla dog breed you can recommend?
13 comments:
Some things Carrie forgot to mention about me to:
• I have short hair.
• I am medium build (6'1" and 180lbs)
• I have a personality suited for families
• I am gentle, loving, and loyal
• I like kids
• I am taught new tricks often
• And I don't smell.
Those are all the good things, but I too have some down sides
• I require 30 minutes to an hour of off the leash frolicking each day, if not I become destructive and chew the furniture.
• If I don't get out and see the sun I get depressed.
• I sleep in the bed under the covers
• I do best with a moderately sized yard.
So I ask you what better dog could I hope for? Me and the vizsla and are pretty much the same breed.
You guys crack me up! I'm anxious to see the outcome of this debate... I wish I had some insight. I don't know a thing about vizslas. So Dave, will you be the one giving the dog all the attention and off-leash stimulation?
haha i could just imagine in the bed, dave, carrie, and sparky! I do like the look of the dog and it would give you both someone to run with considering you dont like to run with each other. He/She would keep you both company and I am sure would love to get out twice a day to go for a run!
do you people see what i'm up against? how do I argue with this man?
very good question christina. dave would assure you he will be doling out all the attention & exercise. but we all know it will come down to the girl working from home.
man ashley i hope you are right. i hope little sparky won't look up at me during a jog and say "hey, can you pick up the pace? i sort of wanted to get a work out in." (like my husband does.) or hopefully he won't start speed walking next to me at the pace i'm jogging. that would just look weird.
OK, here's my two cents. My friend has a Vizsla and she loves him....but he IS VERY active. Have you heard of a Bengal? Do you want Lola? We'll ship her to you. She even fetches!
Does your friend live in a home the size of a shoebox?
The activity level wouldn't bother me so much if we had a decent sized yard/home.
So how did Lola earn the status of bad apple? What did she do now?
carrie, he's wearing you down... at this point i think you would be smartest to strike some kind of deal with dave... he can have the dog but you get ___________. make sure it's something you REALLY want!
guys, guys, guys...let's all take a moment to congratulate dave on his heroic efforts in trying to convince his wife to get a dog. i hope he is as persuasive when it comes to the motorcycle! (everyone is doing it, carrie. be cool like us. no one will know. i promise.)
Lola's incessant meowing has earned her a ticket outside. She leaves us all kinds of dead "presents" on the deck ie mice, possums, racoons, deer....If Dave wants a hunting animal, she beats smelly dogs.
My friend lives in an apartment, no real lawn of their own. Everytime I go over there I want to run away because it acts like I'm the first person it's seen in 20 years.
ok, ok - let's see where Jared's true loyalty lies. If Dave can only pick one - would you advise him to go with the Harley or the dog?
Amanda Lola rocks.
For Dave, I want him to get a bike so we can ride together. For me, I would go with the dog...they're so sweet and cute.
The persistent licking worries me. My friend had a Vizsla growing up. He was a fun dog but got left in his kennel too much. He became neurotic/depressed and actually jump off an overpass to his death.
there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about that poor suicidal Vizsla, and how much I don't want a dog like that!
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