General Information

About our dogs

All of our foundation breeding dogs are imported from Hungary, the country of origin for both the Hungarian Vizsla and the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. They come from lines titled in both work and show: AV, VAV, VMV and OTV in the field, and show championships in the ring. AV, VAV and VMV/OTV are Hungarian field trial titles awarded for working ability, not appearance. We have made deliberate use of Hungarian bloodlines because the working tradition there is unbroken and the gene pool is broader than what is available domestically.

We own multiple generations of our own dogs. We know our lines first-hand. We have seen our dogs grow up, work, raise litters, and grow old. Decisions about which dogs to breed are made on the basis of dogs we live with, not pedigrees on paper.

All breeding animals are hip and elbow scored, as well as undergoing appropriate testing for their breed before they are bred from. All of our dogs are raw fed, including pups from weaning. We are happy to discuss our scores, our feeding, and our breeding decisions with anyone considering one of our pups.

Whether the breed suits you

The Hungarian Vizsla and the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla are both working breeds. The Wirehaired Vizsla was developed from the (short haired) Hungarian Vizsla to tolerate harsher conditions and hunt all day in cold and wet environments. Both breeds need real exercise, real engagement, and real work to do. This may not be hunting for the urban family but might mean running at the park, learning tricks, solving puzzles and swimming at the local beach or river.

Most of the mismatches we see come down to one thing. The owner was not entirely honest, with themselves or with us, about the life they actually live. The dog is then asked to fit a life that does not exist. One example we sometimes see is the prospective owner who tells us they want a running companion, when on closer conversation it turns out they have been thinking about running rather than actually running. There are many other versions of the same problem. If we match an active pup who loves to run with the person just thinking of taking up running, it will find work for itself - and the work it finds is rarely what you want!

We would rather have a frank conversation about your life than place a pup into a home that is not the right fit. The more honest you are with us about your household, your routine, your experience and what you are actually looking for, the better we can match the right pup to you. If anything you read here sounds like more than you want to take on, that is worth knowing now.

Our commitment

We are available for support throughout the life of your pup. If you have questions or concerns, you are welcome to call, email or message us at any age and any stage. If your circumstances ever change and you cannot look after your pup, contact us. We will help you to find a suitable new home. A dog we have bred is our responsibility for its lifetime, not just until it leaves us.

If you are considering one of our pups

The best first step is to email us at info@lasair.com.au or use the contact form on our website. Tell us a little about your household, your experience with dogs, and what you are looking for. We will reply, and if it looks like a good fit on both sides we will arrange a longer conversation from there.

Bringing your pup home

Congratulations on welcoming a Lasair pup into your family. Your pup will bring you many years of company. Pups, like children, can also be hard work, particularly in the early months. The right start sets your pup up to be a wonderful adult dog who is a pleasure to spend time around. There is lots of information on this page to give them that start.

The first weeks at home matter more than the months that follow. The critical socialisation period lasts until twelve weeks, and your pup will learn more about the world during that window than at any other time in its life. The sections that follow cover the practical ground in roughly the order you will need it.

Setting up your home

A few basic first steps -

Baby gates or an exercise pen are useful to keep your pup safe and contained. An enzyme cleaning spray for accidents is worth having (available from pet stores or online eg PetLab, Enzyme Wizard); apple cider vinegar also works.

Move valuable items above puppy level. Put your shoes away.

If you plan to crate train, set up the crate in a quiet area, with a small exercise pen around it.

Bedding

Wires generally tolerate cold weather well and do not need to burrow under covers or wear coats in the way a short-haired vizsla often does. Most wires do not like cave-type beds, but a well-padded flat bed suits them. Many of ours like to sleep on pillows. A short haired pup may like to sleep beneath a blanket or in a cave style bed.

A cheap bed from Kmart or similar is fine for a puppy. Teething pups chew beds, and there is no point spending money on something that will be ruined. Save the better bed for after teething. Moulded plastic beds from pet stores or Bunnings are sturdy and easy to clean (they can be hosed); fill them with old towels or blankets.

Where your pup sleeps is your decision. If you allow a pup to sleep on your bed, it will not leave! If you do allow your pup to sleep in your bed, set up some "pet stairs" or another means of your pup getting on and off the bed safely. Jumping from a bed can cause joint injury.

Crate training can be useful if you plan to show or trial your pup, as they will need to rest quietly in a crate at events.

Crate training

If you crate train, the crate needs to be a pleasant place to rest. Do not use a crate that is too large, or the pup may one end as a toilet. Either buy larger crates as your pup grows or use a large crate with a divider.

Encourage your pup into the crate of their own accord by offering a treat or bone. Praise and reward quiet behaviour. If your pup cries or barks, wait for him or her to settle. The moment they are quiet, praise and treat. Build up the duration gradually. Putting the crate next to your bed and placing your fingers through the wire, or tapping the top, can help your pup settle.

We do not lock our adult dogs in crates except at a show, trial, or when unwell. All of our adult dogs are conditioned to accept the crate without distress, but we do not personally use crates as a means of household management. Crating practice varies internationally, and reasonable people disagree about it. Whether to crate at home is a decision for you.

All dogs should be trained to accept a crate. Whether you use crating as a containment tool, or instead train your dog to settle calmly around the house (for example, on a mat), is a separate question.

Animal welfare regulations in most areas set a maximum number of hours per day a dog can be crated. If you crate at night, you may already be at or near that limit. Please check the local laws in your area.

If your pup is awake, take him or her out of the crate to toilet every thirty minutes. If asleep, take them to toilet as soon as they wake up. If a pup is allowed to toilet in the crate, they may become accustomed to sleeping on soiled bedding, and this habit is hard to break.

Introducing pups to the rest of the family

Our pups have had exposure to a range of dogs, from Italian greyhounds to Irish wolfhounds, as well as our cat and our bottle-raised lambs. They have spent time with young children and elderly people. A typical household should not be unfamiliar.

Always supervise children with a pup. Make sure they support the pup's back half when picking him or her up. Do not allow teasing.

Teething pups will chew. Teach your children what to do if the pup is chewing on them, rather than squealing.

Older dogs can sometimes be wary of small pups, even if they are generally sociable. Supervise interactions and make sure your older dog has a place to retreat from the pup if needed. Having your pup meet your older dog away from the house and travelling home together can help your older dog feel that he has brought a friend home rather than that a newcomer has invaded. Meeting through a baby gate until they are familiar is another option.

Our pups generally ignore our cat, but our cat has been around dogs his entire life and is used to them. If your cat is not used to dogs, make sure it has somewhere high to escape to in case your puppy is over-enthusiastic. Most cats do not have the tolerance for puppy biting that another dog might.

Feeding

Our dogs are raw fed, from weaning. We feed this way because we have been doing it for a long time, across multiple generations of our dogs, and we are confident in the results we see. The rest of this section sets out how we do it: what to feed, what to avoid, and how to adjust as your pup grows.

If you would prefer not to raw feed, that is a decision you are entitled to make. We have included notes on alternatives further down.

How dogs handle raw food

It is reasonable to wonder whether a dog will become unwell from eating raw meat. The dog's digestive system differs from ours - their stomach is far more acidic and the intestine is shorter. Bacteria in uncooked food are largely killed by stomach acid, and bacteria that survive have less time to multiply and cause illness. This is why a dog can dig up and eat a buried bone, or why a wild dog can eat a rotting carcass without falling ill. The same acidity allows raw bones to be broken down readily in the stomach.

If you do choose to feed kibble, take care when adding meat and bones, and use a product with a higher meat content. Ziwi Peak and K9 Natural are examples. A carbohydrate rich diet (eg many commercial kibbles) can cause the stomach to become more alkaline. This can lead to poorer digestion of bones and a theoretical increased risk of infection.

How much, how often

Pups eight to twelve weeks should be fed three times per day. This can be reduced to two times per day from twelve to sixteen weeks, but continue until six months if possible. Adult dogs only need feeding once per day.

Young pups will consume about ten percent of their current body weight in food, or about two and a half to three percent of their adult weight. Eg a 10kg pup will consume around 1kg of raw food.

An average adult female wire will weight 20-26kg. A wire male will weigh 22-32kg. Short hairs tend to be 1-2kg lighter than wires as they are a lighter-boned breed.

Food needs do vary considerably between dogs, so adjust your pup's intake if he or she looks too lean or too plump. We have dogs who eat only 600g per day and dogs who eat over 2kg per day, and all are at a healthy weight. A dog doing a lot of running can need up to six percent of their ideal weight, for example when training for an endurance trial or spending long days out hunting.

What to feed

About sixty percent of the diet should be meat. All kinds of meat are suitable eg beef, chicken, lamb, kangaroo, fish, eggs. Kangaroo and wallaby are very lean, so make sure your pup also gets some fat.

About ten percent of the diet should be offal, half liver and half other offal. Heart is a muscle meat, not an offal for raw feeding purposes so can be used in place of any other meat. You do not need to feed and adult offal every day - it is ok to average it out across the week.

Most dogs enjoy green tripe. This is not available fresh in Australia unless you know someone with a farm or slaughter your own animals, but it is available freeze-dried (K9 Natural brand). Do not feed the bleached tripe sold by butchers as it has little nutritional value.

The remaining thirty percent is meaty bones. Raw meaty bones are bones that your dog can consume: chicken frames, chicken feet, chicken necks, turkey bones (hard for puppies but good for adults), lamb necks, lamb tails, roo tails, ribs. Do not feed weight-bearing bones or "marrow bones" - sometimes sold as "dinosaur bones". These bones can damage teeth. They also are too hard for the dog to consume the actual bone meaning that they cannot access the calcium in the bone.

Some pups take longer than others to accept offal. We have not yet had a dog that refused sweet breads, so this is a useful fall-back. Most dogs accept liver if it is dehydrated, or try flash-frying. Kidneys can be very lightly poached until your dog accepts them raw. Or mince the offal and mix it with preferred foods if your dog will not eat it on its own. Pups from our litters are accustomed to chopped offal and accept liver, kidney and sweet breads.

Raw eggs (whole, including the shells), sardines, cheese, yoghurt and berries can also be added to meals.

A small amount of vegetables can be added, but avoid starchy ones. Broccoli, zucchini, spinach, carrots, green beans are fine; potatoes are not! Vegetables need to be ground in a blender or food processor, or lightly steamed, to be digestible. Adding vegatables can be useful for a dog that has become overweight to bulk meals without adding calories. Do not add more than ten percent vegetable matter unless you are aiming for weight loss.

Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, hemp) can also be added.

Fish is good for the coat. If you buy fresh fish or go out fishing yourself, it can be eaten whole, including head and scales. Fish mixed with cottage cheese is a favourite with our dogs!

In hot weather, freezing food portions cools your pup down and makes meal times more interesting.

Daily bones

Feed raw meaty bones each day. The following are roughly equivalent at about 250g:

• 3 chicken wings
• 4 chicken necks
• 2 chicken drumsticks
• 2 small quails
• ½ lamb neck
• 1/2 medium wallaby tail

Practical sourcing

If it is easier, you can prepare mainly mince meals and freeze them. A local butcher (not supermarket) will be able to make a raw mince for you. This is what we order for our pups, and it suits dogs of all ages. We add a variety of vegetables, berries, seeds and sardines, depending on what is available.

Add a few extra bones to the mince to keep teeth clean.

Buying in bulk or using whatever meat and bones are on sale will reduce cost if you have a chest freezer.

A basic puppy mince recipe and several other recipes are at the bottom of this section.

If you would prefer not to raw feed

If you prefer not to raw feed, look for Ziwi Peak, K9 Natural, Prime or Frontier Pets (locally produced, available online) kibbles. If you are buying Providore, a Petbarn brand, please check the pack: not all flavours meet nutritional guidelines for a large breed pup, though all are suitable for adults.

If you want to feed meat but not raw meat, the Prime 100 range of cooked logs is a good option. The lamb and rosemary flavour is popular and is suitable for large breeds and pups.

If you find it difficult to source ingredients to raw feed, or do not have time to prepare meals, the Vets All Natural mix combined with any human-grade mince is a practical alternative. There is no need to add organs or ground bone, though your dog should still be offered bones to chew.

Stool consistency

If your pup is constipated, add some mashed pumpkin. If stools are loose, pumpkin is also good, but also increase the amount of bone in the diet. This refers to a stool that is soft and difficult to pick up rather than diarrhoea proper. If your pup has diarrhoea, contact us or see your local vet.

What not to feed

This list is not exhaustive, but never feed:

• Onions
• Cooked bones
• Large weight-bearing bones
• Antlers or horns
• Raisins, sultanas, Christmas cakes and puddings
• Chocolate
• Alcohol
• Anything sweetened with xylitol (some chewing gums and peanut butters)
• Corn cobs (the kernels are fine; the cobs cannot be digested and can cause intestinal obstruction)
• Uncooked bread dough
• Macadamia nuts
• Rawhide chews

Bowls

Buy ceramic or stainless steel, not plastic. It is worth having more than one set, as your puppy will be feeding three times per day and you do not want to be washing up constantly.

Get a wide, shallow water bowl and change the water frequently. Your pup may enjoy ice cubes in hot weather. You may see your pup digging at the water; this is common and a good sign that your pup will love swimming.

A large rubber doormat under the water dish catches splashed water; a towel works as well.

Underweight pups and dogs

Sometimes pups and adult dogs look thin, particularly during a growth spurt or a heavy training period.

A spoon or 2 of peanut butter added to a meal, or put inside a Kong, can help. Use natural peanut butter, never any brand sweetened with xylitol.

Puppy milk gets weight on quickly and dogs enjoy it. It can be stored in the fridge for a few days. Always use goat milk rather than cow milk, as it is more easily digested by dogs.

Puppy milk recipe

• 1L goat milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 heaped tablespoons natural yoghurt
• 1 scoop (30g) natural whey protein isolate, unsweetened (optional, useful for weight gain)

Mix in a blender.

Feeding recipes

Basic puppy mince

• 2kg whole chicken bones (such as frames)
• 1kg lamb heart
• 2kg beef trimmings
• 250g liver
• 250g other offal (sweet breads, kidneys, brains)

Beef and salmon
This recipe contains bone meal for those who prefer not to feed raw bones. If you are feeding raw bones, the bone meal in this recipe is not required.

• 2.5kg beef mince (regular, not low-fat)
• 1kg beef (ox) heart
• 350g beef liver
• 125g beef spleen or kidney
• 500g spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 500g carrots (steamed or pureed)
• 1 medium tin (210g) pink salmon, drained
• 140g hemp seed
• 23g krill or fish oil
• 150g bonemeal (KAL brand is widely used; available at health food stores or online)
• 10g kelp powder
• 2 tins mussels or oysters, drained
• 4g sea salt
• 7.5 tablespoons almond butter (no salt)

Chicken
This recipe contains bone meal for those who prefer not to feed raw bones. If you are feeding raw bones, the bone meal in this recipe is not required.

• 2.75kg chicken hearts or other chicken meat
• 500g chicken livers
• 500g chicken giblets (excluding liver)
• 105g bonemeal
• 350g asparagus (steamed or pureed)
• 350g cabbage (steamed or pureed)
• 100g hemp seed
• 1 tablespoon cod liver oil
• 15g green-lipped mussel powder
• 3 tablespoons flaxseed oil
• 2 Brazil nuts
• 5g table salt

Pork and herbs
This recipe contains bone meal for those who prefer not to feed raw bones. If you are feeding raw bones, the bone meal in this recipe is not required.

• 2.25kg pork mince
• 600g fresh asparagus (steamed or pureed)
• 170g fresh mushrooms (steamed or pureed)
• 100g ground pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
• 55g bonemeal
• 45g chia seeds
• 35g fresh parsley
• 35g coconut oil
• 25g green-lipped mussel powder
• 2 tins sardines in spring water, drained
• 6g ground turmeric
• 5g dried oregano
• 4g dried basil
• 4g dried thyme
• 4g sea salt (iodised)

Lamb and vegetables

Vegetable mix (puree in food processor or blender, or chop and lightly steam):

• 250g green beans
• 250g zucchini
• 250g pumpkin (cooked)
• 250g spinach, lettuce or other leafy greens

Plus:

• 4kg lamb meat, variety of cuts, can include hearts
• 300g liver
• 300g kidney
• 250 to 300g lamb bones per day (neck or rib)

Roo and fish

Vegetable mix:

• 200g cauliflower
• 200g carrots
• 200g green beans
• 200g fresh beetroot (not tinned)
• 200g fresh parsley or mint

Plus:

• 2kg kangaroo or wallaby meat
• 2kg oily fish (salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel)
• 250g sweet breads
• 250g liver
• 250 to 300g roo bones per day (tail, ribs, backs)

Chicken and egg

Useful if you keep chickens and have a surplus of eggs.

Vegetable mix:

• 200g asparagus
• 200g zucchini
• 200g carrots
• 200g mint
• 200g parsley

Plus:

• 2kg chicken meat
• 2kg fresh raw whole eggs (including shells)
• 250g chicken livers
• 250g chicken giblets or gizzards (no liver)
• 250 to 300g chicken bones per day (necks, frames, feet)

Eggs should always be fed whole. Feeding whites alone carries a risk of biotin malabsorption.

If you would prefer a quicker option than preparing one of these mixes, the Vets All Natural mix is similar to a muesli and can be combined with any fresh mince of your choice. There is no need to add organs. It is available at most pet stores and is a more economical alternative.
Use Goat Milk as the liquid component rather than water. We generally find that more liquid is needed than indicated on the packet directions.

Toileting and care

Toileting

Pups from our litters are accustomed to not toileting in their sleeping area and prefer to go outdoors. By the time that they leave us, most pups are about 85% toilet trained.

Take your pup outside as soon as he or she wakes up, after eating or drinking, and at least every twenty to thirty minutes when awake. If you see your pup circling, take him or her out: that is the sign of a pup looking for somewhere to go.

Praise your pup for going in the right place. Do not scold for an accident. Pick him or her up and take them to the correct place. Scolding can lead the pup to associate going to the toilet in front of you with displeasure, rather than associating the wrong place with displeasure, which can encourage hiding. A pup that has learned to hide will toilet behind the lounge, in cupboards etc.

Vizslas are intelligent and learn quickly, but bladder control develops at different rates, much as it does in human children. Some pups will be almost completely reliable at eight or nine weeks. Others may take until twelve to fourteen weeks.

If you have an older dog, your pup will often copy the older dog's behaviour. From eight weeks pups can learn to use a dog door, or you can place a cow bell on a string at the back door and train your pup to ring the bell to be let out.

Grooming

Vizslas are easy to care for and seldom need a bath. They do not get a doggy smell. We only bath if one of our dogs has been into something stinky. Even for shows, a bath is not often needed.

If you have bathed your pup to prepare for a show, do not condition the coat or it may go too soft. If this happens, use a sea salt spray to restore the coat texture. This is not so important for a short hair but is vital for a wire! If a bath is needed, a mild human baby shampoo is fine for pups. Use a shampoo designed for wirehaired breeds on adult wires or for a short hair you can continue using the baby shampoo or buy a show shampoo designed for red or golden coats to bring out their colour in the ring.

Get your pup used to a regular brush. A rake-type stripping comb or a pin brush works well for a wire. A small slicker brush or a grooming glove is good for a short hair.

The wire coat will need stripping every three to twelve months depending on how hairy your pup is. You can take them to a dog groomer, but results vary depending on the groomer's experience with wire-coated breeds. It is straightforward to do yourself and does not take long. Grasp a clump of hair and pull gently; the loose hairs will come away easily. Take a look at you-tube for videos., You can also just use a stripping comb for decent result.

The wire coat is a working coat. It is designed to protect the dog working through cover in cold and wet conditions. This is one of the main practical reasons a buyer chooses the wirehaired over the smooth: the coat is built for the field.

Nails

Nail care is important. We trim our pups' nails regularly, so they are used to having their nails clipped. Nails need to be kept short for the feet to develop well.

When your pup is a little older, around four months, you can begin using a Dremel to trim and shape the nails. It is worth getting young pups used to the sound, even if you are not yet using it on them, to make nail care easier when they are older. A Dremel from the power tool section at Bunnings is better than the electric nail trimmers sold in pet stores.

Collars

If you are planning to show your pup, leave him or her without a collar at home, to avoid impressions in the neck and fur.

There is also a small risk of collars catching on crates or other dogs' mouths and causing injury. Where possible, dogs at home are best uncollared.

If you choose to use a collar, or for taking your pup out, choose a collar with a soft backing and check the sizing regularly as your pup grows. A slip lead is a good alternative to keep in the car for vet visits.

Training and socialisation

Learning their name

When you bring your pup home, one of the first things to teach is his or her name. Pups learn quickly, often within a day or two, if you hand-feed. It is also a good way of introducing clicker training if you are planning to use this technique.

Put your pup's food or some small treats on the kitchen bench and sit on the floor with your pup. Have your pup look at you and say his name, then give a treat or a small piece of food. At the next meal, say your pup's name, and as soon as he looks at you, use a clicker to signal a good response (or say "yes") then feed immediately.

Outside, use a long leash to train recall. Make it a game. Take high value treats: grated cheese, roast chicken, or some Prime 100 log cut into small cubes work well. Say your pup's name, then "come." Click and treat for response. Move around a lot. As your pup starts to sniff, run away a few metres then call your pup. Click, treat and praise for stopping what he is doing and coming to you instead. As your pup progresses, you can teach him to come and sit in front of you before treating.

Socialisation

Until vaccinations are complete, you need to be cautious about where you take your pup, but this should not prevent socialisation. The critical socialisation period lasts until twelve weeks, so there is only a limited window to introduce your pup to as many new experiences as possible.

Sensible early socialisation includes:

• Exposing your pup to family or friends' dogs that you know to be healthy and vaccinated, or attending a puppy class at your local vet clinic or obedience club.
• A trip to Bunnings, riding in the trolley, where your pup will be greeted by lots of new people. Pet and farm stores usually welcome dogs. Check which stores in your area allow dogs.

The local dog park, where unwell or unvaccinated dogs may be present, is not appropriate.

From three weeks of age until pups leave us, they are exposed to something new each day. As much as possible, this should continue until twelve weeks. It can be quite simple: power tools in operation, walking on crinkly surfaces, meeting different types of animals your pup has not seen before, playing with new toys, riding in a wheelbarrow, watching a child ride a skateboard or bicycle, meeting a person from a different ethnic background to your own family, watching a street performer or a person in a silly costume. Expose your pup to as many new situations and types of people as you can.

Nipping

All teething pups will nip. Some are worse than others. The phase usually passes by four months, but it can last until all adult teeth have erupted. It does end! Nipping is your pup's way of exploring the world. It is not a sign of aggression even if they do seem to be a baby shark.

If your pup is over-stimulated or over-tired, he or she can get silly and behave more like a piranha than a puppy. When this happens it is time for a break. Put your pup in his crate or bed and give him time to settle. A Kong toy can help. When your pup is calm, praise the good behaviour and stroke your pup gently.

When nipping, use one of these approaches:

• Behave as another dog would: yelp, turn and stop engaging with the pup. If you have an older dog, this is what they will do to teach the puppy not to nip them hard.
• Put a toy or bone in your pup's mouth to chew on instead.
• Get up and walk away.

Basic obedience

Some people use a clicker; others prefer a high-pitched "yes." Both work.

To start, click (or say "yes"), then give your pup a small treat. Once your pup associates the click with a treat, you can use it as the signal that the pup has done the right thing.

Pups begin learning to sit for attention rather than to jump up when they are still with us so continue to encourage good manners at home. A pup jumping is cute. A 30kg adult jumping on your elderly grandmother is not. Encourage good behaviours from the start.

Short training sessions of about five minutes work best. Look at your local dog obedience club for puppy classes. Socialisation classes are also often held at local vet clinics.

Toys

Pups generally enjoy a squeaky or crinkly toy.

A small kids' clam-type wading pool is good for the garden in warmer weather. Always supervise a pup around water, as you would a small child.

Kongs filled with cream cheese or peanut butter work well. Hiding food items, such bones, around the garden for your pup to find, gives them something to do. Frozen food, or an ice block made from home-made stock or bone broth, suits hot weather. You can also try freezing a rope toy soaked in home made or low-sodium store bought stock or bone broth. This is soothing to a teething pup and can cool them down on a hot day.

For training treats, try grated cheese, roasted chicken, dehydrated meats, or a Prime 100 log cut into small cubes.

Never feed rawhide chews. A natural meaty bone is the better choice.

Exercise and joints

Let your pup play freely around the yard and run or walk freely on natural surfaces such as grass. Leashed walking on hard surfaces (footpaths, roads) should be limited. Five minutes per month of age per day is enough for a pup but longer walks on natural surfaces eg grass at the park, a hiking trail are fine for pups of all ages. If your pup is tired and doesn't want to walk any further, don't force them. It is time for a break or a carry home.

Although your pup will happily walk further than this, over-exercising on hard surfaces can damage developing joints, putting your pup at risk of hip dysplasia and arthritis later in life. Free play on natural surfaces does not need to be limited.

Brain games, such as training a trick or doing a "dog puzzle", can be a useful way to tire your pup.

Other activities that can cause joint problems include sliding on slippery floors (put mats down), jumping on or off high surfaces (if your pup will sleep on your bed, place a step beside the bed for safe access), and rough play with larger dogs (always supervise play).

Health and vet care

Worming and vaccination

Your pup's vaccination certificate will be attached to the top of your travel crate or given to you at time of collection. The next vaccination date is shown on your certificate.

Discuss with your vet which vaccinations are appropriate for your pup. If you plan to use boarding kennels or doggy daycare, kennel cough vaccination may be required. If you live in an area affected by leptospirosis, such as inner-city Sydney or Melbourne, that vaccination may also be recommended.

After your pup has completed the puppy course, the next vaccination or a titre test, is due one year after the last puppy shot. Current ANKC and Australian Veterinary Association guidance allows for revaccination every three to four years after the first adult booster, or titre testing in lieu of automatic revaccination. Discuss with your vet what is appropriate for your dog's lifestyle and your area.

Your pup will be wormed every two weeks from two weeks of age. We use Milbemax. Fortnightly worming should continue until twelve weeks, then monthly until six months. After this, worming every three months is sufficient, or you can send a stool sample for laboratory examination to check whether worming is needed.

If you live in an area affected by heartworm, your pup will need protection. Milbemax provides heartworm protection if given monthly. Other intestinal worming products do not protect against heartworm. Tablets, spot-on products, and annual injections are all available; ask your vet which is most appropriate.

Ticks and fleas

Ehrlichia canis has been detected in dogs in mainland states in recent years. The disease is carried by brown ticks and can be serious if not treated early. Discuss tick risk in your area with your vet. If you go hiking or camping or live in a rural area, tick prevention is worth considering.

The best way of preventing tick-borne disease is to stop the tick attaching to the dog. Tick collars (such as Seresto) work this way. Always check your pup for ticks after time in the bush. A thorough check includes ears and mouth.

There has been ongoing discussion in the veterinary community about adverse effects associated with the isoxazoline class of parasiticides, which includes several common tick and flea products. We encourage owners to read the current product information and discuss options with their vet. Older products, such as Frontline, are not in this class.

Tick collars and parasiticides will also generally manage fleas where these are a problem. Flea baths and natural remedies, such as adding small amounts of garlic to the diet or using Billy No Mates (an essential oil mix popular in Europe, available online from the UK), are alternatives if you would prefer not to use medicated products.

Teeth

If you feed bones each day, you are unlikely to need to clean your pup's teeth.

It is common in wirehaired vizslas (more so than for short hairs) for the bite to change quite rapidly. A pup with a perfect bite at ten weeks may not look right at twelve weeks but be back to normal a few weeks later. As the upper and lower jaw grow at different rates, the lower canines can sometimes press into the gums or palate of the upper jaw. This almost always self-corrects, and we would not recommend removing teeth on this basis. Good jaw development can be encouraged by giving a firm rubber ball (a Chuck-it brand ball, not a tennis ball) to chew on, until the adult teeth have fully emerged.

Desexing and neutering

We recommend leaving your pup intact for as long as practical. If you plan to desex, our preference is that this is not done before eighteen months to two years.

If you find you are unable to manage an intact dog or bitch and need to act sooner, discuss with your vet the option of vasectomy or ovary-sparing spay. These prevent unwanted pregnancies without removing the hormonal influence on growth and behaviour.

Early desexing affects closure of the bone growth plates, producing a taller, lankier dog. As well as affecting appearance, this can affect the dog's ability to perform well at sport or work. There is also published material suggesting that early desexing in vizslas is associated with an increased rate of behavioural issues, particularly anxiety, and with some cancers. We have arrived at our position based on this material and on what we have seen in our own dogs over many years. Discuss timing with your vet. Take a look at the Vizsla health study for further information https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4096726/. The Puppy Culture booklet on this topic is freely available on their website and is also worth reading.

Desexing does not stop or prevent humping or marking behaviours. These are training issues and are not impacted by desexing.

A bitch in season must be kept secure at all times. Nappies and similar products do not prevent pregnancy. Secure means crated, walked only on a leash, and no contact with intact males.

In some local council areas, desexing after six months of age is compulsory, although ANKC members are exempt from these regulations. Joining your local state body (Dogs Tas, Dogs NSW, Dogs Vic and so on) is affordable and easy and exempts you from this requirement.

Pet insurance

Whether to take out pet insurance is a decision worth thinking about carefully. Even healthy dogs can have an accident or injury, and an ICU admission or surgery can easily cost more than $10,000.

If a large vet bill would place a serious strain on your household budget, insurance is worth considering. If you have funds available for this kind of contingency, you may not need it. Some owners use a credit card kept aside specifically for vet emergencies as an alternative to a policy.

You may be able to add your pup to an existing health or home and contents insurance policy. We are happy to share what other Lasair owners have used.

Documentation

Microchips

Your pup's microchip is registered with the Australasian Animal Registry (AAR). To update contact details, log in to the AAR website.

https://www.myras.com.au/aar/register/ChangeofOwnership.aspx

AAR sends us a confirmation email when an update is requested, and the change generally takes effect within a week. Most vets will offer to update details for you at your first visit.

Many owners leave our contact details as an alternative contact, in case your pup is lost. This lets us help reunite you with your pup and ensure he or she is cared for in the meantime.

Pedigree certificates

Pedigree certificates are posted directly to you from Dogs Tas. If you are a member of your local ANKC state branch and have provided your membership number to us, you can view your pedigree certificate by logging in to your state branch website.

Only main register dogs (blue pedigree certificate) can enter conformation shows or be bred. Limited register dogs (orange pedigree certificate) can compete in all other dog sports and earn titles in agility, obedience, tracking and so on. To enter any sanctioned event, you will need to join your local ANKC branch.

Contact and support

We are available for support throughout the life of your pup.

• Mel: 0419 756 456
• Fraser: 0476 154 301
• Email: info@lasair.com.au

If your circumstances change and you cannot look after your pup, contact us. We will help you to find a suitable new home.