HELP! I don't know what to do!

[Leah...]

I have been waiting for an Australian Shepherd puppy for a long time, and there is going to be a great litter available in the spring. I would jump at this, but it is kinda far off and i just recieved an offer about a 5 year old female Vizsla. This dog would be available as soon or late as i want her, but she is not finished, and will probably never get finished. I could do agility, flyball, feild trial, obedience, rally, JS and more w/ her, but I really want a conformation dog. Another thing is she is five, sammie is six, and bailey is seven, so they will all be old around the same time, be pestered by a puppy around the same time, and die around the same time. i don't know if i can handle that. Should i take her? I know the guy that is wanting me to take her, and he said we might be able to work out a co-ownership just until i age out of Jrs. it wouldn't be a full co-own, just a jrs dog, so there are no strings attached. should i do this?

i really like Vizslas, but have never worked with them before. i haven't really worked w/ any sporting dogs other than a golden puppy a long time ago. i have only heard good things, but i don't know if they are really right for me. Is this to spur-of-the-moment?

all show people and/or vizsla people need to reply!!! (and all you other people too

Thanks, Leah

[tanimara]

Leah,

I think you answered your own question...

but I really want a conformation dog.

Jackie

[Leah...]

Ya, i guess so, but she is so sweet, and i want her so bad! any other in-put?

Thanks a ton, Leah

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Ya, i guess so, but she is so sweet, and i want her so bad! any other in-put?

Thanks a ton, Leah

Do what I always do...follow your heart...It will never fail you.

[ZooCrew]

I have a few thoughts on this.   

If you really want her, there is not going to be any convincing of you otherwise.  However, are you prepared to bring in 2 new additions within a relatively short amount of time?  Since you are interested in an aussie, I know you are probably prepared for the tremendous amount of energy they have.  Viszlas are on par with that.  Compared to them, your other two dogs are bumps on a log.  They could run circles around them all day long.

I wouldn't worry too much about her growing old at the same time as your two current dogs.  Akitas and newf have about the same life expectancy, but viszlas, like most mid sized dogs can easily live into their teens and don't usually start slowing down much until at they are quite a bit older. (maybe around 6-8 yrs).

If you are truly only interested in a conformation dog, and you aren't 100% sure about this, I would pass on the viszla even though I'm sure you'd be a fine owner.  Three dogs is alot to handle, let alone 4 (believe me).

But in the end, you have to do what feels right.  Just be sure to weigh in all the options before you jump in with both feet. 

[NoDogNow]

This is JUST me--there are tons of people around here who will disagree--but I would never get a bird dog unless I was going to hunt with it.

And a visla is a h*ll of a bird dog. Significant numbers of hunters are making the visla-wiem shift from labs and GSP's in the last 5 years. GSP's have a reputation for not being particularly good house companions and labs have been so misbred....

Agility, flyball, all those activities you mentioned are things that you can do with ANY dog. Certainly, some breeds are more consistent winners in them, if that's important to you. But bird dogs are bred to find, flush and retrieve birds, and I personally feel like it's not fair to a dog to subliminate their hunting instincts. I think that a lot of unstable bird dogs get that way because of owners who didn't want a bird dog--they wanted an 'agility dog' or they wanted a 'flyball dog', or a 'whatever dog' and chose a bird dog because they're easily trained without taking their instincts into consideration.

That's just MY feeling.  (But if Farley's daddy took him hunting, maybe he'd leave that dolphin alone.  )