Belonging to the pointer group, Vizslas are beautiful Hungarian gun dogs with a long history. Vizslas have been around since the 10th century and were hunting dogs used by the Magyar tribes to hunt wild game.
With their sleek rust-colored coats, these athletic and lean dogs are around 21 to 24 inches tall. Vizslas with their sensitive faces, intense blue eyes and long, silky ears are excellent, loving companions at home. According to the AKC, Vizslas are among the top 30 popular breeds in America.
And, if you’ve decided to bring home a Vizsla, there are a few things that you must know about the breed, especially the costs associated with a Vizsla pup, his upbringing and care so that you’re able to plan your finances better.
In this article, we have taken an in-depth look at all the costs to raise a Vizsla including food, supplies, medical, grooming and training expenses and other essentials.
Cost of a Vizsla Puppy
The cost of a pure-bred Vizsla pup from a reputable breeder is likely to cost between $1,500 to $3,000 depending on your location. When purchasing a Vizsla puppy, it is important to understand that a high price tag may not be an assurance of the quality of the puppy.
So, you must ensure that the breeder you’re purchasing from is authentic and reputable.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money but are still keen to bring home a Vizsla, then you could consider adoption, which is a more affordable alternative.
Depending on the shelter, you could be charged an adoption or re-homing fee of around $150 to $500. Adoption not only enables you to rescue an abandoned dog, but you will also help to support charity while doing your bit to prevent pet overpopulation.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Vizsla Pups
Several factors affect the cost of a Vizsla puppy including:
Bloodline
A purebred Vizsla pup from a prestigious bloodline will come at a premium, especially if they belong to the bloodline of dogs that have won competitions or shows. Also, pure-bred Vizsla puppies are likely to cost more than mixed breeds, which will cost much less.
Reputation of the Breeder
The cost of the Vizsla pup also depends on the breeder you’re purchasing from. More reputable the breeder, the more the Vizsla pup is likely to cost. This is because the breeder is likely to have put a lot of resources, effort and time into breeding the Vizsla pups and this will result in the cost of the pup being much higher. This is especially true if the breeder has lots of show-winning dogs in their kennel.
Registration Papers
Reputable breeders are usually members of kennel clubs such as AKC (American Kennel Club), CKC (Continental Kennel Club) or have Vizsla puppies certified by the Vizsla Club of America. These breeders typically have puppies that are bred under strict, standardized processes. And such Vizsla pups are usually more expensive compared to ones not certified by a kennel club. The price of the pups will be lesser if only the parents are certified.
Testing and Medical Expenses
Reputable breeders have regular testing and evaluations conducted for various health conditions to ensure that their puppies are healthy. Breeders also vaccinate the puppies between 6 and 12 months to protect them from parvovirus, distemper, parainfluenza, etc.
They may also get them checked by the vet and get them dewormed and/or implanted with a microchip before selling them. A Vizsla puppy that has been vaccinated is healthy and does not have any history of health problems tends to be more expensive than less healthy pups.
Training
Some breeders first train and socialize the pups before selling them and this makes the puppies more expensive. However, the plus is that you will not have to invest in the training and socialization of your Vizsla pup and you can bring home a trained and well-behaved dog.
Cost of Supplies
While bringing home a Vizsla pup is super exciting, you must make sure that you have all the essential supplies required for your pet. The upfront cost for your pet’s supplies is likely to be around $150 to $800, with the costs of the individual items including:
- Dog Collars: $10 to $40
- Dog Bed (36 to 42 inches): $20 to $85
- Food and Water Bowls: $5 to $40
- Leash with ID: $5 to $20
- Dog Crate (36 to 42 inches): $30 to $120
- Training Pads: $15 to $45
- Poop Bags: $15 to $110
- Poop Scooper: $10 to $30
- Toys: $30 to $100
- Brush: $5 to $45
- Doggie Shampoo: $5 to $20
- Tooth-Brushing Kit: $5 to $15
- First Aid Kit: $15 to $50
- Toenail Clippers: $5 to $30
As your Vizsla pup grows, the cost for supplies is sure to reduce with every passing year to around $75 to $300 per annum, which includes items that you will have to keep purchasing such as toys, tooth brushing kit, shampoo and poop bags.
You could save on the doggie essentials by shopping for them online, in your local pet shops or you can also check out some second-hand stores for good deals.
Related: 8 of the Best Dog Beds for Vizslas
Cost of Food
Vizslas are quite large dogs, usually weighing around 45 lb to 60 lb and have healthy appetites. They are active dogs and require a diet high in protein and fat. The amount of food your pet needs depends on his age, weight and other factors.
Typically, in their 1st year, Vizsla puppies consume close to 170 lb of dry food, which can cost between $150 to $265. Adults consume more food compared to pups, around $260 lb per year, which means that you will have to buy food worth $150 to $400 per annum.
Apart from their regular food, you need to have treats for your Vizsla, for training or simply to reward him, when he’s been a good boy. This can add to your dog’s yearly food expenses by $155 to $335. The cost of food for your Vizsla depends on the quality of food, as well as treats you purchase and if you choose premium brand products, then your expenses will be much higher.
While dog food is a perishable item, it is possible to store it for long periods and so it may be a good idea to purchase dog food in bulk so that you can get it at cheaper and discounted prices.
Cost of Grooming
Typically, Vizslas are fairly maintenance-free dogs, thanks to their short, sleek coats. You can easily groom your Vizsla at home by wiping him down with a damp cloth and brushing using a rubber brush. You can easily find a DIY grooming kit for your Vizsla on sites like PetSmart, Amazon or Walmart costing between $25 and $300.
If you want to take your pet to a professional dog groomer, then the cost for this will range between $40 to $55 per visit. So around 6 visits can cost you around $240 to $330 per year. A trip to the professional groomer includes a shampoo bath, teeth brushing, ear and eye cleaning, nail trimming and hair trimming (if required).
Medical Expenses
The medical expenses for your Vizsla puppy in the first year will be around $395 to $800. While your number of vet visits may decrease as your pooch grows older; however, there may be other costs and medical procedures that may drive up the medical expenses to around $80 to $825 per annum.
You may have to incur additional costs for procedures such as spaying or neutering your Vizsla, which can cost around $150 to $450 and gastropexy to prevent gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), which can cost between $200 to $400.
1st Year Medical Cost
In the first year of your Vizsla puppy, you will incur around $65 to $170 per vet visit and it is recommended that you have 3 such visits. The first vet visit will include exams, vaccinations (including rabies), fecal exam and first doses for flea and heartworm prevention.
Medications for flea and heartworm prevention for the rest of the year may cost $70 to $105 and $60 to $105. Your Vizsla may require other vaccines including:
- Lyme: $60 to $80
- Leptospirosis: $15 to $25
- Influenza: $70 to $90
Medical Expenses for Subsequent Years
Annual check-ups are important for adult Vizslas and can cost between $125 to $265, which includes examination, tests for heartworm and vaccines. Yearly medication for heartworm and flea prevention cost between $175 to $250 and $80 to $150 respectively. You may also have to incur $15 to $45 for yearly booster shots.
Treatment Costs for Vizsla Health Problems
Vizslas are generally healthy dogs; however, they may be prone to certain health conditions and the cost for treatment of the same are:
- GDV (Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus): $1,500 to $3,000
- Arthritis: $50 to $400 (per month)
- Pain Medications and Supplements: $50 to $100 (per month)
- Hypothyroidism: $350 to $800
- Cancer: $500 to $10,000
You may decide to take a dog health insurance plan for your Vizsla, which can cost around $550 and the price of an accident-only insurance plan could cost around $200.
Training Cost
Early socialization and training are extremely important for your Vizsla. Training is quite expensive and can cost between $900 to $1200 for 7-9 sessions on an individual basis or it can cost around $150 to $200 for 5 group lessons of 1 hour each.
If you find this very expensive, you can consider training your Vizsla at home with the help of dog training books, which are quite affordable.
Additional Costs
- Licensing: The cost for licensing ranges from $10 to $20 and if your pet is not spayed/neutered, the licensing cost can be higher.
- Micro-chipping: This creates a unique identifier for your Vizsla and the cost for this is around $25 to $50.
- Dog Walking: You may hire a dog walker, which can cost around $20 to $50 for a 30-minute walk, depending on your location.
- Boarding Cost: If you travel a lot and need to leave your Vizsla in a dog boarding, which can cost between $25 to $85 per day.
Final Word
So, as you can see, bringing home a Vizsla can be an expensive proposition. The cost of raising a Vizsla puppy can range between $2,500 and $5,600 in the first year.
On average, the lifespan of Vizslas is around 12 to 14 years and so, using the cost estimates that we have discussed in the article, the total cost of owning a Vizsla over his entire life can range between $11,050 to $32,625.
And, if you add in the additional expenses of spaying/ neutering, dog boarding, dog walking, etc., the cost can easily be as high as $66,275 to $131,600.
Vizslas are an expensive breed and it is important to consider all aspects of purchasing or adopting a Vizsla, as well as the costs, before you bring one home. A pet is a lifelong commitment and should not become a financial burden that you cannot handle after a while.
However, after due consideration if you do decide to bring home a Vizsla, they are extremely intelligent, clean, loving family pets, which make them well worth the money spent.