Vizslas are dogs that love being with people, so it is only natural for them to want to play. Although the breed is generally healthy and very active, some Vizslas can be more energetic than others. With this in mind, you should follow the guidelines below to ensure that your Vizsla will play safely with you and other members of your family.
There are some specific things you should ensure that Vizsla will play safely with others, including babies, young children, and other dogs. For this, it is crucial to train your Vizsla from a young age and provide them with lots of positive reinforcement. Besides this, it is also necessary to feed them enough, give them enough exercise, give them toys, and limit their access to certain areas.
Are you thinking about getting a Vizsla? If so, this article is for you! We will go over the ways to play safely with your Vizsla. Before bringing one of these dogs into your home, you must research them because they are not similar to other breeds.
For example, if you have small children in the house, it’s best to avoid playing tug-of-war or any game where there might be roughhousing involved. They may be good with babies, but they’re still big dogs, and accidents can happen, resulting in injury to either party. These are all things we’ll cover here, so keep reading.
How To Play With Vizsla Safely?
Playing with your Vizsla can be one of the best things about getting a pet dog. You will love your little play date more than you think.
But you have to be careful about certain things. Hence, here are the best 11 tips to play with Vizsla safely:
Supervise Your Vizsla All The Time:
Always supervise your dog while playing. You should not leave your dog alone with other kids, even if they seem to be playing just fine together.
Vizslas are energetic dogs that need a lot of exercises. So, they will want to play all the time with you or anyone else who is around them. It would be best if you kept an eye on your dog at all times when playing outside in case he wants to run off into traffic or try to take something from someone’s hand (like food).
Limit Your Vizsla’s Physical Play With Other Dogs:
Vizslas are naturally packing animals. They love being around other dogs and playing with them too. However, you should limit how much physical play they have with other dogs for two reasons. First, some people think it is terrible to let your dog get into a fight with another dog.
Second, Vizslas are a hunting breed, and people breed them to go after prey that is almost as big as them. It means if your other dog nips at the neck of yours, there’s a good chance he’ll be able to break it open by shaking his head around because their necks cannot resist this kind of activity.
Give Your Vizsla The Right Size Toys:
Vizslas love playing with toys. Unfortunately, they are breeds that can be destructive if you don’t give them away to work out their energy and keep themselves entertained throughout the day. They will feel bored quickly, which leads to chewing up your shoes, furniture, and even the walls. It would help if you gave them big enough toys so they can’t swallow it whole but small enough, so their jaws aren’t too powerful to tear apart within minutes.
Don’t Let Your Vizsla Play With Sticks And Other Sharp Objects:
Commonly, most dogs love playing with sticks. They love chasing it, throwing it up in the air, and jumping around to get a good catch of it. However, you should never play with sticks because they can be very dangerous for your Vizsla’s mouth!
You see, dogs don’t have any teeth on their tongue side. It means anything that goes into Vizsla’s mouth will pierce through his cheeks and tongue. It can result in massive injuries inside their mouth that will cost you a fortune to fix.
Give Your Vizsla Lots Of Exercise:
Exercise is crucial for all dog breeds, but it’s essential with Vizslas because they are among the most energetic dogs out there. If your Vizsla doesn’t get enough exercise, he will be very destructive, and you might even find yourself getting into some terrible situations (like him chewing up your furniture).
Provide Your Vizsla A Safe Space To Play:
Vizslas are one of the most energetic dogs out there. They need a lot of physical activity to stay healthy and happy. However, you should always provide them with a safe space to play. It means that you have to keep him in the right areas of your house so he won’t get into anything dangerous or be at risk for chewing up!
Vaccinate Your Vizsla Before Allowing Them To Play With Other Dogs:
Vaccinating your Vizsla is crucial for keeping him safe from all of the diseases out there. You should always ask if the owners vaccinated your potential playmate so you can avoid any problems with illness or injury that could occur. If not, keep them separate.
Take Breaks While Playing With Your Vizsla:
Sometimes, you will be playing with your dog for way too long and want to throw in the towel because he won’t stop. It is where taking breaks comes into play! It would help if you took a break every once in a while so they can calm down before getting back into it again. You should also take breaks if you notice he is feeling too tired or has started to show some signs of aggression.
End The Play Time With Your Dog By Giving Them A Command:
Last but not least, always remember to end the playtime with your dog by giving them a command like “that’s enough” and then walking away from him. It will teach them that the playtime is over and they need to calm down.
Toys And Games You Should Avoid Playing With Your Vizsla:
As we’ve already said, you should avoid playing games with your Vizsla if they involve sticks. However, there are some other toys and games that you shouldn’t play either:
- It would help if you prevented them run around outside without a leash. Always make sure they are in an environment that you can control (like a fenced yard). If not, they might get into a fight with another dog or run off and never come back.
- You should avoid playing tug of war because this could cause your Vizsla to bite down too hard on something they shouldn’t be biting. Also, it can result in injuries which will make them not want to play anymore.
- Never let your Vizsla play with your shoes or chew up any objects that belong to you. They need to learn who their master is and what they own!
- Avoid letting them eat anything outside the house (like food dropped on the floor). Again, it’s not safe for them unless it was initially for dogs which leads us to our next point.
- You should avoid playing games that involve food. It means no catch or fetches with a treat in your hand because they will want to eat it!
Are Vizslas Good With Babies?
Vizslas are great with babies and toddlers because they love to fetch. They also have a low prey drive, so there is little chance of them attacking the baby or toddler in any way.
You will be happy to see your Vizsla playing with kids and babies, but you will need to supervise them for everyone to have a safe time.
Things You Need For Your Vizsla To Play With
Choose things that are durable and non-toxic so your Vizsla can stay healthy during playtime. Some good choices include:
- Foam balls (Vizslas love the noise it makes when they catch them).
- Stuffed animals (No need to worry about your Vizsla ripping anything apart or swallowing any pieces).
- Water bottles for playing a game of fetch.
- Frisbee (This is an excellent game to have on hand in case your Vizsla feels bored).
Toys and Games You Should Avoid Playing With Vizsla:
Your Vizsla might be one of the best dogs to play with. But if you are not careful with the games you play, then they might suffer from injuries.
Here are some games and toys that your Vizsla should avoid playing with:
- Tennis balls (It is too easy for them to swallow these, so it’s better to find another toy).
- Rawhide bones or chews (If any pieces break off of rawhides while the dog is chewing on them, your pet can easily swallow them and cause a blockage).
- Treats (It’s hard for Vizslas to chew these without breaking any teeth or swallowing pieces that could make them sick).
- Hard toys with rough edges like jagged plastic bottles
- Avoid playing tug-of-war, which sometimes results in injuries like broken teeth or nails.
- Don’t play fetch with anything other than a ball because some animals might swallow parts.
- Avoid toys with strings, ribbons, eyes that can be choking hazards for Vizslas.
- Some toys are too large for your miniature Vizsla. Vizslas will either get injuries or stick with those toys. So it is best not to play with those types of items.
What Not To Do While Playing With Vizsla?
It is not good to leave your Vizsla alone because they are a hunting breed and will chase anything that moves, leading to injury or death.
Keep in mind that Vizslas need to have playtime during the day. So it is best not to keep them out at night when they typically hunt for prey.
Don’t play tug-of-war with your Vizsla because they might have injures if their teeth or nails break during the game.
It would be best if you did not leave Vizsla outside while unattended because of their prey drive, even for a minute. It is effortless to chase after animals that can lead them into danger.
Vizsla’s prey drive is vital, so never leave them unattended outside.
Be mindful that Vizslas need to have playtime during the day because they are nocturnal animals and might feel bored without it.
Don’t ever put your Vizsla in a situation where they could end up with injures.
Conclusion
In conclusion, your Vizsla will be a great playmate for your baby or toddler, but you need to supervise them for everyone to have fun.
Choose what games and toys are best for your Vizsla’s safety because some items might cause injury during the game. Also, keep an eye on things that could pose choking hazards or other dangers, and always supervise your Vizsla.
Lastly, please don’t leave them unattended outside during the day or night because it is too dangerous for Vizslas to be out without supervision!
Follow these tips, and you will have a dog that is always happy, healthy and having fun. Hopefully, this blog post helped you to know how to play safely with your Vizsla. For more information, please visit our website.
