What does a Vizsla cost? Puppy prices & annual expenses

The Vizsla was originally bred to serve as a gundog, though they are commonly kept as companion animals today. Many are still used for hunting across the world, with their popularity in America slowly increasing. Due to their nature of working closely with people, they tend to bond very closely with their people. These athletic dogs are also very intelligent, so they do require quite a bit of time and attention from their owners.

Compared to other large dogs, the average Vizsla is actually quite inexpensive. The average puppy costs about $1,000, though you can find puppies for as cheap as $500 and as expensive as $1,700. This assumes you’re purchasing the dog from a professional, qualified breeder.

Of course, your yearly expenses are important to keep in mind as well. The first-year expenses are typically the most expensive at around $4,000. This is largely because due to the large amount of vet care a puppy needs during the first year, as well as the many one-time purchases you’ll need to make. After the first year, you can expect to pay about $1,500 a year.

These costs cover preventative health care, training, food, and other supplies that you’ll need.

How much is a Vizsla?

While the average Vizsla puppy costs about $1,000, this can vary quite a bit. It depends largely on where you purchase your puppy. While qualified breeders are often the best option, they are also the most expensive. This is because breeders put a lot more money into their puppies, which leads to an increased cost.

However, purchasing a puppy from Craigslist or from a rescue are often cheaper options. Still, you may end paying more in the long run for these dogs, as they may require more vet bills and training. They might also not be purebred but instead mixed with another hunting dog breed, such as the German Shorthair Pointer.

Typically, qualified breeders know how to raise their dogs to prevent behavioral problems and properly perform health testing, so genetic problems are not passed onto the puppies.

Getting a puppy from Craigslist

Purchase a puppy from Craigslist is often the cheapest option. However, you never know what you’re really getting when you go through these marketplaces. People selling on Craigslist could be literally anyone; that’s the point of Craigslist. However, when you’re purchasing a puppy, you don’t necessarily want to purchase one from just anyone.

Many puppy mills advertise on Craigslist, as they often don’t have their own websites or social media platforms. These puppy mills focus on producing as many puppies as they can as cheaply as they can. This often leads to many low-quality puppies that are sold at extremely low prices. Usually, the females are over-bred, which means that they often aren’t their healthiest when carrying and caring for each litter.

Furthermore, they often feed their dogs very inexpensive food and may not provide them with the correct nutrition. Most puppies are kept in small and unsanitary pens, which leads to them not getting the socialization they need. Because they are not raised in a home, they are less likely to adapt well after being adopted and may develop behavioral problems.

As you might guess, puppy mills do not perform the proper health testing and often don’t take their puppies to the vet at all. When you adopt them, it isn’t odd for these dogs to have parasites and similar health issues, which will cost you more at the vet.

Some puppies on Craigslist come from regular dog owners who either have accident litters or who are trying their hand at dog breeding. While not all of these puppies end up being low-quality, many of these dog owners do not understand how to raise puppies properly, which can lead to unadaptable and poorly socialized puppies.

Plus, many dog owners do not pay the extra money to health-test the parent dogs before breeding, nor do the puppies receive the proper health care.

Getting a puppy from a rescue

Vizslas are rarer dogs in the United States. However, they do occasionally appear at animal shelters. This happens most often in rural areas, where they are commonly used as gun dogs. Usually, adopting a puppy from a rescue only costs about $50 to $300, depending on the particular shelter’s regulations.

Most of the puppies at rescues have unknown pasts. They may have been dropped off by a dog owner that ended up with an accidental litter or found as strays. Often, they did not receive much early vet care, nor have most of them been properly socialized.

However, once at the shelter, they do receive vet care, including treatment for any health problems and vaccinations. Most are spayed or neutered as well. Because they have seen a vet, you’ll likely be able to get a good look at a puppy’s past records. These records can give you a good idea as to what you’re getting yourself into before adopting the puppy.

In the end, you’re simply going to get a better idea of what you’re getting into when you adopt a puppy from a rescue. The puppy may not be the highest quality, but at least you’ll know what health problems they have before adopting them.

Getting a puppy from a breeder

Breeders are often your best option when adopting a Vizsla puppy. After all, most breeders have been breeding these dogs for years. They know how to properly socialize them to ensure that they are adaptable to a family home. Many also invest in the proper health testing for the parents and vet care for the puppies.

It isn’t odd for breeders to take puppies to their first veterinary appointment, as well as pay for their first round of shots. This can significantly reduce the price of vet bills you’ll have to pay later.

The puppies are often fed high-quality dog food, as is the mother when she is pregnant. This often leads to healthier puppies since they’re literally building themselves with the food they’re fed. If any of the puppies have health problems, most breeders treat them quickly and promptly. You can often see the vet records for any puppy you’re adopting, so you’ll know the exact care they’ve received.

However, all of this extra care comes at a cost. Typically, breeders are the most expensive option. The average cost of a Vizsla puppy from a breeder is about $1,000. Most puppies are in the $500 to $1,700 range. But you can find puppies for much more expensive as well.

Costs of health tests

The cost of health testing is one reason that puppies from breeders are so much more expensive than other sources. Health testing is done on dogs before they are bred to determine if they have any underlying health conditions. Many of these may not actually cause problems until later, but certain genetic conditions can be passed onto the puppies.

For instance, if a dog’s eyes show abnormalities, they may be a carrier for certain eye disorders. If they are bred, their puppies may inherit some of these eye problems, which can affect them later in life. Therefore, health testing lowers the chance that these dogs are bred, increasing the health of puppies.

The Vizsla Club of America recommends several health tests; these include hip dysplasia, autoimmune thyroiditis, eye examinations, elbow dysplasia, and a cardiac evaluation. When a dog receives these tests, they will get a CHIC number. This number can be searched online to see a particular dog’s test results. Ask the breeder for a dog’s CHIC number before purchasing a puppy.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a serious condition that occurs when a dog’s hips don’t align properly. This causes excessive wear and tear, which can lead to everything from minor pain to lameness. This is often linked to genetics. However, it can also be caused by improper nutrition and injury.

Hip dysplasia is tested for using an x-ray. Sedation is not always required if you can get the dog to stand still. Sometimes, the dog is only mildly sedated to relax them. Dogs must wait until they are over two years to be evaluated, as this is the point that their hip is done growing.

The typical cost is somewhere around $500 if they are done at a normal vet office. If the dog needs sedation, an extra $100 is added to the cost. The cost can vary widely, though. There are many health clinics that will do these tests for much cheaper.

Autoimmune Thyroiditis

Because the Vizsla is prone to this condition, it is required that they are tested for it to receive a CHIC number. This occurs when a dog’s immune system attacks their thyroid, eventually compromising its ability to produce hormones. While this disease can start quite early, symptoms usually don’t occur until they are 2 to 5 years old. Even then, a dog may be “normal” for years before clinical signs occur. Therefore, this condition is often repeatedly tested for.

Most dogs who develop this condition end up with autoantibodies by the time they are 3 to 4 years of age. This is a sign that the dog has a genetic version of this disease.

This condition is tested for by taking a serum sample, which will include the antibodies the dog’s body is producing. The sample is then sent to an approved laboratory. Testing usually costs $50 to $150.

Eye Examinations

This eye examination must be done by a board-certified ACVO Ophthalmologist. Usually, this isn’t terribly expensive. Depending on the area, it can cost anywhere from $50 to $250. Clinics will be much cheaper than making an appointment with a local veterinarian.

This test can determine if the dog has a variety of different eye problems. Many of these will not have symptoms right away, but they do have a genetic component. This is often done regularly throughout the dog’s life, as the eye problems may not pop up until later.

Elbow Dysplasia

This disease is very similar to hip dysplasia. However, it affects the elbows instead. Usually, this is done at the same time as the hip dysplasia x-ray. If it is done at a separate time, it will be more expensive. Typically, the added x-ray can be anywhere from $100 to $450.

If the dog needs sedation, it can be a bit expensive. However, if the x-rays are done at the same time as the hip x-ray, you won’t have to pay more for the sedation.

Cardiac Evaluation

While this is technically “optional,” it is extremely recommended for all dogs that are in the breeding stock. Generally, this test is to catch any congenital cardiac diseases that the dog may have. Some of these may have a genetic component but no noticeable symptoms until the dog is much older.

Usually, the dog is evaluated first by auscultation. This is simply where the vet listens to the dog’s heart with a stethoscope. However, it has to be done by a cardiologist, so it can’t simply be done at a dog’s normal appointment. The cost for this is typically around $50.

Many owners also decide to get their dog evaluated with an ECHO. This is required for dogs that have a heart murmur to determine whether it is benign or not. This can cost around $400 and also needs to be done by a cardiologist.

Annual costs of owning a Vizsla

When you consider adopting a dog, you also need to pay attention to the annual costs of owning a Vizsla. These dogs are a bit larger, so they tend to eat quite a bit. Usually, the first year will cost about $4,000. This includes on-time supplies you’ll need to purchase, like dog beds and collars. Puppies need more vet care than adult dogs. Therefore, these bills are typically more expensive for the first year as well.

For every year after this, you can expect to pay a bit more. Usually, the cost for food, preventative vet care, and similar expenses is $1,500. This doesn’t include any health problems that your canine may develop, which can quickly raise your costs. It also doesn’t include dog boarding, dog walkers, or similar services.

Vet expenses

Vet expenses are likely going to be highest in the puppy’s first year. Your dog will likely need at least three vet visits to receive the proper examinations, vaccinations, and other preventative services. Each visit may cost anywhere between $70 to $200, depending on the exact care your pet receives. Common puppy diseases, like parasites, can raise this cost.

You’ll probably spend a total of $400 to $800 on these preventative vet visits.

You may also need to spay or neuter your canine. This can cost $150 to $450 for this size of a dog. Some clinics may charge only $50, so check in your area for these no-profit organizations. Generally, males will be on the lower end than females, as their surgery costs less.

The vet may recommend performing a gastropexy during the time of the spay or neuter. This can prevent Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus later in life. This is a life-threatening disorder that mostly affects large, deep-chested dogs. The Vizsla is not as prone to this as other canines, though. Usually, this adds $200 to $400 to the spay or neuter bill.

After the first year, you can expect to pay about $125 to $270 for an annual veterinary exam. This includes the exam itself, as well as vaccinations and basic preventative tests. This doesn’t include any illnesses or injuries your dog develops, which can greatly increase the cost of your dog’s medical bills.

Food and toy costs

Because these dogs are larger, they can eat a bit more than some other breeds. This increases your yearly costs by quite a bit. We do recommend that you feed your dog high-quality food, even though it will cost you a bit more. Just like people, dogs are what they eat. It’s important to feed them a healthy selection.

Puppies will cost you about $250 a year to feed. They will need specially designed puppy food to meet their unique nutritional needs as they grow. An adult will cost closer to $400, as they are larger and eat more food.

Your dog’s weight, age, and activity level will all change the amount of food they eat. Keep this in mind when budgeting for your canine. It isn’t possible to budget exactly on food, as the amount may change throughout your dog’s life.

Some dogs may need specialty food due to certain health conditions. This is not terribly common for this breed, but it is possible. These foods can cost anywhere from $400 to $600 a year, depending on the exact food your canine needs.

Toys will likely cost about $60 a year. You may pay more during the first year, as puppies usually go through toys faster than adults. It is typically in your best interest to purchase more expensive toys that will last years instead of purchasing cheap toys that will quickly be destroyed.

Training costs

While the Vizsla is pretty easy to train, it is recommended that you put them in group classes. They thrive on training time and need quite a bit of mental stimulation due to their high intelligence. For this reason, we generally recommend that they are put in group classes as a puppy.

These classes will also help your canine socialize with other dogs and people. This can help prevent behavioral problems later on, as your puppy will learn to trust other people. When your dog does meet a person or canine, it won’t be odd and a reason to fear.

Group classes usually cost around $100 to $300 for a series of one-hour sessions. This may be all your canine needs, as long as you keep up with the training at home. Because these dogs are intelligent, they require regular training to stay entertained and challenged.

Some owners of hunting dogs (such as also the long-haired Weimaraner) choose to enroll their dogs in specific gun dog classes and seminars. The cost of those can quickly become high, with weekend seminars costing up to $1,500 per dog.

Factors influencing the price

The largest factor determining the price of the puppy will be the experience of the breeder. Breeders that have been working with this breed for a long time will likely charge more for their dogs. The puppy’s specific pedigree will likely also play a role. If the dog is likely to win in the show ring, other breeders may pay a lot for them.

The amount of health care the puppy has received may also affect the price. Puppies who have been tested for a specific disease or received preventative care may cost more, as the breeder has spent more on the puppy.

Price considerations

While the Vizsla is far from the most expensive dog out there, it is still important to budget for them appropriately. Be sure that you can appropriately afford to pay for this canine, including any emergency vet bills that may be required.

We recommend having some money set aside for emergency vet bills, as well as any not-so-emergency health problems that may pop up. Surgery can cost thousands of dollars on a dog, which is more than most people have budgeted for vet bills.

Besides that, you should plan at least $1,000 for purchasing the puppy, as well as $4,000 for the dog’s first year. Much of this money will be spent upfront on things like dog beds and other supplies, so it is best to have most of it when you adopt the puppy.

The bottom line

Compared to other dogs, the Vizsla is pretty inexpensive. Despite being larger dogs, it only costs about $1,000 to adopt a puppy. This canine is pretty healthy, so their vet bills tend to be rather low as well. They do eat a lot, which will increase your budget substantially. For the first year, you should expect to spend about $4,000 for the first year, with the cost lowering to about $1,500 for each year after that.

This dog can be a great companion animal if you can afford to pay for their maintenance and emergency needs. Be sure to budget carefully for your new dog so that you can enjoy them instead of worrying about all the food they’re eating!