Twenty Years In The Making

Let me start off by welcoming you to A Vizsla Around Town. 
The star of the show is Henley, my 6 month old male Hungarian Vizsla. Come with us and watch him as he grows up, all the adventures we go on, and get to know a little bit more about what living with a Hungarian Vizsla is like.

Henley and I live in a leafy suburb of Sydney, approximately 45 minutes from the CBD. Growing up our home always had a cat or two (or four) and in the past as a child a couple of rabbits and a Guinea pig also made their home amongst us. My love for dogs and animals of all kinds was and still is very strong to this day. For as long as I can remember I longed for a dog of my own, and wished (and begged) for one every birthday and Christmas. With cats and kids a new puppy was going to be a commitment that we were unable to make and so every time my pleading for a pup was turned down I went in search of an alternate doggy fix. As a child I would venture down or up the street to visit neighbours who owned a dog and ask to take them for a walk. My favourite dog friend that I visited most was Ben the Boxer. With his happy go lucky grin and ever wagging tail we would go for walks around the neighbourhood together. My other great canine neighbour and friend was a Rottweiler named Barney. Ben, Barney and I got along like a house on fire and whenever I was wanted mum and dad knew that I could be found with one or both of the neighbourhood dogs. Some may be shocked that I spent time with such a formidable breed of dog as a Rottweiler. But growing up with stories of my fathers favourite dog he had Brandy a fawn Great Dane and being taught from a young age to respect dogs, their personal space and being a natural body language watcher I have never feared any breed of dog. Whenever I had or still have the opportunity to meet another dog out in public I first ask the owner if I could say hello and greet their dog before I initiate contact with them. 

My love for dogs never diminished and neither did my longing for having one of my own either. And even thought the years went by and the timing never seemed right for a pup to join our family I never gave up the desire for one (just ask my parents). Nearly two decades went by till I was given the go ahead and finally got the response to the nerve rending question of: "Can I get a dog please?" I've got to honest that one "yes" is one I will never forget. I am a planner and researcher at heart and so naturally when I was told yes I surprised quite a few people in that I didn't rush out to get my hands on the nearest dog. Nope I went into research mode! There is so many different breeds of dog (as well as mix breeds) and they all have separate needs and requirements. I also had to take into consider both my mum and dads preferences for what kind of dog. Of course they both want dogs that are polar opposites to each other. Mum adores Miniature Schnauzers where as dad wanted another Great Dane. I love Great Danes but I felt that mums dread of having a Giant slobber machine (as many gorgeous Danes can be) and dads tendency to see anything smaller than a Border Collie as a flea (when you compare a Great Dane to any normal sized dog your going to think all small dogs are tiny). I knew that neither a Great Dane or a Miniature Schnauzer was the right dog for me. 
After much researching and meeting of different breeds of dog and speaking to their owners and breeders about what they are like I set my sight on the Hungarian Vizsla. And in March of this year (2014) I brought home my very own eight week old Hungarian Vizsla puppy. I haven't looked back from then and Henley was well worth the many years waiting.