At Kendra Breeding, we are passionate and dedicated to supporting, promoting, and protecting the quality of the Wirehaired Vizsla (WV) breed. As part of our commitment, we aim to introduce individuals and families to this amazing and loving purebred dog, showcasing its versatility in various activities, including hunting. Equally important is highlighting how seamlessly the breed fits into family dynamics as a beloved family dog, emphasizing its friendly nature and personality. Lastly, our commitment extends to the health and wellbeing of the breed. As part of our mission, Kendra Breeding wholeheartedly supports the Wirehaired Vizsla Club of America’s goal to “promote and protect quality and versatility in the purebred Wirehaired Vizsla.” (Wirehaired Vizsla Club of America para 1, n.d.).
At Kendra Breeding we strongly believe in breeding to improve while producing a better dog and a quality pet.
Choosing a breeding pair: We work hard to pair two WVs that are suited to breed based on structure, standard comparisons, personality, health, trainability, and hunting ability. We also look at pedigrees and reach out to other breeders to ensure breeding the best genetics. In addition, we screen for hereditary abnormalities. We will not breed dogs that are related within three generations. We use the vizsla database to look at the Coefficient of Inbreeding and our goal is to find a pair with under 6% COI. The dogs will be older than 2 years old and be checked for hip dysplasia.
Puppies Health: As stated on our site, the puppies may have their tails docked and possibly, their dew claws removed following the WV AKC standards. Here is the passage from the AKC standard: “The tail is set just below the level of the croup. The tail is thick at its base then tapers and carries a dense coat. The preferred tail is docked by one-quarter of its length; natural tails will not be penalized. A natural tail reaches down to the hock joint and is carried straight or slightly saber-like. When moving, the tail is carried near the horizontal, not curled over the back or carried between the legs.” Here is the passage that addresses the dew claws: “Preferably, dewclaws are removed from the front legs to avoid injury in the field, but a dog with natural dewclaws is not to be penalized.” We do reserve the right to not follow these standards, especially if a buyer intends to travel and compete internationally with the dog.
The docking and possibly the dew claw removal is done within the first three days of the puppy’s life by our veterinarian. The puppies are so young and nerve systems are not fully developed so they do not suffer and are not traumatized. This is a decision made between the buyer and the breeder. The customer will cover the cost of both procedures.
The puppies are whelped and raised in our house. They are under almost constant care and supervision, receiving lots of love and attention. The puppies will be socialized immediately so they are ready for their new home. The puppies will start being weaned around the 5-week mark, although we will not rush the weaning if nature demands it to be different. The puppies will have been vaccinated for Distemper and Parvo and dewormed. All the puppies will be microchipped before leaving our care. Puppies will be ready to go to their new home at about 8 weeks old.
We will make observations about personality and coat type starting the day they are born. We will start to get an idea of personality on day one by just how they eat! As they grow, we note how they play and act to get a better understanding of their personality. When they are older, we will do a variety of hunting tests such as wing on a string and exposure to dead or live quail. We also start noise desensitization with banging pots, cap guns (first with no caps, then with caps), etc. We want to match the right puppy with the right family!
Specifics in getting a Kendra Breeding WV Puppy
The first step is reading this document and filling out our puppy questionnaire. That will be followed up with a phone call or even a visit. We would encourage any of our puppy buyers to visit the dam and sire or even the puppies. We would allow visitors starting at 3 weeks of age. Part of filling out the questionnaire is letting us know what you want the dog for; whether it is for hunting, agility, conformation shows, or a family companion. The WV breed makes a fantastic addition to a family as the family dog companion. We also take in consideration your preference for the sex of the puppy. However, we cannot control the number and sexes of the puppies we will get. We also cannot control what puppy is going to show a high natural drive for hunting, a great structure for showing, or one who just wants to cuddle and nap.
Please understand that you may not get to choose your puppy from the entire litter. For example, if you are looking for a hunting dog and out of a litter of six, only three may show a very strong hunting drive. Then, if you requested a male and there is only one male of the three then that would be the puppy with which you are matched. We cannot guarantee that the puppy will mature for the buyer’s desired use of the puppy. Also know we will generally have a reservation list for those who want a puppy. If we do not have enough puppies in a litter for all those on the list, then you will roll over to be on the top of the list for the next litter. We will keep you updated on how many potential people are on the list. To make sure you are serious we will ask the top six people on the list for a down payment once a breeding is confirmed.
We do reserve the right for the pick of the litter. As we are a growing breeder, we want to continue a legacy and build a reputation as a top pedigree. We are going to choose a dog that shows potential for hunting and conformation.
Spaying and Neutering:
If you are purchasing a puppy for conformation or hunting competition, we do not require you to spay or neuter the dog. However, we do require the dog/bitch to fulfill requirements before contractually you can breed the dog/bitch. These will all be spelled out in the contract.
If you are purchasing a puppy for any other reason, we do require you to spay/neuter the dog/bitch. There are many health reasons to spay/neuter a dog/bitch. There are several scientific research papers that list the positives and negatives for spaying/neutering and at certain ages. We recommend waiting until after the first heat cycle for a female and 24 months old for a male. If you need references for the articles or want to discuss the reasoning further with us, we are open to conversation.
Other Topics:
Our litter will be registered with the AKC and, when applicable, NAVDA. All the puppies will have “Kendra” as their prefix as they are coming from our kennel.
All puppies will be sent home with a contract, copies (paper and/or electronic) of the parent’s health certificates, any vet records for the puppy, and training tips. We will complete AKC registration and send three generation pedigree of the puppy within 60 days of your puppy going home.
Getting the puppy to you: While we would love for you to be able to come and pick up your puppy, see where they were whelped, see the home, and meet you; we understand that it may not be logistically possible. If that is the case, we can collaborate with you on getting the puppy to you. Though the buyer would have to cover the additional traveling charges. We will also NOT ship a puppy by itself. We recommend booking with an airline that will allow an 8-week-old puppy to fly on board with its owner. When you do book, you will need to call the airline to verify the flight you are booking will allow you to fly with a puppy. We also recommend requesting an email with permission to fly with a puppy is sent before or at booking!
Based on Pennsylvania Law we will require buyers to:
- Provide a paper application for licensing the puppy within the State and County where they live at time of sale. We will explain why this is important.
- Review their rights under the state’s Dog Purchaser Protection Act, also known as the “Puppy lemon Law.” As the breeder we will provide a written copy of the consumers’ rights at the time of sale. A link can be found below and on our website.
If you have any additional questions or need more information we are here to help.
Thank you!
Ken and Debra
Kendra Breeding
kendrawhv@gmail.com
References:
Wirehaired Vizsla Club of America (n.d.). Home Page https://wvca.club/
Puppy Lemon Law https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/protect-yourself/puppy-lemon-law/