<![CDATA[Silvestre Show Dogs

<![CDATA[Silvestre Show Dogs - Blog]]>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:59:13 +0100Weebly<![CDATA[Health of our dogs]]>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:54:46 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/health-of-our-dogsThe health of our dogs matters to us very much. We health test our dogs.

The Kennel club sets out various health tests for each breed, but it is a recommendation not enforced. They will register puppies without any health tests. So it is up to you as the owner to check the parents. Not all health tests are recorded at the Kennel club. So you must ask your breeder if you can see the health tests when you view the puppies. We have a large folder and inside has every document relating to each parent. It's up to you to view them. We do not email our dogs documents to anyone because of theft of documents and copying. There are a lot of unscrupulous people out there. But you are absolutely welcome to view our documents when you are visiting.

But it's more than just health tests. The parents of your puppy under go an annual check with vets, they listen to hearts, check the dogs general health.

Our dogs are either vaccinated or titre tested, and we do yearly lepto 2 vaccine.

Our dogs are worm counted to check for more unusual parasites. But they are also wormed if needed. We try sometimes holistic remedies and other times I opt for Panacur Granules.

It's constant checking health of dogs. We are looking inside ears every day, checking nails.

Being a qualified groomer our dogs are groomed. Some of our dogs are groomed and bathed weekly. Others two weekly. Others monthly. We are so committed to their welfare it's a full time job in caring for the dogs. When most people get home from work and can sit down we are still caring for dogs up to night fall. I do not think people realise how much time goes into animals.

There is no expense spared where our dogs are concerned on their welfare.

Unfortunately where some health tests are concerned it's very much on the day. Let's take Glaucoma. We have to go to a BVA specialist vet and it's on the day. Then you have to retest 3. years later. But it does not mean the dog will not get glaucoma aged 8. We tend to continue to do our stud dogs right through to 10 years of age. This is because we could still use them but it also gives us the knowledge that they do not have it. This is very important for you and us.

Even hip and elbow scoring with good results does not mean your puppy may not get it. Because there are a lot of elements in HD and ED. Early spaying or neutering. Wrong diets. Over exercise. The Bracco for Example is a breed which must not run and run as a puppy. You have to be mindful. This is because of the heavy bone they have and ligaments and muscles may not yet be supporting well enough. Hydro therapy in these dogs is really an excellent idea if you want to increase muscle but do not give hard exercise. Even Vizsla must not run like loons. Dogs bones are fully grown by 18 months. Muscles and ligaments are supporting then. We know ourselves after buying a dog with Elbow dysplasia from a breeder that the parents had 0 elbows but our dog had severe elbow dysplasia and sadly we had to remove from any plans on breeding him or showing him. He was re-homed to an owner who was happy to take on the dog with maintenance on his welfare. Because they can be supported with hydrotherapy and live a good long life. So its a real pickle when your trying to do everything right. But this article is to help you understand why these things happen. IN HD and ED 100 genes come together to create it and it's bloody bad luck. Breeders can not be responsible for these problems especially when they have done everything right. Breeders are then mindful about how they go forward with that breeding. Do not breed from dogs which have ED or HD. This would be silly. So this is why you must see the health documents, and then do everything you can as an owner to make sure in the first 18 months that the dog is not over exercised.

But remember not all breeders health tests. Not all breeders care for the welfare of their dogs. You must look at behind photos. All puppies are cute, but what is really going on. It's a privilege to live and care for dogs. The love they show us. So it's up to us to do right by the dogs. I can honestly say there is not one dog here in poor condition, they are all in fabulous condition and thats down to daily management of each dog. The love we show towards our dogs is shown in their health.

When looking for a breeder make sure they have the passion of love for their adults. It's not about puppies. Anyone can raise a puppy. But it's the welfare of every aspect. Do not promote poor welfare by buying from pet breeders who have not done all the health tests. I wish this could be stopped. Going to breeders that have a hobby with their dogs really is the best way forward. Show people do not enter the ring with a sickly dog. So even if they breed infrequently they will keep the health of the dog and welfare paramount. Where as some back yard breeders do not give a toss what happens to the parents. In gun dog breeds, you need to see what hobby the breeder has with the dogs. If not showing they maybe working them. Doing agility, Doing Man trailing and they are choosing dogs selectively to continue with the best dogs abilities for the job at hand. But someone who is breeding just because they can, I would walk away. Thats me though. I know that people which have dog hobbies are listening about health. They are doing the health tests and understand them.

]]><![CDATA[Travelling with food to France]]>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:38:56 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/travelling-with-food-to-franceBy law you can not take any dog food into France that is meat or dairy based. You are allowed however to take 2kg of dried fish based food, or vegetable based food.

Look at Wolfworthy fish.

When you travel across the tunnel just into France there is a supermarket you can find and buy some food for your dog. But if you want to take some to get you little further then dried fish based foods or vegetable based foods wont get you stopped at the border. Same coming into the UK.

Hope this helps.
R xx
]]><![CDATA[Show news]]>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:35:40 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/show-news4546214NOVA WINS Best puppy, Best of Breed, Puppy group 3 and Crufts qualified 2027. YAY!
Very pleased with her and she really enjoys herself at shows. Her next show in May time.

]]><![CDATA[SHOW NEWS]]>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:35:08 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/show-news3037853HUNGARIAN CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

One of the best show news ever. Silvestre fit as a fiddle (Hungarian Vizsla). Wins Special yearling class, Bitch Ticket, Best opposite sex, Reserve best in show.
I am over the moon for her owner Nicki Winkworth. Her dedication to training, and keeping Roxa in the tip top condition. We are over the moon for you and I was very proud to see it all happen in front of my eyes.

Libertia Gingerlicious at Silvestre also is placed 4th in her one class and 3rd in other.

So thrilled also that Diane Priestley's Maverick daughter won her class.

Also that his other daughters were placed in the show too. Congratulations everyone.

]]><![CDATA[Who has created this website?]]>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:43:12 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/who-has-created-this-websiteI keep being asked who has created this website? The answer is MOI! ha ha. Rachel of course.
Yes you will notice each page is being updated at the moment, with a change of colour theme and pictures. Some text is altering also.

I suppose I have an artistic flair and I create all the artwork contained in this website. It's just something I love doing. This is why I can commit to updating it so often. Other people have to pay someone to do it and just leave their websites floating with old news. Where as our site is updated all the time. This is why you do not need to keep ringing me also, as you can just check in here and find the info you wanted to know. Hope this helps xx
]]><![CDATA[Why do you find it so hard to predict litters?]]>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:50:14 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/why-do-you-find-it-so-hard-to-predict-littersThis was a question put to me. I have tried explaining it before and probably failed in my explanations. It depends firstly which breed we are talking about. The Bracco for example has seasons super regular. You know when there will be a litter ahead.
But the Vizsla oh my what a breed they are. Ive always said if you wanted a business breeding dogs do not have a Vizsla. Because of their unpredictable nature you just can not call them a business venture like some people think dog breeding is!

A Vizsla can have a season then five months later have another. These are rare.
A Vizsla can have a season then another seven months later. Most commonly.
A Vizsla can have a season then not another one for a year. Also quite common.
A Vizsla can have a season and then have another 18 months later. Not as common.

But do I own all those scenarios? Yes I do! But this is where it gets annoying really for all concerned, if we take Willow. She had a season, then another seven months later, now she's been 13 months since her last season. So each dog does not even follow an exact pattern.

So when asked when will you have a litter, the answer is who ever comes into season and it works right. Because then we have to look at if they have had a litter before and how long. A bitch should really have 12 months between a litter. But in most of our dog's cases it's 14 months and longer in some cases. A bitch needs a rest between raising one litter to the next.

We then look at age of bitch. We like our girls to be around 2 when they have a litter but in some bitches cases we wait until they are 3. Each dog should be taken on merit and how they are mentally, and can they cope yet.

We sometimes plan a litter and then another girl comes in, who has shot over her season a long while so if we do not breed that one instead they could be too old for us to breed as we do not like breeding dogs over the age of 6. We do our breedings when bitches are younger so they can cope much easier. Its a bit like humans there are more risks if you leave dogs to be 4 before a first litter, than if you breed it at 2. You can liken that to a 20 year old lady having a child, over a 40 year old for first child. We all know midwifes have you down as a higher risk if you're older having your first baby at 40.

So does this makes sense to you all ? I hope so. At the end of the day our breeding has always been in the lap of the Gods!

I was also asked Recently. Why do you have your own stud dogs?
To answer this one for you. I love males, and always have done. I prefer males over females and I have always been like this. Im a boy lover! You can speak to another breeder and they have the opposite answers. The reason we have our own stud dogs is mainly because Vizsla are unpredictable, and some bitches do not like going out to stud. They do not like the males you have chosen. You may get smaller litter sizes. Bitches love the dogs they live with. They prefer knowing their chosen mates. I find it fascinating that females will even choose a dog with in the pack they live with. They can get a bit miffed if they are told sorry not that boy. They like the youngest dogs normally. Thats my honest experience owning dogs and bitches together.
But we also own our own dogs as it saves travelling. Travelling is never convenient, it is at a time when it's a weekend, or evening. Most stud owners are governed by no rules, and do not ever want to give you a receipt for studs, and if you do not have a receipt you can not prove this to the good old tax man. Also most studs in the Uk are not health tested to my standards. So you're going backwards instead of forwards in health. When you own your own studs it's up to you to make sure they are fully health tested.
Some people let their dogs be used at open stud the whole time and you can bring in lots of health issues. Let's think if a person was doing this you would understand where im coming from. Also we know the semen quality is by far better. Because they have not had five bitches just before yours.
My dogs are not at open stud. It's only if someone contacts me and I find we have a mutual beneficial path towards same goal. It maybe we want a new bloodline back in the future and collab with that person. We have one collab at the moment in which it will bring a new blood line back in the future. With out this hobby and collabs going on this would not protect the Silvestre bloodline to be as healthy as it is.

So loads of reasons why we have our own stud dogs.

Now we can not use our own studs forever as we would get inbred. So this is when we go out and buy another male in, for future stud services but our boys are very much pets. It takes me a while to find new bloodlines I want here. So this can start years before I actually do it.

But yes we love the boys, and we love having our own males.

]]><![CDATA[Fuel shortages]]>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:47:53 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/fuel-shortagesReading articles today on fuel shortages coming up. Diesel in particular.

With litters coming up and the talks of fuel shortages, I thought it would be a nice offer that if at the time we have puppies and you can not travel too far, we would deliver your puppy for you. Licensed breeders are allowed to deliver puppies in unusual circumstances. When we had Covid only licensed breeders could travel, Im hoping it does not come to this as it's always better to collect your own puppy. But if the government puts rationing in, business owners will be allowed to travel still which we would be able to do.

Or we could give you names of local couriers who would deliver puppy for you. There is always an option. So do not be put off by fuel shortages as we can work around each other to help each other.

Rachel x
]]><![CDATA[Titre testing]]>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:01:40 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/titre-testingWhat is a titre test?
In a nutshell you do a blood test at your vets and send off blood to dragon labs and they send you a result 3 days later. It costs approx £45 for titre test from company, plus what your vet charges for the blood test.
It's graded 0-6. Anything over 0 is positive reading.
By titre testing you will know if your dogs got antibodies to those virus, distemper, hepatitis and Parvo virus. If your dog has anti bodies you do not need to vaccinate. If your dog has 0 antibodies then sadly boarding kennels and home boarders wont accept the dog. But the twist to this tale is that dogs may not of been in contact with virus so their titre is low. So ideally before any titre testing is done you walk your dog into busy areas where other dogs have walked. For me we go to training classes, high dog area like show, woods, beaches etc. Then titre. If you keep dog at home in bubble wrap the titre will be 0 to low.

Titre roughly every 3 yearly. But do not miss your yearly vet health check. Vets check hearts, lungs and can talk to you about other aspects of your dog care. This is important. Keeping an eye on weight for example shows you if your dog is well.

For a more in-depth version go to our Silvestre Academy which will be online soon with lots more information in it.
Rachel x
]]><![CDATA[Do it better]]>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:41:08 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/do-it-betterI have been a dog breeder for a long time and I think it's this year more than any other year where I have realised that an established breeder has a lot of knowledge to impart on others. I have mentored many people over the years in breeding dogs. It's a trade if you like passed down the generations. I was taught by two different breeders with two different ethics originally. But then when I changed breeds I had another mentor who taught me about the Vizsla. You will always have questions. Your puppy owners will have questions so you need to have answers.

The header to this post is do it better! Because even now I learn and I dont think there will ever be a year I do not. Once you have the knowledge it then worries you more about new time dog breeders. You only learn by things going wrong then talking to other breeders how they coped. We tend to look at instagram and think breeding must be the most wonderful thing in the world because they do not see heart ache. It's an industry which should be supported more by government because it is a struggle. Vet bills are so high these days, feed bills are so high also, and anyone with good welfare will have one hell of a dog bill at the end.
All I can say to new people coming along is strive to do better. Learn all you can, and take advice from experienced breeders. Take the advice and learn from it.
Lots of people even do not think they are breeders because they have one litter. But you've bred the dog so you are a breeder. You sold your puppies so you are selling puppies. So you have a. responsibility now to your puppies. So why is it so many dogs are not health tested ? Cutting financial corners will not help you in the end.

On Tik Tok there is a breeder who has an academy called Tracy's breeding academy. I would highly advise you join up to her scheme because she will give you sound good advice. Loosing puppies is soul destroying, and if you learn how to save puppies that may for example be dehydrated then you've learn something. How to save puppies. How to breed dogs properly.

]]><![CDATA[Silvestre Academy]]>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:35:02 GMThttps://www.silvestrehungarianvizsla.com/blog/silvestre-academyThank you for being patient for the Academy which is coming. We have given basic pet knowledge for years and years, but now I am going to go into each subject further. So far Ive written 20 articles for this academy. It is coming I promise but I dont want to activate it properly until I have got them all done and uploaded.

I am having a yearly membership fee. Or you can down load a single article for £7.99. This will be helpful to those of you that just want instant knowledge on one thing. This academy will be available for every single dog owner who wishes to read it.

For ages I have doubted my self and knowledge. Then one day I downloaded someone's article for £5.99 and was so disappointed in it that I thought my goodness I give far more advice than what they have done. So its pushed me to do it and I hope it will be ready in a few weeks.

The Silvestre Owners page on this site will vanish. We are now sending just a few articles which are relevant by email to you. The academy is there for everything else.

I hope this new venture helps you and educates you more on your pets. I hope you join up for a year when you have puppies off us as it will be worth it.

Rachel
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