The most important thing is to buy off breeders who are socialising there puppies to sounds, textures, and handling.  Because you are starting off with a blank canvas.  But lots of people make huge mistakes with social skills for their puppy.  Because if you get it wrong you can create a reactive dog later on.  All puppies must be socialised in a certain way.  Many trainers also get it wrong.  
Social skills means playing sounds to your puppy very quietly for a start and building it up to loud noises. Carrying puppy beside a road way, bus stop, children's primary school and so on.
Then going to a controlled puppy class, not a free for all class.  Teaching your puppy that you're the most important person in the class, not other puppies. Trainers who allow puppies to pile in together are teaching the puppy bad skills.  Im now writing a booklet on socialisation which will be available for anyone to purchase eventually.   But Silvestre owners can verbally ask me for advice now and they will get free advice.  Another good reason to buy a Silvestre puppy is the after support you will get.  By a fully trained behaviourist.  What better reason to go have one. 

R x

What is Coi Efficiency? How does it affect our dogs?

Over the last few years the world appears in adverts coi efficiency.  So what is it exactly?  This is a term used for how a dog is bred, ie in bred or line bred or outcrossed.  You have people bragging in adverts that they have the lowest COI. But there is a catch!

The Hungarian vizsla has a small gene pool.  The more you look at the ancestors you begin to realise their is hardly any new blood lines to go too.  You also realise that all of our dogs today are related to 2 pairs brought into the UK, and then more but because the breed nearly died out in the First World War, their was not a big gene pool to go too to buy a new dog blood line. 

If you took any pedigree and went back 6 gens, 10 gens, 20 gens you're going to see your COI going up higher and higher. All because dogs go back to the same dogs. 

So where does that leave us?  Well it's a bit of a. pickle.  For a dog with a true 0 COI buy a cross breed dog.  A Poodle cross cocker spaniel.  A cockerpoo. But now with cross breeds they are getting inbred also. Because you could choose then going down the line brother and sister to mate together again. So the first cross is in fact the most outcrossed you will get.  But as breeders do not keep tracks of a pedigree, there lies the problem.  When buying several generations you could be mating so close together again. 

But back to Vizsla. Our litter at the moment is outcrossed, so with in 5 gens very little or none similar ancestors.  This is as good as it can possibly get, with a low COI. But just remember all pedigree dogs if you go back far enough will have same dogs.

So what about health problems? Well again here lies the problem. Those early dogs did carry genetic health issues.  Their is no such things as hundred percent healthy in any living animal. Humans are a witness to this.  There is now a movement wanting breeders to breed healthy dogs.  Well this we agree on, but it's going to be nearly impossible to cut out all bad health from dogs.   The followers of this movement aren't really dog lovers either, so they would love to see breeding done away with. 

But support your pedigree breeder because you know then certain behaviour traits, certain health problems that could occur, same size and colour.  A cross breed dog is an unknown on all of that.  Plus you can put together cross breeds which both carry the same genetic health problem. So it does not mean they are fit and healthy. Far from it. 

We actively try to breed with health testing paramount.  But we also breed by avoidance if there is no health test.  This means dont repeat a breeding if it produces something. Avoid it. Using a different sire, or a different dam, but don't repeat the mating.   Taking notes, and if it appears over and over, then something needs to be done. Which can mean stopping a blood line, stopping a sire or dam.  Stopping the repeat. Listening to vets advice.

So be smart and go to good breeders who health test.  As they are more mindful what they are doing. Go to breeders who will be mindful on the COI.   But also established well known breeders.  I was recently told that someone was waiting for a puppy from a friend of mine, but at the last minute dropped out and went to another breeder.  Because they are well known on advertising site.  But no one has heard of the breeder.  If no established breeder has heard of them it's probably for a good reason.  

We can give you a list of breeders who have puppies available across the country. 

Happy mother's day to all our mother dogs who have had puppies.   Willow and Ripley had a fantastic day which involved the sofa, walks, food and lots of fuss. What more could you wish for.! 
Willow's puppies are being weaned now, and already eating meat well.  Willow needs the break she said.  She has been so very good, and she has given them the best start possible.  Now for the increase in weaning food so we can give her a proper break.   She is eating very well but starting to loose a bit of weight so we are now upping her food again. It's so demanding for mother dogs.  But our girls get the best of everything and no expense is spared. 

I have moved Ripley and Frodos pages to Retired/Passed section now both are retired. 
​

Ive just added two new files to the Silvestre owners access page. 
Please note that Dog collars and ID have been updated, and although I talk about dog collars and in in other files you should refer to the new file for updated info on collars. 

Also trainers!  Thank you to everyone in our group who has recommended their trainers so I could write on a file for you to find trainers in your area.  

If you are not in our  group on fb, and have an excellent trainer you wish to share with me, if you either whats app me the info on 07584279384 or email me on [email protected] or message me through social media.  Then I will add your new details to the files. 

I would love to have trainers for all areas of the UK if possible and we have many missing.  So please do feel free to send me your details. 

​I would also like a list of dog walkers to add to our pages also.  

Exciting news!  I am doing a behaviourist course which will take 2 months from now.  At the end I will be able to offer my services to anyone.  I plan on doing zoom calls, personal calls, or inviting some to my house and we can train in the field.  I feel very privileged to be learning with Rob Alleyne who has a fantastic reputation.  So watch this space as Im sure I will be able to help more people very soon. 
I will be a fully qualified Behaviourist June 2025. 
Rachel 

Over the next six months I am going to try and do some educational videos.  Some will be open for all to view. Then some will be for just Silvestre Owners only.   I guess I take for granted that I know so much with owning a dog and yet other people do not and some things really worry some people.  A good friend of mine started doing videos of education in training and I realised that it would be a good idea for me to do some.  So you will find some on TikTok, or in this website, or on the hidden pages for our owners.   I am not one for liking my own voice or seeing myself on video but I will try my best. 

Updating again. 

Just like that Willow had a puppy!  No stress no drama, and shes been brilliant.  Will update tomorrow.  But what a fantastic mummy dog she is. xx

Well done team Silvestre ! Crufts dog show comes to an end for the Gundog group and although we could not go we are pleased to say that our little team did very well. 

Bracco Italiano 
Silvestre the flash among Kuantan 2nd place puppy dog
Silvestre Im Batman 3rd place Puppy dog. 
Silvestre stolen kiss 2nd Post Graduate dog. 

Vizsla
Silvestre fit as a fiddle 3rd puppy bitch.

Also progeny of our stud dogs did very well too!

two 2nds, one 5th, one 3rd. Well done everyone. 

Good luck to all our friends who are now travelling from the lengths and breadths of the UK to Crufts dog show. Also from Europe friends travelling many hours to get there.  The Gundog group is Saturday and we would have normally been going as lots of our dogs had qualified. However when Willow came into season we realised it is Crufts weekend that she is due to have her puppies.  The scan showed her due date as Monday, but her first mating date was Saturday. So she could come later than the weekend.  She is very sleepy at the moment and suddenly her tummy has dropped, which means days away now.  Her milk glands have developed yesterday.  She can now feel her puppies kicking inside her.  I think she will be a great mum as she has always wanted other peoples puppies and gets in whelping boxes and licks others pups.  She hopefully she will enjoy being a mummy dog.  

Good luck to the Silvestre team going as we have 2 puppies, and an older dog I believe going in Vizsla.  Possibly 3 Bracco italiano are going also but thats if at the last minute the owners can go. 

For those of you looking for us as we get lots of people visiting us at Crufts on the day, Im sorry we wont be there, but we are always here for a chat if you want to speak to us via messenger on fb, whats app or instagram.  Everyone have a lovely day and remember take big bags to fill with all that shopping, and comfortable shoes.  

Fingers crossed Silvestre team will be at Crufts in 2026 if nothing else comes along.  

I want to make it clear we never put a show before our dogs welfare. I have a personal responsibility to our girls who look to me as their mother to help them.  Yes I loose sleep and I am with them the whole journey.  What if they needed a vets help and I wasn't there. Awful to contemplate.

 I understand that some articles have come out where breeders have left pregnant dogs for shows.  I want to reassure you we are not one of those breeders.  I still have a job to believe some of the articles ive read recently.  Especially those concerned and I hope it's all wrong.  If wrong it's bullying on a massive scale. But Im always hopeful for humanity and try to see the best in everyone.  I am let down often.   

Here at Silvestre we have always maintained our dogs are pets first, they mean the world to us.  We give them the right veterinary care when needed. We have a great relationship with our veterinary surgeon.  Which all good breeders need.  If we can breed from them great, if we cant then they are spayed.   Life is about being kind to your animals.  Breeding dogs is one of the most expensive things you can do and at the end of the year when you do a tax return you see how little you make. It's a passion, love and devotion.  

I also have some exciting news to share soon on a new career choice Ive made which can run along side our breeding for now.  Again widening my knowledge on animals.  

Have a lovely weekend everyone and send me your crufts photos or just taking your dog for a walk. I know our will be out if I can arrange my son to sit with Willow for two hours over the weekend.  If he can not then I will be at home.  We are lucky we all live together in one massive house, but there is two houses.  So any time I have to pop out he pops around and sits with the team.  He is very experienced in every aspect of dogs because I taught him from a baby.  I have photo somewhere when he is about 9 months old sitting in the whelping box with a dog.